Apple and Jamf help airline employees spread their wings

It’s old news that our workforce is becoming more mobile and remote, and the aviation industry is as mobile as it comes. Employees are constantly moving, whether they’re a below-wing employee maintaining various planes or an above-wing one starting their day in California and ending it in South America.

The 24/7/365 nature of airports combined with the rising need for mobility means that any technology implemented by airlines needs to be reliable, robust and secure. Airlines need to ensure that their employees are able to perform their job functions efficiently and cost-effectively. This is made even more complex when airlines have to consider conditions beyond their control, like WiFi or 5G bandwidth at the airport.

So what’s the solution? This blog will dive into how Jamf and Apple can give airlines the secure and flexible technology solutions they need.

Why Apple?

Airlines choose Apple because Apple simplifies work. Using a single platform eliminates the complexity of multiple operating systems, hardware conflicts and multiple developers. Apple Business Manager and Volume Purchasing Program makes obtaining and deploying devices simple and convenient for IT teams and employees by enabling zero-touch deployment and putting ready-to-use devices in employee hands without IT having to touch the device.

Apple’s built-in security features like Touch ID and Rapid Security Response mean devices are more difficult to access for bad actors and are kept updated with the latest security patches. And Apple’s robust developer tools allow for organizations to develop custom applications tailored to their business, improving performance and efficiency.

Managing shared devices

Shared devices can be helpful for a variety of roles. Airline mechanics, pilots, gate agents and flight attendants can use Apple devices for their responsibilities. Mechanics can enjoy the portability and flexibility of iPads when referring to manuals. Flight attendants can provide point-of-sale terminals to customers and access their airline's portal. Gate agents can search the portal while dealing with customers, keeping operations running more smoothly. And pilots can replace hefty aircraft checklists, navigational charts, operation manuals and flight planning tools with a single iPad-hosted Electronic Flight Bag.

Shared devices can pose security risks if not handled with proper care. After all, that device has access to your company resources, including private, confidential or proprietary information. This is why it’s critical to have an in-depth understanding of how your devices are being used, and by whom.

That’s where Jamf comes in. By adding your devices into Jamf’s mobile device management (MDM) platform, you can:

• Keep inventory of your devices
• Use Jamf Setup to customize devices specifically for a given role
• Use Jamf Reset to ensure devices are refreshed when moving to the next worker
• Simplify login to shared devices by integrating with cloud-identity providers
• Lock or erase devices if they are lost or stolen

Device usage outside the airport

For employees that have their own company-owned devices, Jamf can provide more transparency into device statuses. IT teams can manage these devices enrolled in the Jamf platform, giving them the power to:

• Enforce data policies to limit data usage
• Keep devices updated and in compliance
• Limit access to company data and apps
• Enforce acceptable use policies

Like Apple, Jamf prioritizes user privacy. When employees are using company-managed devices as personal devices, they want to know they aren’t being surveilled. Devices enrolled into Jamf are partitioned into “personal” and “business” volumes—data doesn’t travel between the two. This means personal data remains personal, while corporate data is kept safely contained and available only when the identity of the user is strictly confirmed.

Securing endpoints

On average, a data breach in 2022 cost the transportation industry 3.59 million USD. Beyond a financial hit, a data breach can shut down operations, causing numerous flight delays and unhappy travelers. Not to mention, if airlines are found responsible —even by neglect— for the data breach, they can face even more fines.

With social engineering driving 82% of data breaches in 2022, securing your endpoints is critical for preventing data breaches. Users make mistakes; keeping devices in compliance with your security policies mitigates the impact these mistakes can have. Jamf Protect helps secure your endpoints by:

• Providing full same-day support when a new OS is released
• Detecting malicious applications, scripts and user actions in real time
• Using the MITRE ATT&CK framework to identify known threats and AI to detect unknown vulnerabilities before they’re exploited
• Quarantining known threats
• Giving IT and security teams real-time visibility into device health
• Enforcing CIS benchmarks

Key takeaways

• Apple’s unified platform simplifies the deployment, management and use of devices for your mobile fleet
• Shared devices give employees the tools they need on the go—Jamf can make sure these devices are customized to each role and are clean for the next employee to use
• Jamf can help company-owned devices stay in compliance, restrict data usage and enforce AUPs while maintaining security and user privacy
• Jamf Protect helps keep your devices secure while providing IT with transparency about device health