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Introduction:
Microsoft has fundamentally changed the game for IT administrators managing macOS devices with the release of “Intune My Macs,” an open-source starter kit available on GitHub. This project provides a curated collection of over 31 production-ready configuration profiles, security policies, shell scripts, and application packages designed to instantly operationalize Microsoft Intune for Apple computers. By replacing weeks of manual configuration with a single automated deployment, this kit slashes the time-to-value for securing and managing Macs in a modern enterprise environment.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how to deploy the entire “Intune My Macs” baseline using its automated PowerShell wrapper script.
- Configure critical macOS security postures, including FileVault encryption, system firewall, and Gatekeeper policies via Intune.
- Utilize custom shell scripts and compliance policies to enforce standards and automate application deployment.
1. Automated Foundation Deployment with PowerShell
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
The core of the project is a PowerShell deployment script that automates the upload and assignment of all configurations to your Intune tenant. This eliminates the need to manually create dozens of individual policies.
1. Prerequisites: Ensure you have the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK modules (Microsoft.Graph.Authentication, Microsoft.Graph.DeviceManagement) installed on your Windows management device.
2. Clone the Repository: Open PowerShell and clone the GitHub repository to your local machine.
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/intune-my-macs.git cd intune-my-macs
3. Authenticate and Execute: Run the deployment script. It will authenticate you to Microsoft Graph (with required `DeviceManagementConfiguration.ReadWrite.All` and `DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.All` permissions) and begin the sequential upload.
.\Deploy-IntuneMyMacsBaseline.ps1
4. Script Execution: The script processes JSON and mobileconfig files from the `configurations/` directory, creating Settings Catalog policies, custom configuration profiles, compliance policies, and scripts in your Intune tenant. Monitor the PowerShell output for the status of each artifact.
2. Configuring Core macOS Security Policies
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
The kit includes hardened, enterprise-grade security profiles. Key among them is pol-sec-001-filevault, which mandates and configures disk encryption.
1. Policy Intent: This policy (pol-sec-001-filevault.json) forces FileVault encryption during the device setup assistant, escrows the personal recovery key to Intune, and prevents users from disabling encryption.
2. Critical Settings:
`”com.apple.mcx.filevault2_forceenableinsetupassistant”: True` ensures encryption is required out-of-box.
`”com.apple.security.fderecoverykeyescrow_location”: “https://user.manage.microsoft.com”` defines the Intune escrow endpoint.
3. Complementary Policies: Assign these alongside the FileVault policy:
Firewall (pol-sec-002-firewall): Enables the application firewall and locks its UI.
Gatekeeper (pol-sec-003-gatekeeper): Enables runtime malware checks (EnableAssessment) and allows apps from identified developers while preventing user override.
Login Window (cfg-sec-001-login-window): A custom configuration profile that disables automatic FileVault login and external accounts for stricter access control.
3. Establishing Device Compliance and Health Baselines
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
The `cmp-cmp-001-macos-baseline` compliance policy defines the minimum security standard a Mac must meet to be considered healthy and granted access to corporate resources.
1. Policy Enforcement: This policy checks for specific system states. Non-compliant devices can be automatically remediated or blocked from access.
2. Key Compliance Rules:
`”storageRequireEncryption”: True` – FileVault must be active.
`”firewallEnabled”: True` – System firewall must be on.
`”systemIntegrityProtectionEnabled”: True` – SIP (a core macOS security feature) must not be disabled.
`”osMinimumVersion”: “15.0”` – Device must be running at least macOS Sequoia.
3. Assignment Strategy: Deploy this compliance policy to all macOS device groups. Use Intune’s reporting to identify non-compliant devices and trigger the associated remediation scripts (like `scr-sec-100-install-escrow-buddy` for FileVault key escrow issues).
4. Deploying Applications and Configurations via Scripts
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
Beyond static policies, the kit uses shell scripts for active configuration and application installation. The `scr-app-100-install-company-portal` script is essential.
1. Script Purpose: This script ensures the Microsoft Company Portal app (required for user-driven app installation and some compliance features) is present on the Mac.
2. Script Mechanism: It checks for the app’s existence and uses `curl` to download and `installer` to deploy the latest PKG from Microsoft’s CDN.
Example snippet from the script's logic: COMPANY_PORTAL_APP="/Applications/Company Portal.app" if [ ! -d "$COMPANY_PORTAL_APP" ]; then /usr/bin/curl -L "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2138412" -o /tmp/CompanyPortal.pkg /usr/sbin/installer -pkg /tmp/CompanyPortal.pkg -target / fi
3. User Experience Scripts: The `app-utl-002-dialog-onboarding` package uses `Swift Dialog` to provide a professional, graphical onboarding experience for users, showing real-time progress as core Microsoft apps are installed in the background.
