- More than half of Macs and mobiles have seriously outdated software.
- macOS attacks are increasing, as are Mac shipments, amplifying the problem
- Software updates are designed to fix vulnerabilities
Vulnerable apps and outdated operating systems could be the biggest security concerns in Mac and mobile environments, according to a new study from Jamf.
The company found that more than half (53%) of organizations have mobile devices with extremely outdated operating systems, and even more (58%) of them use outdated macOS devices.
As for the apps themselves, almost all (95%) of the mobile apps assessed had at least one medium severity vulnerability – combined with poorly protected operating systems, this could put sensitive company data at risk.
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macOS and mobile are the main culprits in running operating systems to date
Three in five (62%) mobile apps also ask for potentially risky permissions, and one in five (21%) exhibit “privacy-impacting behaviors.”
Even if the operating system or application itself isn’t enough to bring down a business, these vulnerabilities, combined with human risks, could lead to disaster: a quarter of organizations surveyed fell for phishing links that provide attackers with an entry point into a system.
These vulnerabilities then allow lateral movements within a company’s systems, thus intensifying the impacts of an attack.
Jamf also addresses evolving threats, with many attacks now using zero-click, browser-based, or chain exploits that do not require active participation from 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. Simultaneously, more than 26,000 macOS malware samples have been identified in 2025. According to the company’s research, almost three-quarters (73%) of Macs now have at least one vulnerable application.
“Our goal with this research is to educate security leaders about the risks affecting their organizations,” wrote Michael Covington, vice president of portfolio strategy, “so they can ensure that threat detection, compliance enforcement, and response capabilities are aligned across their Mac and mobile devices.”
Although Jamf’s research focuses on macOS and mobile devices, other operating systems (including Windows) are not immune to similar attacks, but fortunately, a simple, effortless action could prevent a significant number of attacks.
Keeping applications and operating systems up to date not only fixes bugs and introduces new features, but also fixes vulnerabilities and flaws to maximize security.
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