Apple Inc. device management platform startup Kandji Inc. today announced a new integration with identity access management company Okta Inc. to ensure Apple devices comply with access policies before allowing access to Okta-secured software-as-a-service applications.

The integration seeks to address the rise of remote working wherein “any device is the new norm” when it comes to connecting to corporate networks. Remote working has resulted in the need to ensure endpoint devices accessing corporate applications are secure and compliant.

The new integration sees Kandji integrated with Okta Device Trust to enable organizations to implement a zero-trust security model by allowing only managed devices access to Okta-integrated applications. The integration is built on top of the Okta Identity Engine and adds a layer of security and compliance to establish trust at the device level.

“At Okta, our partner ecosystem plays a key role in our vision to free everyone to safely use any technology,” Jamie Fitz-Gerald, senior director of product management at Okta, said ahead of the announcement. “Integrating Okta Device Trust with Kandji’s device management and security platform is a natural progression of our longstanding partnership and ensures device trust across the Apple ecosystem.”

With the integration, Kandji provides an end-to-end solution to establish device trust. Once Okta Device Trust is configured, Kandji automatically manages the creation and distribution of settings, configuration profiles and trust certificates.

After users register their devices via the Okta Verify app, the devices appear as managed in the Okta Universal Directory. Then the device qualifies for secure access to applications via Okta.

Kandji is a venture capital-backed startup that has raised $188.4 million to date, according to Crunchbase, including a round of $100 million in November 2021. Investors in the company include Tiger Global LLC, Definition Capital, Frontline Ventures Management Co. Ltd., First Round Capital, Greycroft LP, Felicis Ventures LLC, The Spruce House Partnership LLC, B Capital Group US LLC and — perhaps not surprising given today’s news — Okta Ventures.

The company was last in the news on June 13 with the launch of Okta Device Trust, a service designed to enhance the security of corporate devices in a hybrid workforce environment. It enables organizations to extend the company’s identity and access management capabilities to secure access to corporate devices.

Image: Kandji