We’ve been seeing a lot about Jamf in the news lately. There are stories discussing our role in promoting employee choice programs. Stories about how we can help organizations block applications with security issues like TikTok, as well as the top threats facing organizations today. Stories about how businesses can make BYOD programs a reality.
Jamf Threat Labs also released critical threat research, reporting the discovery of Mac cryptomining malware in pirated copies of Final Cut Pro. This had wide media coverage including reports on: Fox News, 9to5 Mac, Dark Reading, Bleeping Computer and more.
Read on for a recap of some of our recent news highlights.
Jamf in the news highlights
- Cisco's Mac choice scheme confirms Apple's future in enterprise tech - Computer World
Cisco says 59% of new hires choose a Mac and 65% of existing workers switch to Apple’s platform when they get the chance. Employee satisfaction benefits from choice, and the desire to use the same great technologies at work that’s available at home.
"We know the demand is accelerating because, as Jamf CEO Dean Hager once told me, “Technology isn't just part of the employee experience, it is the entire employee experience. So employers are going to want to make it a good one.” The momentum Apple has built in the enterprise has spawned a vast ecosystem of enterprise-friendly solutions providers who can help integrate its kit into existing deployments. Cisco even spoke at Jamf’s annual JNUC event to explain how it supports Macs across its business." (You can watch Cisco's JNUC video here.)
News featuring Jamf Threat Labs cryptomining malware story:
- Crypto-mining malware attacking Apple Mac with pirated software - Fox News
Pirated copies of the popular video editing software, Final Cut Pro, have been altered to contain a malicious instruction that takes over an infected Mac or MacBook, forcing it to act as a cryptocurrency mining machine for a hacker. Worse, this latest malware disguised as legit Final Cut Pro can bypass and shut down some of the security processes running on an infected device. Investigative sleuthing by security professionals at Jamf Threat Labs led to tracing the malicious Final Cut Pro copies back to a known bad actor with a history of uploading and spreading viruses. Since 2019, this same hacker is responsible for seeding multiple dangerous malware attacks hidden inside pirated copies of both Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro X. - Well-hidden Mac cryptomining malware found in pirate copies of Final Cut Pro - 9to5 Mac
Cybersecurity company Jamf Threat Labs has found Mac cryptomining malware in pirate copies of Final Cut Pro. The firm says that the cryptojacking malware was particularly well hidden, and not detected by most Mac security apps. Jamf also warned that the power of Apple Silicon Macs is going to make them increasingly popular targets for cryptojacking – where malware uses your machine’s considerable processing power to mine cryptocurrencies for the benefit of attackers. - It’s not just Windows that gets malware - Tech HQ
Seemingly immune for so long, here’s a reminder that MacOS and Linux need to protect themselves against malware too. Security researchers at Jamf have found that torrents on The Pirate Bay, claiming to contain Final Cut Pro, are instead distributing cryptojacking malware to Macs. On installation of the pirated version of "Final Cut Pro," users will see a message saying that the file is damaged and can’t be opened. Behind the scenes, the Mac is covertly mining cryptocurrency on behalf of cybercriminals, using up CPU cycles.
Security news
- Why TikTok’s future has never been so cloudy - The Verge
The parent company of TikTok thought it had a deal with the government in August. Then came the bans– and a spying scandal. The movement to ban the app spread to Congress, and now TikTok is forbidden from being installed on devices owned by the federal government.
"Jamf, which sells software to organizations to enable filtering and security measures on iPhones and other Apple devices, said its government customers have increasingly blocked access to TikTok since the middle of this year. About 65% of attempted connections to TikTok have been blocked this month on devices managed by Jamf’s public sector customers worldwide, including school districts and various other agencies, up from 10% of connections being blocked in June, the company said." - Paresh Dave at Reuters
- US National Cyber Strategy allays fears over liability for open source vulnerabilities - IT Pro
Software vendors will be held accountable for product vulnerabilities under new plans outlined by the Biden administration.
"The idea of taking NIST standards and suggesting companies out of compliance are negligent and liable for privacy breaches is interesting. The devil will be in the details, but a GDPR-like liability regime tied to real, pragmatic set of baseline control expectations will be a welcome change.” – Aaron Kiemele, Jamf CISO
- Social engineering remains the top threat for enterprises - Beta News
The latest Annual Trends Report from Jamf, based on a sample of 500,000 devices protected by the company’s technology, looks at the threats impacting devices used in the modern workplace and finds social engineering tops the list.
