Apple's Cook promises security insurance discount at Cisco event

Apple CEO Tim Cook made a surprise appearance at a Cisco event in Las Vegas on Monday, revealing plans to help businesses with discounts on cyber-security insurance if they use products from both companies. Following the event, Cisco announced another outcome of its Apple partnership, the Cisco Security Connector app for iPhone and iPad.

"The thinking we share here is that if your enterprise or company is using Cisco and Apple, that the combination of these should make that insurance cost significantly less," Cook said according to Reuters. "This is something we're going to spend some energy on. You should reap that benefit."

The Security Connector app will launch this fall, and offer "security functionality from Cisco Umbrella and Cisco Clarity in a single app," Cisco said. Specifically the app will aid in the investigation of security incidents, block people from connecting to malicious websites, and encrypt DNS requests.

Organizations will have to deploy the app via a mobile device management platform — most likely Cisco's Meraki Systems Manager. Prior to the fall, organizations will be able to test Security Connector by way of a beta program.

Apple and Cisco first announced their collaboration in Aug. 2015, intended to ensure iPhones and iPads were optimized for Cisco networks, and vice versa.

Many other Apple enterprise partnerships have been forged in recent years, including ones with IBM, SAP, and Deloitte.

8 Comments

dysamoria 3430 comments · 12 Years

About 7 years ago

Does this mean they've definitely abandoned Airport?

normm 653 comments · 16 Years

The recent computer security panics have involved vulnerabilities in MicroSoft systems. Of course Apple doesn't sell enterprise servers anymore, but certainly they can help with individual device security. This seems like a smart move.

sergioz 338 comments · 12 Years

I have been using Cisco Umbrella on all my Apple devices for the past 8 years. Originally it was called OpenDNS. It's the best cloud security system available. I wish Apple would build it in their OS. Umbrella catches everything that's going in and out and lets you know if there is a threat on your network or a particular device. A basic dashboard is free, home starts at $20 a year and enterprise solutions also available! Cisco Umbrella is a stellar product you wouldn't even need insurance if you are using both products from Cisco & Apple. https://umbrella.cisco.com

With the Cisco Security Connector, organizations gain the following:

Visibility: Ensure compliance of mobile users and their enterprise-owned iOS devices during incident investigations by rapidly identifying what happened, whom it affected, and the risk exposure.
Control: Protect users of iOS devices from connecting to malicious sites on the internet, whether on the corporate network, public Wi-Fi, or cellular networks.
Privacy: Safeguard corporate data and users by encrypting the internet (DNS) requests.

williamh 1045 comments · 13 Years

dysamoria said:

Does this mean they've definitely abandoned Airport?
Thanks Sergioz for letting us know Cisco Umbrella was OpenDNS. I have used the free service from OpenDNS for years. This doesn't mean anything about Airport since you can configure Airport to use Cisco Umbrella (OpenDNS). It's just as simple as setting it to use the Cisco DNS instead of ISP DNS. I used Cisco Meraki for a while and it's quite cool but I don't think a subscription Wifi router would catch on with consumers. It's good stuff though.

If you would ever have needed insurance, your compliance risks or liability is probably quite high. You should probably still get insurance with those products, but it should be quite a bit cheaper.