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Keep your apps up to date and your Macs secure with Alectrona Patch
With Alectrona Patch you can install or upgrade over 500 Mac apps automatically to keep your users protected with the latest security updates. Alectrona Patch works with your existing MDM by simply deploying a package and a configuration profile for ongoing management. It’s cloud-native, so no server or package hosting is required, and the latest updates are delivered directly from the software vendor. You control which apps are installed or updated, so you deploy only what you need. Alectrona Patch is customizable to ensure your users can update without interruption, so you can keep your security team and your end users happy.
📰 News and Opinion
Apply Now: 2025 Community and Conference Grant for MacAdmins at MacAd.UK
The Community and Conference Grant continues its mission to broaden the experience of deserving individuals with the intent to foster their development as a new generation of technical professionals.
⚙️ Apple Updates
- Apple Business Manager: User Guide, Revision history
- Apple School Manager: User Guide, Revision history
Apple Business Essentials: Release notes, User Guide, Revision history
AirPods: Firmware updates, AirPods Max (Lightning): 6F25, "Bug fixes and other improvements"
🔐 Security and Privacy
Uncovering Apple Vulnerabilities: diskarbitrationd and storagekitd Audit Part 3
In this third and final part of the series, we will discuss a vulnerability which impacted storagekitd. The vulnerability allowed an attacker to escalate their privileges to root.
VSCode extensions with 9 million installs pulled over security risks
Microsoft has removed two popular VSCode extensions, 'Material Theme – Free' and 'Material Theme Icons – Free,' from the Visual Studio Marketplace for allegedly containing malicious code.
See also Tony Young's post on tracking VSCode extensions further down under 'Scripting and Automation'
🔨 Support and Tutorials
Prepping for and Staging macOS 15.4 Restrictions for Apple Intelligence
we must begin to prep our Jamf Pro servers with new keys introduced in macOS 15.4 so that organizations can confirm that the keys are functional as intended and to prepare for future deployment once macOS 15.4 is generally available.
Preparation for the Jamf 400 Course
BookMac on Jamf Tech Thoughts
with the right resources, a solid foundation in Bash and API knowledge, and regular testing in a sandbox environment, you are well-equipped to successfully master the challenges of the course.
Allowing Notification Center notifications to appear during screen recordings on macOS Sequoia
As part of making some screen recordings of app behavior recently, I noticed that the Notification Center notifications I was expecting to see weren’t appearing.
Why Active Directory Is Getting Harder to Manage—and How to Fix It
For years, Microsoft Active Directory (AD) ran the show in IT. It kept everything under one roof, made user management simple, and gave admins full control. But the tech landscape changed, and AD never quite caught up.
What is FileVault Disk Encryption & How Does It Work on Mac?
Enabling FV2 is a straightforward process. In enterprise settings, it is a best practice for IT to enable it automaticallythrough a script or MDM configuration.
🤖 Scripting and Automation
Offboard a Mac Computer Using Jamf Pro and Apple Business Manager
This guide outlines the steps to properly offboard a Mac computer from Jamf Pro when an organization sells or transfers ownership of a device to a staff member.
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) Extension Tracking with Jamf Pro
Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a widely used code editor with a vast extension marketplace. However, certain extensions can pose security risks
Get-ChooseFileName in PowerShell Gallery
John C. Welch on bnkiidotcom
GetChooseFileName is now up on the PowerShell Gallery
🎧 Listen
Episode 400
The hosts of the Mac Admins Podcast review the last nine years in their 400th episode! Congratulations!
Surveillance pricing is "evil and sinister," explains Justin Kloczko
It’s a pricing model that most people find distasteful, but it’s also a pricing model that could become the norm if companies across the world begin implementing something called “surveillance pricing.” Surveillance pricing is the term used to describe companies charging people different prices for the exact same goods.
Robert Hammen on Making Changes
In the current economic climate, changing jobs isn’t always something that can be planned, so holding onto a job is often our primary concern. But how do we know when we have outgrown our current role
Have your cake and eat it too
Nenad Milanović from CAKE.com about SaaS sprawl in large enterprises, tackling new application use cases, why they've been so successful with their productivity bundle, and much more.