Jamf releases AI analysis for iOS forensics

Apple management and security specialists Jamf, has announced the beta launch of AI Analysis for Jamf Executive Threat Protection, a new AI-powered capability designed to speed up mobile forensics research and simplify analysis of advanced mobile threats.

The threat protection feature aims to help organisations detect sophisticated attacks targeting high-value users. The company notes potential targets as political figures and journalists. With exposure to mercenary spyware a growing threat for mobile users (a number of threat notifications have been sent out by Apple in more than 150 countries in recent years), Jamf Executive Threat Protection aims to let users and device fleet managers analyse device activity.

Jamf uses AI analysis to improve its threat detection and response capabilities, potentially giving security and forensics teams faster device compromise checking. The company claims the platform removes the need for manual analysis.

The platform’s AI analysis gives a summary of any remote attack on mobile devices, including unusual app activities that may identify a hacking attempt. Jamf Executive Threat Detection can provide recommendations on next steps, if required.

Henry Patel, Chief Strategy Officer at Jamf, said: “AI Analysis acts as an embedded forensic expert that can review suspicious activity in minutes and provide clear, actionable summaries. By using AI to translate complex telemetry into plain-language recommendations, we’re helping security teams respond faster and more confidently to potential mobile threats. What previously took hours or even days of manual analysis can now be summarised in minutes.”

The AI produces a summary for device users and generates a technical report that can be used by security teams. Ultimately, AI analysis helps organisations safeguard their high-risk users in a more efficient manner, the company says.

Most widely used Apple MDM systems

Apple’s native MDM (mobile device management) frameworks comprise of Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager. Both are web-based portals work designed to help automate device enrolment into MDM without manual device preparation.

Administrators can create and assign roles or privileges, giving teams the opportunity to oversee device deployment, user management, and app distribution. They also simplify software management in large fleets of devices by supporting the purchase and distribution of books, apps, and software licences.

Both MDM solutions help organisations keep user accounts under central control via managed Apple accounts and domain verification. Federated authentication can enhance overall security, integrating with Google Workspace and Microsoft Entra ID to let users sign in with existing credentials.

As the name suggests, Apple School Manager offers additional features like a student information system (SIS), education specific workflows, and automated class register synchronisation.

Third-party Apple MDM

In addition to the Jamf offering, there are several third-party MDM systems available for iOS, including Kandji, Addigy, and Mosyle.

Kandji is an Apple-only cloud-based MDM with automation features designed to streamline the deployment, compliance, and security of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS devices. It uses AI via its Iru AI system, which the company says improves threat-detection and decision-making.

Addigy offers real-time management designed for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT teams that need to manage large Apple fleets. The platform integrates with Apple Business Manager with zero-touch deployment. Addigy supports software deployment, OS updates, and compliance enforcement, as well as being compliant with common security benchmarks set by the likes of NIST and CIS.

Mosyle describes itself as a Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platform designed for education and business. It offers zero-touch deployment, patch management, AI-powered security, SSO (single sign-on) integration, and web content filtering.

Apple vs Android: Which is the most secure?

According to a study by researcher Ernestas Naprys, Apple iPhones are generally more secure than their Android counterparts. Naprys conducted an experiment where he installed the top 100 apps from the German app store on a new iPhone and a new Android device.

He discovered that the iPhone sent out an average of 3,308 internet connections per day while Android only sent 2,323. However, most of these connections were to Apple servers, with 60% of the IOS requests going to Apple, whereas only 24% of Android requests were sent to Google – the rest were directed to third-part apps.

Naprys’ findings highlight why Apple devices are often preferred in business environments and typically managed at scale with MDM platforms like Jamf. iPhones boast stronger default security and limit third-party data sharing, therefore, reducing exposure to potentially harmful connections and servers.

When Apple devices are combined with an MDM, IT teams have centralised control, further limiting risks from external connections and apps. Platforms, like Jamf’s AI Analysis for Jamf Executive Threat Protection can help to further iOS’s inherent protections.

(Image source: “Apples” by astronomy_blog is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)

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Tags: android, apple, cybersecurity, fleet management, ios, mdm