Jamf unveils new toolkit to optimise Apple tech in businesses & schools

Jamf, known for managing and securing corporate fleets of Apple devices, has announced a suite of new offerings. These updates aim to assist enterprises in maximising their tech investments and meeting vital compliance parameters.

The live-streamed occasion, divided into simultaneous commercial and educational keynotes, exhibited an array of forthcoming enhancements to Jamf's Apple-centric management system and security platform. "At Jamf, we recognise the unique characteristics of Apple devices. Yet they must still adhere to the same exacting compliance standards as other work devices," noted Sam Johnson, Jamf's Chief Customer Officer. He added that Jamf aims to provide tools that "help customers navigate the vast and varied compliance landscape."

One of the updates highlighted during the event was the optimisation of enforcement of compliance and security benchmarks. The company has introduced a customisable compliance dashboard, which gives Jamf admins a new way to visualise compliance status according to CIS benchmarks across a wealth of devices. The innovative system facilitates an aggregate baseline score or Fleet Hardening Score while providing insights into specific details to understand and rectify compliance issues within the device fleet.

Furthermore, the Compliance Editor tool with Jamf Pro is now available for iOS and iPadOS, ensuring standardised security benchmarks can be applied across Mac, iPhone and iPad. The Compliance Editor enables admins to generate hundreds of detailed configurations required to make endpoints compliant with a selected benchmark with just a few clicks.

Jamf also introduced new updates, such as Jamf Routines and Privilege Elevation in Jamf Connect for macOS, to simplify the workflow, enhance IT teams' efficiency, and boost overall security and compliance. App Version Control is another exciting innovation that will provide admins with more control over deployed apps, keeping users productive with the essential apps while staying secure and up-to-date.

Moreover, Jamf has expanded its support for modern Apple devices, enrolling and streamlining the deployment of enterprise apps and settings. The company announced support for watchOS management, further underscoring its commitment to uncomplicating Apple products in the workspace.

For its education customers, Jamf has introduced new privacy controls to its Safe Internet, providing two reporting options to admins: full privacy and balanced privacy. This enables IT admins to monitor security without compromising the privacy of school students. According to Johnson, this action ensures the correct privacy posture in the educational tech landscape by maintaining a delicate balance without compromising on individual privacy rights.