5. Implementing Custom Device Attributes and Naming
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
Custom attributes in Intune provide enhanced inventory data, while a consistent naming convention is crucial for asset management.
1. Custom Attribute – Agent Version: The `cat-sys-101-intune-agent-version` script extracts the version of the Intune management agent. This helps identify devices running outdated agents that may have management issues.
The script checks the Info.plist of the Intune agent:
AGENT_VERSION=$(defaults read "/Library/Intune/Microsoft Intune Agent.app/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleShortVersionString 2>/dev/null)
echo ${AGENT_VERSION:-"not installed"}
2. Custom Attribute – macOS Compatibility: The `cat-sys-100-compatibility-checker` script queries Apple’s API with the device’s board ID to determine the latest macOS version it can run, aiding upgrade planning.
3. Automated Device Renaming: The `scr-sys-100-device-rename` script can be configured to rename devices dynamically based on a template (e.g., CORP-{{SERIAL}}), ensuring a clean, searchable inventory in Intune. Deploy this script as a “device” context script in Intune.
6. Hardening Microsoft 365 Application Suite
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
The kit pre-configures Microsoft 365 Apps and Edge with secure enterprise settings, going beyond simple installation.
1. Office 365 Configuration (pol-app-100-office): This policy manages update channels, enables automatic sign-in with the user’s corporate identity, sets data collection levels to required only, and configures update deadlines.
2. Microsoft Edge Hardening (pol-app-101-edge-level1): This is a Level 1 secure browser configuration. It enforces key settings:
`”importsavedpasswords”: False` – Prevents password import from other browsers.
`”smartscreenenabled”: True` – Enables phishing and malware protection.
`”quicallowed”: False` – Disables the QUIC protocol for tighter network control.
Sets homepage and new tab page to `https://outlook.office.com`.
3. Deployment Method: These application configuration profiles are uploaded via the main PowerShell script. They must be assigned to the same user or device groups that receive the Office and Edge applications.
7. System Optimization and User Experience Policies
Step‑by‑step guide explaining what this does and how to use it.
Final touches include power management, software updates, and user environment tuning to ensure a productive, managed device.
1. Software Update Management (pol-sys-103-software-update): This critical policy gives IT control over macOS updates. It can define a minimum OS version, set update deferral periods, and restrict users from installing beta versions.
2. Power Settings (pol-sys-102-power): Configures system sleep, display sleep, and network wake on AC and battery power to balance energy savings with usability (e.g., keeping devices awake for patching).
3. Dock Configuration (scr-sys-101-configure-dock): A script that customizes the macOS dock for all users, adding managed application shortcuts (like Company Portal) and removing non-essential defaults. This provides a consistent, work-ready user interface.
What Undercode Say:
- Accelerated Zero-Trust Onboarding: This toolkit operationalizes zero-trust principles for macOS by packaging essential security controls (encryption, firewall, compliance) into a single, automated deployment, dramatically reducing the window of vulnerability for new devices.
- Paradigm Shift in Configuration-as-Code: Microsoft is advocating a best-practice “Infrastructure as Code” model for endpoint management. By providing version-controlled, documented JSON and script artifacts, they enable auditability, repeatability, and seamless integration into CI/CD pipelines for DevOps-minded IT teams.
Analysis: “Intune My Macs” is more than a convenience; it’s a strategic move by Microsoft to lower the adoption barrier for macOS in enterprise Microsoft 365 environments. By addressing the significant initial configuration burden, they remove a major objection for IT departments traditionally focused on Windows. The project’s true value lies in its composition as a learning framework. Each artifact serves as a documented example, allowing admins to deconstruct and understand the “why” behind each setting, which is far more valuable than a black-box tool. This empowers organizations to evolve the baseline, tailoring it to their specific security requirements and risk appetite.
Prediction:
The release of “Intune My Macs” will catalyze a noticeable increase in macOS adoption within regulated and Microsoft-centric enterprises over the next 18-24 months. We predict Microsoft will expand this “curated baseline” model to other challenging management scenarios, such as Linux desktop management or specialized Windows 11 Secured-core configurations. Furthermore, the open-source nature will foster a community ecosystem where organizations and partners contribute additional specialized policy modules (for development environments, kiosks, executive security tiers), transforming Intune from a management tool into a platform for sharing and distributing proven endpoint security postures.
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