Greetings from Brighton, where I am attending the last few sessions of MacAD.UK! Wonderful sessions and so many great people to meet and conversations to have.
We got a minor patch for iOS, iPadOS and tvOS this week which patches a really odd bug that might have "on rare occasions" resurfaced old deleted photos.
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⚙️ Apple Updates
Apple elaborates on iOS 17.5 bug that resurfaced deleted photos
The company has now confirmed a few additional details to 9to5Mac to further clarify the situation.
Micheal Tsai has a summary of the issue. 17.5.1 also fixes the client identifier for third-party marketplaces.
Updating from macOS Ventura to Sonoma silently enables iCloud Keychain
The latest iPadOS beta seems to have silently enabled iCloud Keychain.
🔐 Security and Privacy
Why Your Wi-Fi Router Doubles as an Apple AirTag
At issue is the way that Apple collects and publicly shares information about the precise location of all Wi-Fi access points seen by its devices. Apple collects this location data to give Apple devices a crowdsourced, low-power alternative to constantly requesting global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.
Nick Zolotko notes that you can opt out by renaming your SSID.
How Malware Can Bypass Transparency Consent and Control
CVE-2023-40424 is a vulnerability that allows a root-level user to create a new user with a custom Transparency Consent and Control (TCC) database in macOS, which can then be used to access other users’ private data.
First discovered back in 2022, the vulnerability was fixed by Apple in 2023 in macOS Sonoma’s initial release. But it was not fixed in earlier versions of macOS—one more reason users and admins should update their Mac computers to Sonoma.
🔨 Support and Tutorials
Jamf Pro Departments, Has Its Time Passed?
For as long as I’ve been admin of a Jamf Pro instance, and this is going back to the Casper Suite days, I’ve been all over making sure the Department config was spot on.
How easy is it to migrate between macOS MDMs in 2024?
This has made it incredibly simple for MDM vendors to include multiple ways for admins to both remove and add devices to their platforms.
I wouldn't call the process "incredibly" simple, but it is certainly much easier than it used to be. Good overview of options.
(Jamf employee hat on:) If you want to migrate from any thing, to Jamf, ask your rep/SE, we have solutions.
🤖 Scripting and Automation
Introducing VirusTotalReporter
an AutoPkg processor designed to return file report information from VirusTotal.
Basic Authentication authentication now disabled for the Jamf Pro Classic API as of Jamf Pro 11.5.0
For those looking now to transition away from Basic Authentication for connecting to the Jamf Pro Classic API, I’ve written a couple of shell script functions to assist with getting the bearer tokens now used for API authentication
Next Level AutoPkg Workshop at X World
Since the bulk of the workshop involved asking participants to try to read recipes without running them, you can do the same exercise by going through the slides here.
📺 Watch
Installomator: An Update on the Update Tool
I had the honor of presenting remotely for the India Apple Admins community and they have shared the recording.
🎧 Listen
WWDC 2024 Predictions, Part 1
Tom, Marcus, James, and Emily round up for what they assume is part one of their Apple World Wide Developer Conference predictions for 2024.
Your vacation, reservations, and online dates, now chosen by AI
This year, several companies debuted their vision of a future that incorporates Artificial Intelligence to deliver the internet directly to you, with less searching, less typing, and less decision fatigue.
Jamf After Dark
Max Simpson and Harry Jenkins join to discuss one of Jamf’s security solutions, Jamf Executive Threat Prevention (JETP).
Shelley Watson of DBQ Technology - Evolving Careers and Combating Industry Biases
Shelley Watson, a seasoned professional in the tech industry.
Taking the next steps
Chris King about her new book, Breaking Through the Silicon Ceiling: How a 20-year-old Single Mother Became the World’s First Female Semiconductor Company CEO.