I've heard multiple times directly from Apple employees that there is no way to login to iCloud on your work machine using a company-controlled account. Many people create new Apple ID's which they only use while working there, but others just use their personal iCloud accounts. You are, of course, not supposed to store company data in iCloud. But thanks to Apple's own efforts, it's difficult to use a Mac without being logged into iCloud (for example if you want to use the App store), and some data can easily spill into the iCloud account.

If accurate, it is of course patently absurd that Apple has left this an unsolved problem.

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putlake 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I have used a Macbook at work for 5 years without signing into any iCloud account ever.

	▲	tonyedgecombe 10 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		[delayed]
	▲	cvak 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		I suppose this is harder when the company hosts everything in icloud though...

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trollbridge 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Yes, that's correct - an Apple account is tied to a person. A person can have multiple Apple accounts, if they wish. But there is no such thing as an organizationally controlled Apple account.

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prmoustache 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Yes this seems incoherent and incompatible for a company that supposedly care about their trade secrets.

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yreg an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

There is a solution though. I don't like it, but we use MDM to disable iCloud file sync, scan network communication and such.

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fingerlocks 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

You can log into your personal account and have iCloud file sync disabled. I mean what does that prevent that you couldnt do by some other means? I could also just use a browser to drag and drop anything to my personal google drive. Or use a usb stick.

I don’t understand people that create separate Apple accounts for work.

I’ve always used my personal account on corp laptops, including MFAANG. It’s awesome being able to use side car on my personal machines, hand-off on my AirPods, or screen mirroring to my Apple TV during conference calls. What are you gaining from isolating your account? Why even bother making a fake account at all?

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Brian_K_White 2 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

This is simply bad hygene. It's such a basic thing that I can't even figure out how to back up far enough to start to explain why one should keep work and personal life seperate. I guess if I'd ever had kids I would have had to figure this out when they were like 5 or 6, and then I'd know how to explain what should be explained to every 5 or 6 year old.

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aenis an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If you are a decision maker, you might find your personal stuff subject to a subpoena for any number of reasons. Antitrust, insider trading, harassment suits, all sorts of legal fishing expeditions. Its convenient to be able to just give them the corporate burner, and get another. I know a few people who had to go through this with their personal phones and this is a horrible experience. For once, you lose your phone there and then and are explicitly forbidden for tampering with anything replicated to iCloud.

A friend of mine is a svp of something something and his corp was sued by antitrust regulators. One day police is at his doorstep - not even a legal letter - and they took his phone then and there. Super disruptive, considering one usually has a lot of MFA tied to the phone.

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Melatonic 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

You aren't gaining or losing much - but they are gaining a huge risk. Just as you above show by being able to easily move files to any USB drive or Google Drive

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fingerlocks an hour ago | parent [-]

Are you saying that your employers prevent you from accessing any potential data-leaking avenues? No usb ports, really? That’s an insane level of paranoia. Do you work for the mob or a drug cartel? How do you even compile and debug?

	▲	ihateolives 4 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I've worked in strategically important sector and only USB devices that were allowed were keyboards and mice. The use of Bluetooth keyboard/mouse was discouraged.