“It's important that users are made aware of the threat. We're at a time where we're hearing a lot about passwordless technologies. We're seeing a lot of adoption in the consumer space of biometrics, and yet social engineering is still top for entities and organizations that are using compute and distributing it to their workers. And so for me, there's a real call to action, that I hope comes out of this report, that continues to beat the drum around educating workers around phishing and modernizing that education program. I think so many are still stuck with focusing their phishing education around corporate email, but times have changed. Phishing is coming across in SMS and compromised ads and social media apps, I think it's time that we make sure that workers are aware of all these different threat vectors." – Michael Covington, VP, Jamf Portfolio Strategy
- Jamf Launches Jamf Safe Internet for Student Safety - eChannel News
Jamf announced that Jamf Safe Internet, a comprehensive content filtering and web security solution optimized for education, is now available on Chromebook.
“With technology now firmly embedded in the student experience, there is a growing need for digital safety across all devices to eliminate cyberattacks and prevent students from accessing unsafe content. Jamf’s solutions historically have been built for the Apple ecosystem, but our goal has always been to empower safe student learning from whichever device they have access to. With Jamf’s best-in-class network threat prevention and a vast content-filtering database, students can now safely learn online from anywhere, whether they are using Apple devices or Chromebooks. We are excited about the continued partnership with Google to help keep students safe.” - Suraj Mohandas, Jamf VP of Strategy
- Sharing sensitive business data with ChatGPT could be risky - CSO
ChatGPT and similar language models learn from the data you put in – and there are big risks in sharing sensitive business information with AI chatbots.
“Organizations should update information protection policies to ensure that the types of applications that are acceptable handlers of confidential data are well documented. Controlling that flow of information begins with a well-documented and informed policy. Additionally, organizations should be exploring how they can utilize these new technologies to improve their businesses in a thoughtful way. Don’t shy away from these services out of fear and uncertainty but dedicate some staffing to explore new tools that show potential so you can understand the risks early and ensure adequate protections are in place when early end-user adopters want to start using the tools.” – Michael Covington, Jamf VP of Portfolio Strategy
- The Ever Evolving World of Cybersecurity Threats - Healthcare IT Today
The amount of technology used and how it is being used has skyrocketed and unfortunately, alongside it so has the amount and sophistication of cybersecurity threats.
“Personal data stolen from healthcare organizations normally ends up being bought and sold on the dark web for a high price. Healthcare providers in the US are a particularly popular target for threat actors as data usually commands a higher price due to the country’s affluence and economy. Healthcare providers are constantly adding new endpoints such as tablets, laptops and other interconnected devices to their networks, which exposes them to new attack vectors. With more devices connected to the network, it widens the attack surface, and ultimately, makes it harder to maintain visibility across the network, leaving gaps for threat actors to exploit.” - Adam Mahmud, Jamf Senior Product Marketing Manager
Network access news
"The failure to offer a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) option is a completely missed opportunity for businesses looking to improve employee experience, cut costs on device training/distribution, and ensure employees’ data privacy. In fact, a recent report by Cisco found that BYOD improves employees' creativity, productivity and pride in their workplace, and also offers companies cost savings of an average of $350 per year, per employee." – Michael Covington, Jamf VP of Portfolio Strategy
- Mapping Out Your Organization's Journey To Trusted Access - Forbes Tech Council
How can organizations create an environment where employees love their work technology and organizations trust all access?
"The ultimate IT admin and end-user experience can be unlocked when you find a set of solutions that can integrate and holistically deliver all of these pillars. A holistic approach to trusted access can ensure that end-user interruption is minimized while streamlining administration to deliver maximum performance and functionality as product capabilities evolve. Additionally, end users can have the intended powerful technology experience without having to interface with various applications interrupting them with reauthentication prompts and disjointed alerts." – Dean Hager, Jamf CEO
Equity in tech industry news
- Women in Cybersecurity: Inspiring the next generation of amazing female infosec leaders - Beta News
The cybersecurity industry has long been very male-dominated. However, the sector is finally starting to be made up of more and more female faces. Research showed that globally in 2022, women held 25 percent of cybersecurity jobs -- up from 20 percent in 2019 and 10 percent in 2013.
Linh Lam, CIO at Jamf, said that her curiosity led her to the point she is now at: "I didn't set out to be a CIO. My career (that I love) was a product of my curiosity in problem solving and technology. When girls are young, we need to expose them to science, technology and the fun career opportunities in tech, so they know it’s not just a possibility, it’s reality.”
- IWD 2023: Embracing equity starts with backing yourself - Channel Life AU
Melissa Antonie, Senior Manager of Customer Success APAC at Jamf, wrote about the importance of backing yourself and the struggles she faced with imposter syndrome. She shared how her team at Jamf supported and vouched for her to become one of Jamf’s APAC business leaders.
Stay tuned...
And that’s just a small sampling! We look forward to sharing more news coverage about exciting new developments at Jamf as the rest of the year unfolds.
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