# MacOS MDM
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# Basics ## What is MDM (Mobile Device Management)? [Mobile Device Management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile\_device\_management) (MDM) is a technology commonly used to **administer end-user computing devices** such as mobile phones, laptops, desktops and tablets. In the case of Apple platforms like iOS, macOS and tvOS, it refers to a specific set of features, APIs and techniques used by administrators to manage these devices. Management of devices via MDM requires a compatible commercial or open-source MDM server that implements support for the [MDM Protocol](https://developer.apple.com/enterprise/documentation/MDM-Protocol-Reference.pdf). * A way to achieve **centralized device management** * Requires an **MDM server** which implements support for the MDM protocol * MDM server can **send MDM commands**, such as remote wipe or ā€œinstall this configā€ ## Basics What is DEP (Device Enrolment Program)? The [Device Enrollment Program](https://www.apple.com/business/site/docs/DEP\_Guide.pdf) (DEP) is a service offered by Apple that **simplifies** Mobile Device Management (MDM) **enrollment** by offering **zero-touch configuration** of iOS, macOS, and tvOS devices. Unlike more traditional deployment methods, which require the end-user or administrator to take action to configure a device, or manually enroll with an MDM server, DEP aims to bootstrap this process, **allowing the user to unbox a new Apple device and have it configured for use in the organization almost immediately**. Administrators can leverage DEP to automatically enroll devices in their organizationā€™s MDM server. Once a device is enrolled, **in many cases it is treated as a ā€œtrustedā€** device owned by the organization, and could receive any number of certificates, applications, WiFi passwords, VPN configurations [and so on](https://developer.apple.com/enterprise/documentation/Configuration-Profile-Reference.pdf). * Allows a device to automatically enroll in pre-configured MDM server the **first time itā€™s powered** on * Most useful when the **device** is **brand new** * Can also be useful for **reprovisioning** workflows (**wiped** with fresh install of the OS) {% hint style="danger" %} Unfortunately, if an organization has not taken additional steps to **protect their MDM enrollment**, a simplified end-user enrollment process through DEP can also mean a simplified process for **attackers to enroll a device of their choosing in the organizationā€™s MDM** server, assuming the "identity" of a corporate device. {% endhint %} ## Basics What is SCEP (Simple Certificate Enrolment Protocol)? * A relatively old protocol, created before TLS and HTTPS were widespread. * Gives clients a standardized way of sending a **Certificate Signing Request** (CSR) for the purpose of being granted a certificate. The client will ask the server to give him a signed certificate. ## What are Configuration Profiles (aka mobileconfigs)? * Appleā€™s official way of **setting/enforcing system configuration.** * File format that can contain multiple payloads. * Based on property lists (the XML kind). * ā€œcan be signed and encrypted to validate their origin, ensure their integrity, and protect their contents.ā€ Basics ā€” Page 70, iOS Security Guide, January 2018. # Protocols ## MDM * Combination of APNs (**Apple server**s) + RESTful API (**MDM** **vendor** servers) * **Communication** occurs between a **device** and a server associated with a **device** **management** **product** * **Commands** delivered from the MDM to the device in **plist-encoded dictionaries** * All over **HTTPS**. MDM servers can be (and are usually) pinned. * Apple grants the MDM vendor an **APNs certificate** for authentication ## DEP * **3 APIs**: 1 for resellers, 1 for MDM vendors, 1 for device identity (undocumented): * The so-called [DEP "cloud service" API](https://developer.apple.com/enterprise/documentation/MDM-Protocol-Reference.pdf). This is used by MDM servers to associate DEP profiles with specific devices. * The [DEP API used by Apple Authorized Resellers](https://applecareconnect.apple.com/api-docs/depuat/html/WSImpManual.html) to enroll devices, check enrollment status, and check transaction status. * The undocumented private DEP API. This is used by Apple Devices to request their DEP profile. On macOS, the `cloudconfigurationd` binary is responsible for communicating over this API. * More modern and **JSON** based (vs. plist) * Apple grants an **OAuth token** to the MDM vendor **DEP "cloud service" API** * RESTful * sync device records from Apple to the MDM server * sync ā€œDEP profilesā€ to Apple from the MDM server (delivered by Apple to the device later on) * A DEP ā€œprofileā€ contains: * MDM vendor server URL * Additional trusted certificates for server URL (optional pinning) * Extra settings (e.g. which screens to skip in Setup Assistant) # Steps for enrolment and management 1. Device record creation (Reseller, Apple): The record for the new device is created 2. Device record assignment (Customer): The device is assigned to a MDM server 3. Device record sync (MDM vendor): MDM sync the device records and push the DEP profiles to Apple 4. DEP check-in (Device): Device gets his DEP profile 5. Profile retrieval (Device) 6. Profile installation (Device) a. incl. MDM, SCEP and root CA payloads 7. MDM command issuance (Device) ![](<../../../.gitbook/assets/image (564).png>) The file `/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ConfigurationProfiles.framework/ConfigurationProfiles.tbd` exports functions that can be considered **high-level "steps"** of the enrolment process. ## Step 4: DEP check-in - Getting the Activation Record This part of the process occurs when a **user boots a Mac for the first time** (or after a complete wipe) ![](<../../../.gitbook/assets/image (568).png>) or when executing `sudo profiles show -type enrollment` * Determine **whether device is DEP enabled** * Activation Record is the internal name for **DEP ā€œprofileā€** * Begins as soon as the device is connected to Internet * Driven by **`CPFetchActivationRecord`** * Implemented by **`cloudconfigurationd`** via XPC. The **"Setup Assistant**" (when the device is firstly booted) or the **`profiles`** command will **contact this daemon** to retrieve the activation record. * LaunchDaemon (always runs as root) It follows a few steps to get the Activation Record performed by **`MCTeslaConfigurationFetcher`**. This process uses an encryption called **Absinthe** 1. Retrieve **certificate** 1. GET [https://iprofiles.apple.com/resource/certificate.cer](https://iprofiles.apple.com/resource/certificate.cer) 2. **Initialize** state from certificate (**`NACInit`**) 1. Uses various device-specific data (i.e. **Serial Number via `IOKit`**) 3. Retrieve **session key** 1. POST [https://iprofiles.apple.com/session](https://iprofiles.apple.com/session) 4. Establish the session (**`NACKeyEstablishment`**) 5. Make the request 1. POST to [https://iprofiles.apple.com/macProfile](https://iprofiles.apple.com/macProfile) sending the data `{ "action": "RequestProfileConfiguration", "sn": "" }` 2. The JSON payload is encrypted using Absinthe (**`NACSign`**) 3. All requests over HTTPs, built-in root certificates are used ![](<../../../.gitbook/assets/image (566).png>) The response is a JSON dictionary with some important data like: * **url**: URL of the MDM vendor host for the activation profile * **anchor-certs**: Array of DER certificates used as trusted anchors ## **Step 5: Profile Retrieval** ![](<../../../.gitbook/assets/image (567).png>) * Request sent to **url provided in DEP profile**. * **Anchor certificates** are used to **evaluate trust** if provided. * Reminder: the **anchor\_certs** property of the DEP profile * **Request is a simple .plist** with device identification * Examples: **UDID, OS version**. * CMS-signed, DER-encoded * Signed using the **device identity certificate (from APNS)** * **Certificate chain** includes expired **Apple iPhone Device CA** ![](<../../../.gitbook/assets/image (567) (1) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1).png>) ## Step 6: Profile Installation * Once retrieved, **profile is stored on the system** * This step begins automatically (if in **setup assistant**) * Driven by **`CPInstallActivationProfile`** * Implemented by mdmclient over XPC * LaunchDaemon (as root) or LaunchAgent (as user), depending on context * Configuration profiles have multiple payloads to install * Framework has a plugin-based architecture for installing profiles * Each payload type is associated with a plugin * Can be XPC (in framework) or classic Cocoa (in ManagedClient.app) * Example: * Certificate Payloads use CertificateService.xpc Typically, **activation profile** provided by an MDM vendor will **include the following payloads**: * `com.apple.mdm`: to **enroll** the device in MDM * `com.apple.security.scep`: to securely provide a **client certificate** to the device. * `com.apple.security.pem`: to **install trusted CA certificates** to the deviceā€™s System Keychain. * Installing the MDM payload equivalent to **MDM check-in in the documentation** * Payload **contains key properties**: * * MDM Check-In URL (**`CheckInURL`**) * MDM Command Polling URL (**`ServerURL`**) + APNs topic to trigger it * To install MDM payload, request is sent to **`CheckInURL`** * Implemented in **`mdmclient`** * MDM payload can depend on other payloads * Allows **requests to be pinned to specific certificates**: * Property: **`CheckInURLPinningCertificateUUIDs`** * Property: **`ServerURLPinningCertificateUUIDs`** * Delivered via PEM payload * Allows device to be attributed with an identity certificate: * Property: IdentityCertificateUUID * Delivered via SCEP payload ## **Step 7: Listening for MDM commands** * After MDM check-in is complete, vendor can **issue push notifications using APNs** * Upon receipt, handled by **`mdmclient`** * To poll for MDM commands, request is sent to ServerURL * Makes use of previously installed MDM payload: * **`ServerURLPinningCertificateUUIDs`** for pinning request * **`IdentityCertificateUUID`** for TLS client certificate # Attacks ## Enrolling Devices in Other Organisations As previously commented, in order to try to enrol a device into an organization **only a Serial Number belonging to that Organization is needed**. Once the device is enrolled, several organizations will install sensitive data on the new device: certificates, applications, WiFi passwords, VPN configurations [and so on](https://developer.apple.com/enterprise/documentation/Configuration-Profile-Reference.pdf).\ Therefore, this could be a dangerous entrypoint for attackers if the enrolment process isn't correctly protected: {% content-ref url="enrolling-devices-in-other-organisations.md" %} [enrolling-devices-in-other-organisations.md](enrolling-devices-in-other-organisations.md) {% endcontent-ref %} # **References** * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku8jZe-MHUU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku8jZe-MHUU) * [https://duo.com/labs/research/mdm-me-maybe](https://duo.com/labs/research/mdm-me-maybe)
Support HackTricks and get benefits! Do you work in a **cybersecurity company**? Do you want to see your **company advertised in HackTricks**? or do you want to have access the **latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF**? Check the [**SUBSCRIPTION PLANS**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)! Discover [**The PEASS Family**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family), our collection of exclusive [**NFTs**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family) Get the [**official PEASS & HackTricks swag**](https://peass.creator-spring.com) **Join the** [**šŸ’¬**](https://emojipedia.org/speech-balloon/) [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** me on **Twitter** [**šŸ¦**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks/tree/7af18b62b3bdc423e11444677a6a73d4043511e9/\[https:/emojipedia.org/bird/README.md)[**@carlospolopm**](https://twitter.com/carlospolopm)**.** **Share your hacking tricks submitting PRs to the** [**hacktricks github repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks)**.**