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Hi All,

Just a quick one, we have quite a number of iPad Mini 2’s and iPad Air 2’s lying spare gathering dust and staff keep asking can they use them for emails etc. The only reason we have stopped using them was that they couldn’t recieve the latest IOS update which is one of the conditions for the Cyber Security Audit.

Just asking what do you do with them? Most staff just want them to read emails and look at PDF’s on the go.

It just seems such a waste to have them sitting gathering dust and staff not understanding that I cant hand them out even though they will perform what they require.

If a device does not support the latest IOS or Android version do you immediately replace it?

Thanks all

18 Spice ups
2

As of June 22.

There are no known viruses on iPads. iPads run the same highly secured Apple operating system that powers iPhones, and there’s little risk of a virus getting through Apple’s ecosystem and infecting your iPad. But other forms of malware, such as spyware, have been known to affect iOS devices

I would have thought they would be ok for emails & documents.

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We had to retire some old ipads and phones because they could use the new security protocols that Microsoft insisted on using to connect to office365 because they could be upgraded to latest IOS software. Whilst it isn’t a huge pile its getting close to 10, not sure what we are going to do with them to be honest

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Huh? I hope you’re trolling.

Apple Iphone Os : List of security vulnerabilities (cvedetails.com)

If the results of your audit came with a mandate to not use that old equipment, then don’t use it. If people get sad looking at them sitting on a shelf unused, then get rid of them. Donate them, give them to people as gifts, or take them home. They are still good enough for personal use.

If your IT team takes security seriously and they say NO outdated OSs in their environment, that is a good thing. It’s like saying no more Windows 7 machines.

10 Spice ups
5

Sell them on the secondary market and buy new ones, if they are too old for your security policies. Having said that, can you point to even one exploit that has resulted in a security breach? We certainly can for Windows and Linux, probably something has happened with macOS, but I don’t recall ever hearing of an iOS breach beyond stuff like spearfishing (which can happen anywhere) and device-in-hand exploits.

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Donate them? If they can’t receive patches I shun them like I shun outside.

4 Spice ups
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Two articles from before June 22 talking about malware on Apple IOS devices.

One is ransomware, the other spyware that would take information from emails and saved passwords.

Apple has viruses. Less because less of the population uses them, but they still have them.

Looking at PDFs, sure, email ehhh. I would not risk sensitive information.

1 Spice up
8

I have five old iPads and two reasonably current ones (I only paid for three of them). The old ones (except for the 1st Gen one) are used for music apps (ThumbJam and Chordbot are just two apps that are a boatload of fun), and they function just fine–but they all have been kept for a specific reason: Backups for my book of lyrics that I use on stage.

Feel free to PM me if you have an iPad you don’t know what to do with and don’t wnat to go through the hassle of eCycling/selling/donating. I can always make use of them.

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In all probability, they could be used without any issues. As an example, I use an Android phone that hasn’t had an update for years because generally mobile phones updates end about 2 years after the maker sold the last one. However, if you have rules that prohibit you from using an unsupported OS then you should abide by them and not set an example of “it will be alright” as if one rule is openly broken then another rule break follows.

To avoid this you should sell them to get rid of the temptation. Perhaps put any revenue to charity or a staff benefit.

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No. We reset to factory and sold to employees as surplus. They went for home use, mostly games for their kids.

2 Spice ups
11

Donate donate donate.

There are myriad places that need simple interactive touch devices for learning, accessibility, or basic connection to the internet.

Find a local school or community center that can make much better use of them.

As for the updates, it depends on if they will affect the app we deploy or not. Generally iPads get refreshed as often as they need to, not based on when the new ones are released.

2 Spice ups
12

We usually immediately replace them once they cannot update. The old ones make for nice Frisbees and door stoppers. lol Of course if you can donate them I am sure someone could use them.

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My reply was a copy&paste from Google as I have no experience with old Apple Devices, just goes to show the top result in Google is not always the best answer.

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If it a condition for your audit that they are not used, no further discussion is needed in my opinion - dispose of them are life expired assets and don’t let them be used in the business any further

15

Agreed. Given your restriction, your query should be ‘what disposal options do I have’. Pick your poison: recycling, selling to highest bidder, selling to staff, donating to charity, etc. Just make sure any corporate Apple accounts are removed and the devices are reset.

2 Spice ups
16

I would upgrade and forget about the older iPads. They tend to run slower after not receiving the latest and greatest updates.

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Very true. Pretty sure apple writes code into the updates to gradually slow down older hardware. As a matter of fact, I remember reading something to that effect a while back.

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Donate or sell them and buy current devices for your staff to use.

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Device no longer meets minimum security requirements, should be fine for email and documents ?!?

Still having them hanging around the office is the problem, not that they are not being used.

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I do this every year starting Nov-Dec. Wipe all old ipad that are of usable quality, that would not be redeployed, remove from MDM and give them to the longer/good standing co-workers for Christmas presents. Must have a good standing with IT also… no whiners, no chronic “I forgot to reset my password” tickets, no ranting “IT sucks!” tickets.

Sometimes we donate them and pizza shows up for our IT department… ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Everything leftover gets donated to a cause or e-cycled and we get a credit back.