What is mobile device management?

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is security software used by organizations to manage smartphones and tablets. It allows remote configuration of settings, app management, security policies enforcement, device monitoring, and remote wipe/lock capabilities. On iPhones, MDM provides centralized control over device settings, applications, and security, enhancing organization-wide security and efficiency.

[Edited by Moderator]

Please review this guide published by Apple 👉 Intro to mobile device management profiles - Apple Support

Axel F.

Bellarose08 wrote:

What is Mobile Device Management on my IPhone?

Mobile Device Management is how another entity can assist with managing the settings and behaviors of an iPhone, or—in the case of a “supervised” device—can control and manage the iPhone.

Mobile Device Management is usually used with devices associated with a business or organization, or owned and operated by a business or organization.

I’ve created and used profiles to assist people with VPN server access, or mail server account setup, among other uses.

There is no means to remotely enable management or supervision, save for a device directly purchased by an organization. Otherwise, the direct approval of the person using the iPhone to load the management profile.

Go to Settings/General/VPN & Device Management. If it is under MDM there will be a management profile.

Well, good guess on the man in the middle attack, I just came across that when reading the other day. If you have Wi-Fi showing up, and you don’t have Wi-Fi, that’s a good indicator, along with 100+ other things. First, search on Apple to view hidden purchases, it’s free, but it showed on mine under hidden purchases along with many other similar apps, screen recorder, remote access and another apo that looks more dangerous than the MDM, not all apps will show, several are free provided you allow the vender to access all your data. Depending on the version of your device, you can find the “hotspot” that allows Wi-Fi. Go to settings, click on Wi-Fi, then edit. Mine shows a “managed” Wi-Fi hotspot, despite my phone carrier telling me I can’t have one, even though I can see it. The IP resolves to Apple, and the web site display looks different, it shows my selected view of “tabs” instead of the requirement to pinch in to see them.

Check out shortcuts and examine how many you have. Mine came with 2 by default, but I had 87 at one point. One was using SSH to access my network. SSH (other usually not available programs are also available. Click on create new shortcut, clear what’s at the bottom (the most recently used, and scroll down to see if data is collected there. You can also see recently used JavaScripts using the previous method. Go to a public computer, log into your email, look at email settings verses what you normally see. Is view source unavailable on your devices? Does this feature show on public computer (outside of your home and not your computer). Examine the source data, is it creating another (fake) page? Looking at outside email, I’d anything hidden or auto deleted?

Does your web browser allow view source or a tool bar? If not, check out same page on public computer.

Apple also has a lot of information about MDM and what it does, read that and compare your issues.

Also, when Wi-Fi comes on, is Bluetooth also on? That will allow access to 8 other devices. Even if it appears to be off, same is true with Wi-Fi, it appears to be off, but a simple signal reader will tell you when it’s on. Mine is on now.

You may also see frequent access to games, calendar, photos, notes and more. Several times a day, especially if you add or change things. I’ll try to see if I can add a pic of the Wi-Fi hotspot.

Either the device was purchased pre-configured, or y’all got the wrong device from Apple stock. Contact Apple Support.

thechoosenone1 wrote:

really you think its a employee error ? and she kept asking apple and they kept denying it ? no accoutability is what its all about..... and punitive damages along with it. But thank you for your reply you are entitled to your opinion and we respect that. have a great day .....

Either some Apple rep provided a locked device, or the purchaser subsequently locked it with or without realizing it (Bring Your Own Device to work, etc), or something happened here that’s not been encountered (and that would get widely publicized) and is not intended to happen.

A management profile on a personally-owned can be removed with the proper ownership paperwork submitted to Apple, too.

When present, profiles are visible in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management

When present, carrier Wi-Fi networks are part of the carrier app, and unrelated to management profiles. Don’t want the carrier Wi-Fi networks, remove the carrier app. Those carrier Wi-Fi networks are intended to keep y’all off cellular, when there is a Wi-Fi alternative.

How about if there was no consent by the owner? or better yet how about if you paid for the device and was not aware that your Iphone 14 plus came with a locked esim and mdm and the owner of device had no idea ?

thechoosenone1 wrote:

How about if there was no consent by the owner? or better yet how about if you paid for the device and was not aware that your Iphone 14 plus came with a locked esim and mdm and the owner of device had no idea ?

That can only happen if you don’t buy the phone new; no new phones have MDM enabled by default. And if you bought it used, there’s a good chance it was stolen. And I find it seriously doubtful that the owner had no idea; you have most likely been scammed. There is no way that a user of an iPhone would NOT know if it was under MDM.

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying a Used iPad/iPhone

thechoosenone1 wrote:

How about if there was no consent by the owner? or better yet how about if you paid for the device and was not aware that your Iphone 14 plus came with a locked esim and mdm and the owner of device had no idea ?

The owner of the device is well aware that it is managed, and fully consented to that management.

Put differently, though you might have paid for this iPhone, you're not the owner.

Contact the seller, and request a refund. That'll probably go nowhere, as the seller in these cases will usually have disappeared. Which leaves you to discuss this with the entity that owns this iPhone, and/or with local police.

If the entity that sold this is the same entity that is still holding the lock, they can remove it.

Otherwise, you appear to have gotten scammed.

@Mr.hoffman,

well thank you so much for that information I will pass that on to her.

But ...... Did I forget to mention it was bought at the Apple Store There is record of the purchase. So with that being said, from what it seems like your saying She got scammed by the person who handed it over to her and took payment who by the was wearing a work shirt from the place of purchase or the entity who represents the product ? which one is it? and thanks again for your responses. take care.... I will wait for your response.

really you think its a employee error ? and she kept asking apple and they kept denying it ? no accoutability is what its all about..... and punitive damages along with it. But thank you for your reply you are entitled to your opinion and we respect that. have a great day .....

Same here- I bought mine new from T-Mobile. The reason I went to T-Mobile and bought a another brand new phone was because I was having the same issues on my previous Apple phone. Very interesting. Wondering if it’s the T-Mobile Magenta man in middle? Or this “free broadband” Wi-Fi that keeps showing up

your opinions and advise is well accepted here thank you. But ....lol

we got this thank you. we have reported it to the proper authorities because you did say one thing we agreed on. It's not suppose to happen to a paying customer they crossed the line and that my fellow community members is wrong. and illegal and they will be brought to justice thank you all for your advice.

thechoosenone1 wrote:

nope i'm sorry to tell you it's not . when there trying to hide it from you. it doesn't say it i found out another way

If you had that evidence, a thread that has started with “what is mobile device management?” would seemingly have followed a somewhat different trajectory. If you have the evidence claimed, package it and send it to Apple: Report a security or privacy vulnerability - Apple Support