An unmanaged macOS-26 system in standard configuration achieves a compliance score of about 35 % against internationally recognized security standards.

A newly acquired macOS device is delivered by Apple with solid security mechanisms. When you deploy this computer in a corporate environment, however, it does not meet the minimum compliance standards increasingly demanded by regulatory authorities, customers, and insurers. The reality is uncomfortable—and measurable.

Current status?

An unmanaged macOS-26 system in standard configuration achieves a compliance score of about 35 % An unmanaged macOS-26 system in standard configuration achieves a compliance score of about 35 percent against internationally recognized security standards. That sounds low because it is low.

These gaps do not exist due to malice or negligence. They are the natural result of devices operated without central management.

The consequences of these gaps

For your company:

• Regulatory violations against GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA or industry-specific standards
• Insurance gaps (many cyber insurers require managed endpoints)
• Incident response becomes chaotic and expensive when a device is compromised
• Data loss risk in case of device theft without remote wipe capability

For your IT department:

• Longer downtimes in case of problems
• Manual, error-prone support processes
• No visibility into the status of devices in the network
• Constant stress from uncontrollable endpoints

For users:

• High vulnerability to spam and phishing
• Unauthorized data exchange via AirDrop or cloud services
• Devices that remain active in sleep mode (Power Nap)
• No certainty about data protection in their daily work

What managed systems change

With central management (MDM) and appropriate hardening, macOS systems typically achieve 80–95 percent compliance—and this has immediate practical consequences:

The next step

Migration to fully managed endpoints is technically simple and organizationally feasible. It requires no complicated restructuring, but strategic planning:

1. Inventory: Which devices are in what condition?
2. Strategy: Which MDM system fits your infrastructure?
3. Rollout: Step-by-step migration with minimal user disruption
4. Validation: Conduct and document compliance assessments

An average company with 100–500 devices can complete this process in 6–12 weeks. The benefit: Measurable compliance, reduced risk, quieter nights for your IT management. If you want to ensure your macOS infrastructure meets professional compliance standards, feel free to contact us.

P.S.: Smartphones are also a popular attack target. They make calls and write messages with customers daily, surf the web, and click links in emails. Let me guess: Your smartphone is completely unprotected. MDM alone is not sufficient to efficiently block, for example, spam and phishing. We also have a solution for this (the same one—from a suite).