Zappl - Enterprise Apple Device Management & Security Platform

In collaboration with DARE Technology, we developed Zappl - a robust, simple to use patch management and compliance monitoring system for Apple devices. This comprehensive solution emerged from a critical need in the enterprise Apple device management space, where existing solutions fell short in handling third-party application updates efficiently.

Our team architected and built a sophisticated web portal using React TypeScript and Supabase, creating a system that processes real-time compliance data from thousands of Apple devices while maintaining strict security protocols and an intuitive user experience.

DARE Technology stands at the forefront of Apple device management and security solutions. As a Jamf Elite Partner, they've built a reputation for delivering enterprise-grade solutions to organisations managing Apple device fleets. However, through extensive client feedback and market analysis, DARE identified a crucial gap in existing solutions: the ability to efficiently manage and monitor third-party application updates.

The development of Zappl represents DARE's commitment to addressing this challenge head-on, leveraging their deep understanding of enterprise Apple device management to create a solution that seamlessly integrates with existing workflows while providing powerful new capabilities.

Complex Data Architecture

The core challenge lay in designing a system capable of processing and normalising data streams from thousands of Apple devices simultaneously. Each device reports detailed information about its hardware, installed applications, and compliance status through JSON payloads. Our team had to architect a system that could:

• Process high-frequency data updates without performance degradation
• Normalise application version data across diverse software packages
• Maintain data isolation in a multi-tenant environment while enabling efficient queries
• Handle complex compliance calculations in real-time

Security Implementation

DARE technology had created their own agent which would be installed on customers computers and automatically install patches and keep applications up to date, it would also need to send customers computer data to the Zappl database to be displayed in the portals dashboard.

Ensuring absolute security and integrity of customers data between these two separate systems created a notable security challenge. OpenKit identified this challenge prior to the projects start and conducted a thorough risk assessment of the proposed Zappl platform, presenting it to DARE technology to establish full transparency, and ensure the platform would be developed with a security by design architecture.

Original Proposed Flow:

• Admins create a new customer in Zappls admin portal
• A secure authentication token was provided to admins which would be used by the Zappl computer agent when sending data to Zappls server
• Each time data was received from a Zappl clients computer, via the agent, this authentication token would be used to verify that the sender of the data was the intended sender

This initial high level outline presented two security flaws. First, if the authentication token was accessed, data could be sent to the Zappl backend by a spoof of the original customer. Secondly, the data being sent from the agent to the Zappl server would not be encrypted, so could be intercepted on the client side.

MFA Flow

For the dashboard, security formed the cornerstone of Zappl's architecture. The challenge extended beyond basic authentication to encompass:

• Token Management: Creating a secure system for generating and managing customer-specific API tokens that authorise device communications while preventing cross-tenant data access.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Implementing a robust MFA system that balanced security with usability, incorporating multiple authentication methods while maintaining a smooth user experience.
• Role-Based Access Control: Developing a granular permissions system that could handle complex organisational hierarchies and varying access levels across different features.

The initial phase focused on establishing a robust technical foundation. We selected Supabase as our backend platform, leveraging its real-time capabilities and built-in authentication features. Using our foundation we then developed an initial wireframe and UI mockup for our client to see how it would all map together visually.

Security Solution

Our approach was to develop a bespoke encryption system as an additional layer over HTTPS, which used an asymmetric public and private key system, combining specific hardware details from the agent, and specific user and the customer account data. This approach incorporated both local AES encryption and end to end RSA encryption to minimise the client payload size while maximising security.

Using this approach, end to end encryption was achieved, and data sent from customer devices could not be intercepted, and could only be validated and decrypted server side, ensuring that data was protected at source, in transit and at the server. This approach also ensured data integrity and authenticity was maintained on the Zappl database.

The design process for Zappl's dashboard interface required careful consideration of both functionality and user experience. Working closely with DARE, we started by mapping out the core user journeys in Figma, focusing on the primary views for device management, application compliance, and reporting.

Our dashboard design followed a modular approach, creating a library of reusable components that maintained consistency across the platform. The interface features a clean, modern aesthetic with a focus on data visualisation - using donut charts for compliance metrics, progress bars for status indicators, and clear tabular layouts for device and application information.

At the heart of Zappl lies its intelligent device monitoring system. The platform seamlessly tracks and manages Apple devices across an organisation, providing real-time visibility into their compliance status. The dashboard presents key metrics at a glance, allowing IT administrators to quickly identify and address any compliance issues.

Core AI Implementation

We developed a custom Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline that significantly outperformed existing solutions in both speed and accuracy. Our multi-stage document processing system incorporated advanced OCR capabilities and was built on a scalable cloud infrastructure to ensure consistent performance under varying loads.

Security Implementation

We integrated enterprise-grade security measures, secure data handling protocols, and comprehensive audit logging capabilities. Zappl has robust access control systems to ensure sensitive information remained protected while maintaining ease of use for authorised users.

Building on Zappl's successful foundation, DARE and OpenKit are collaborating on an ambitious roadmap to further enhance the platform's capabilities. The next phase of development will focus on implementing advanced features such as expanding the platform's automation capabilities. These enhancements will continue to position Zappl as a leading solution in the Apple device management space, providing even greater value to organisations managing large Apple device fleets.