Essential Information

Quick Links & Resources

SOFA JSON Feed Endpoints

Live Feeds

These JSON feeds provide up to date Apple software update data for integration into your tools and workflows. All feeds are publicly accessible and updated automatically every 6 hours.

Platform Data Feeds

macOS Data Feed

Complete macOS version data including security releases, CVEs, and installer information

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/macos_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

iOS Data Feed

iOS and iPadOS version data with security updates and vulnerability information

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/ios_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

tvOS Data Feed

tvOS version information and security updates

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/tvos_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

watchOS Data Feed

watchOS version data and security releases

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/watchos_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

visionOS Data Feed

visionOS version information and updates

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/visionos_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

Safari Data Feed

Safari browser version data and security updates

https://sofa.macadmins.io/v2/safari_data_feed.json

Updates every 6 hrs JSON format

Beta & Special Feeds

Apple Beta OS Feed

Beta releases across all Apple platforms with build numbers and release dates

https://beta-feed.macadmin.me/v1/apple-beta-os-feed.json

Usage Examples

Command Line (curl + jq)

Get latest macOS version and security info

# Get latest macOS release
curl -s ${apiBase}/v2/macos_data_feed.json | jq '.OSVersions[0].Latest'

# Check for actively exploited CVEs
curl -s ${apiBase}/v2/ios_data_feed.json | jq '.OSVersions[0].Latest.ActivelyExploitedCVEs'

Python Integration

Security update monitoring and alerting

import requests
from datetime import datetime

# Get security data
response = requests.get('${apiBase}/v2/ios_data_feed.json')
data = response.json()

# Check latest release
latest = data['OSVersions'][0]['Latest']
cve_count = latest.get('UniqueCVEsCount', 0)
exploited = len(latest.get('ActivelyExploitedCVEs', []))

print(f"iOS {latest['ProductVersion']} - {cve_count} CVEs, {exploited} exploited")

Excel/PowerBI

Business intelligence and reporting

# Power Query M Language
let
  Source = Json.Document(Web.Contents("${apiBase}/v2/macos_data_feed.json")),
  OSVersions = Source[OSVersions],
  Latest = OSVersions{0}[Latest],
  Version = Latest[ProductVersion],
  CVECount = Latest[UniqueCVEsCount]
in
  [Version = Version, CVECount = CVECount]

Feed Structure

V2 Enhanced Structure

Comprehensive security intelligence with CVE details, device support, and actionable recommendations.

Root Level Fields

OSNamePlatform name (macOS, iOS, etc.)

VersionFeed version (2.0)

UpdateHashChange detection hash

LastCheckLast update timestamp

OSVersions Array

OSVersionVersion name (e.g., "macOS 15")

Latest{}Current release information

ProductVersionVersion number

BuildBuild identifier

ReleaseDateISO format release date

SecurityInfoApple security bulletin URL

SupportedDevices[]Compatible device identifiers

CVEs{}Vulnerability details with NIST links

ActivelyExploitedCVEs[]CISA KEV list

update_summary{}Priority and recommendations

Integration Guidelines

Authentication

No API keys required - publicly accessible

Update Frequency

Every 6 hours automatically via Cloudflare CDN

Caching

Use UpdateHash to detect changes efficiently

Rate Limits

Reasonable use expected (< 1000 requests/hour)

Apple Official Resources

Security & Updates

• Apple Security Updates - Complete list of security updates
• Apple Platform Security Guide - Comprehensive security documentation

Developer Resources

• Apple Developer - Developer portal and documentation
• Apple Developer Forums - Community support
• Release Notes - Official release notes

Support & Documentation

• Apple Support - General support portal
• Apple Support Articles - Knowledge base
• macOS User Guide - Official user documentation

Enterprise & Deployment

• Apple Business - Business solutions
• Apple School Manager - Education management
• Apple Business Manager - Enterprise device management
• Deployment Guide - IT deployment resources

Community Resources

MacAdmins Community

• MacAdmins Slack - Join the community (20,000+ members)
• MacSysAdmin - Long-running conference for MacAdmins
• MacAdmins Conference - Annual conference at Penn State
• MacAdmins GitHub - Open source projects

Tools & Utilities

• Munki - Managed software installation
• AutoPkg - Automated software packaging
• Nudge - User-focused update encouragement
• SOFA - Simple Organized Feed for Apple updates
• MOFA - Microsoft Office update tracking and management

MDM Solutions

• Jamf Pro - Enterprise Apple management
• Kandji - Modern Apple MDM
• Mosyle - Apple device management
• SimpleMDM - Straightforward MDM solution
• Microsoft Intune - Microsoft's MDM solution
• Workspace ONE - Unified endpoint management
• Addigy - Apple management platform
• fleetDM - Open device management
• Zentral - Pre-configured stack of open source tools

Documentation & Learning

• macOS Security Compliance Project - NIST security guidelines
• Apple Training - Official certification programs
• Derflounder - Rich Trouton's blog
• Der Flounder GitHub - Scripts and tools
• Mr. Macintosh - Comprehensive Apple resources

Important Concepts

Software Update Deferrals

Organizations can delay the visibility of updates to users:

• Major OS Updates: Can be deferred up to 90 days
• Minor Updates: Typically 30-60 day deferral window
• Security Updates: Should be installed promptly (7-14 days)

CVE Management

CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) tracking is critical:

• Monitor actively exploited vulnerabilities (KEV)
• Prioritize patches for critical systems
• Document remediation timelines
• Test updates before deployment

Apple Security and Administrative Resources

Critical Issues

• Apple System Status - Service availability
• Apple Security Bounty - Report vulnerabilities
• Product Security - Security team contact

Recovery Tools

• Apple Configurator 2 - Device recovery
• macOS Recovery - Built-in recovery
• Internet Recovery - Network-based recovery
• DFU Mode - Device firmware update

RSS Feeds

• Apple Security Updates: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222
• Developer News: https://developer.apple.com/news/rss/news.rss
• SOFA Updates: Use the JSON feeds listed above

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