Deploy Device Protection with SimpleMDM
Use SimpleMDM to deploy Aikido Device Protection across your managed macOS fleet with the required permissions in place.
Installation
What you'll need
Before starting, make sure you have the following from the Aikido Device Protection dashboard:
- The Aikido Device Protection
.mobileconfig(downloaded from the Aikido Device Protection dashboard) - The Aikido Device Protection installer (
.pkgfile, downloaded from the dashboard)
If you're missing any of these, go back to the Aikido Device Protection dashboard, click Connect Device, and complete the pre-flight steps.
- The Aikido Device Protection
Add the Aikido Device Protection configuration profile
- In SimpleMDM, go to Profiles and click New Profile.
- Select Custom Configuration Profile as the profile type.
- Give it a name (e.g. "Aikido Device Protection").
- Upload the
.mobileconfigfile, or open it in a text editor and paste its XML contents. - Click Create Profile.
This profile allows the Aikido Device Protection system extension to load silently, enables the network content filter, and stops users from disabling background services in System Settings → Login Items.
Upload the Aikido Device Protection installer
- In SimpleMDM, go to Apps and click Add App.
- Select macOS Package.
- Upload the Aikido Device Protection
.pkgfile. - Click Save App.
Deploy to your devices
- Go to Devices → Groups and select your target device group.
- On the Profiles tab, assign the Aikido Device Protection configuration profile.
- Verify it is installed on all target devices.
- Back in the device group, open the Apps tab and assign the Aikido Device Protection package.
Reboot devices after installation
- In SimpleMDM, go to Devices and select each target device.
- Click Actions and select Restart.
The Restart action requires devices to be supervised. If your devices are not supervised, trigger a reboot via a script job that runs
sudo reboot.The agent fully activates on the next boot.
Verify the deployment
On a test device, confirm:
-
The system extension is activated:
systemextensionsctl list | grep aikidoExpect to see the extension marked
[activated enabled]. -
Open System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions and confirm the Aikido Device Protection entries cannot be toggled off.
-
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Users still see the popup | Make sure the configuration profile is scoped correctly and installed before the package policy runs |
| Extension is waiting for user approval | Check the System Extensions payload and confirm the team ID and bundle ID match exactly |
| The package installs but the device does not connect | Confirm the token script ran before the package install and that the token was copied correctly |
| Duplicate extension entries appear | Reboot the device |
| The content filter is not approved silently | Re-upload the .mobileconfig profile and verify it is installed on the device |