From time to time you may notice Apple notifications that a macOS software update is available to install, but these notifications can be easy to ignore and there’s no real requirement to install said updates. For this reason many faculty and staff computers tend to become quite behind with updates, which becomes more of a security issue the longer it goes on.
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Purpose
The MacOS Update banner is a method that Apple uses to notify an individual that the system requires updates to stay secure and address software errors and bugs. This banner is similar to other system messages, and can be easily dismissed or ignored, potentially diminishing functionality and creating potential security risks. We are implementing the following changes to increase the visibility of the MacOS software update banner, validate the authenticity of the update request with Franklin College branding, and underscore the importance of performing timely updates through custom messaging.
Update Details
We have designed the notifications to facilitate the installation of important software updates while minimizing disruption to your work and teaching.
The notifications are interactive, with an “Update Device” button provided to open System Settings (or the Self Service application as appropriate) so you can more easily install the updates offered. There are also options that allow you to defer additional notifications to a later time: one hour, one day, or even a custom time). However, there will also be to assure good security practices, there is a “due date” for updates that is specified in the window, which is typically around 7 -to 10 days . Once that due date has passed, deferral will no longer be an option, and the window will take focus every hour.There is also an “Update Device” button that can be clicked in the window which will open System Settings on your computer (or the Self Service app for required major OS upgrades) and allow you to update, but this is something that has to be clicked by the faculty or staff member using the computer. Franklin OIT after the first notification, after which the notification will appear hourly. Detailed instructions for how to update can be found here.
We will not update or reboot any faculty and staff computers automatically as we certainly . We want faculty and staff to reboot their computers whenever is most convenient for themto decide when to apply important software updates while promoting good security practices by discouraging unnecessary delays. We recommend utilizing the Custom deferral field to set up a specific date & and time for the update that best fits into your schedule.
Roll Out Time Frame
We will begin rolling this functionality out during the summer of 2024 after a pilot of the process.
Example
The OS update notification pop-up window will look like this:
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