- More than half of Macs and mobiles have critically outdated software installed
- MacOS attacks are on the rise, as are Mac shipments, compounding the problem
- Software updates are designed to fix vulnerabilities
Vulnerable apps and outdated operating systems may be the biggest security concerns across Mac and mobile environments, new research from Jamf has claimed.
The firm found that more than half (53%) of organizations have mobile devices with critically outdated operating systems, and even more (58%) are running outdated macOS devices.
As for the apps themselves, almost all (95%) of the mobile apps assessed had at least one moderate vulnerability – combined with poorly protected operating systems, this can put sensitive corporate data at risk.
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macOS and mobile are big culprits for running dated OSes
Three in five (62%) mobile apps also request potentially risky permissions, with one in five (21%) showing “privacy-impacting behavior”.
While the operating system or app itself may not be enough to send a company down, these vulnerabilities combined with human risks can spell disaster – a quarter of organizations surveyed had fallen for phishing links that give attackers an entry point into a system.
These vulnerabilities then enable lateral movement within a company’s systems, amplifying the effects of an attack.
Jamf also touches on the evolution of threats, where many attacks now use zero-click, browser-based or chained exploits that do not require the active participation of a victim.
When it comes to Macs themselves, Apple saw a 16.4% increase in shipments between 2024 and 2025 (via Omdia) – the biggest growth of any brand, including Lenovo, HP, Dell and Asus. At the same time, more than 26,000 macOS malware samples were identified by 2025. According to the company’s research, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Macs now have at least one vulnerable app.
“Our goal with this research is to spread awareness among security leaders about the risks affecting their organizations,” wrote Portfolio Strategy VP Michael Covington, “so they can ensure threat detection, compliance enforcement and response capabilities are aligned to their Mac and mobile devices.”
Although Jamf’s research is centered around macOS and mobile, other operating systems (including Windows) are not immune to similar attacks, but fortunately, a simple, effortless action can prevent a significant number of attacks.
Keeping apps and operating systems up to date not only fixes bugs and introduces new features – it also fixes vulnerabilities and flaws to maximize security.
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