- More than half of Macs and phones have critically outdated software installed
- Attacks on macOS are increasing as are Mac shipments, amplifying the problem
- Software updates are designed to patch vulnerabilities
Vulnerable applications and outdated operating systems could be the biggest security problems in Mac and mobile environments, new research from Jamf says.
The firm found that more than half (53%) of organizations have mobile devices with critically outdated operating systems, and even more (58%) run outdated macOS devices.
As for the apps themselves, almost all (95%) of the mobile apps tested had at least a medium severity vulnerability; Combined with poorly protected operating systems, this could put confidential company data at risk.
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macOS and mobile devices are the main culprits for running dated operating systems
Three in five (62%) mobile apps also request potentially risky permissions, and one in five (21%) exhibit “privacy-impacting behaviors.”
Although the operating system or application itself might not be enough to bring down a company, these vulnerabilities combined with human risks could spell disaster: a quarter of organizations surveyed had fallen for phishing links that give attackers an entry point into a system.
Those vulnerabilities then allow lateral movement within a company’s systems, intensifying the impacts of an attack.
Jamf also addresses the evolution of threats, with many attacks now using chained or zero-click browser-based exploits that do not require active participation from a victim.
When it comes to Macs, Apple saw a 16.4% increase in shipments between 2024 and 2025 (via Omdia), the largest growth of any brand, including Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Asus. Simultaneously, more than 26,000 macOS malware samples were identified in 2025. According to the company’s research, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Macs now have at least one vulnerable application.
“Our goal with this research is to raise awareness among security leaders about the risks affecting their organizations,” wrote vice president of portfolio strategy Michael Covington, “so they can ensure threat detection, compliance enforcement, and response capabilities are aligned across their Macs 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 and 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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