Apple Platform Security
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Welcome
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Intro to Apple platform security
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System security overview
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Secure software updates
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Operating system integrity
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Additional macOS system security capabilities
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Signed system volume security
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System Integrity Protection
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Trust caches
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Peripheral processor security
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Rosetta 2 on a Mac with Apple silicon
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Direct memory access protections
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Kernel extensions
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Option ROM security
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UEFI firmware security in an Intel-based Mac
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System security for watchOS
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Random number generation
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Apple Security Research Device
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Encryption and Data Protection overview
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Passcodes and passwords
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Data Protection overview
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Data Protection
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Data Protection classes
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Keybags for Data Protection
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Protecting keys in alternate boot modes
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Protecting user data in the face of attack
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Sealed Key Protection (SKP)
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Activating data connections securely in iOS and iPadOS
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Role of Apple File System
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Keychain data protection
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Digital signing and encryption
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Services security overview
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Apple Pay security overview
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Apple Pay component security
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Secure Element and NFC controller
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Payment authorization with Apple Pay
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Paying with cards using Apple Pay
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Contactless passes in Apple Pay
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Rendering cards unusable with Apple Pay
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Apple Cash security
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Apple Card security
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Adding transit and student ID cards to Wallet
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Business Chat security
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FaceTime security
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Apple car keys security
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Glossary
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Document revision history
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Copyright

Apple SoC security
Apple-designed silicon forms a common architecture across all Apple products and now powers Mac as well as iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. For over a decade, Apple’s world-class silicon design team has been building and refining Apple systems on chip (SoCs). The result is a scalable architecture designed for all devices that leads the industry in security capabilities. This common foundation for security features is only possible from a company that designs its own silicon to work with its software.
Apple silicon has been designed and fabricated to specifically enable the system security features detailed below.
Feature | A10 | A11, S3 | A12, S4 | A13, S5 | A14, S6 | M1 |
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| See Note below. |
Note: Page Protection Layer (PPL) requires that the platform execute only signed and trusted code; this is a security model that isn’t applicable on macOS.
Apple-designed silicon also specifically enables the Data Protection capabilities detailed below.
Feature | A10 | A11, S3 | A12, S4 | A13, S5 | A14, M1, S6 |
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Alternate boots of DFU, Diagnostics, and Update - Class A, B, and C data protected |
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