MAM for Corporate Applications: Setup and Integration
MDM manages the entire device. MAM manages only the application—a fundamental difference for BYOD scenarios where employees are unwilling to give IT control over their personal phones. We handle MAM configuration for corporate apps daily. Proper integration of MAM policies reduces data leakage risk by up to 80% without intruding on personal space. Additionally, licensing costs can be cut by up to 40% compared to MDM. We configure MAM turnkey with a guaranteed result, using certified Microsoft Intune solutions.
The classic MAM scenario with Microsoft Intune: An employee installs an app from the App Store or Google Play on a personal phone, logs in with a corporate Azure AD account—and from that moment, MAM policies apply to that app's data. No MDM profile is installed on the device. This is the ideal solution for companies with a BYOD policy. Get a consultation—we will evaluate your project and select the optimal configuration.
How MAM Protects Corporate Data Without MDM?
MAM policies available without device management:
| Policy | Description |
|---|---|
| Block copy-paste of corporate data | Prevent data from being pasted into personal apps |
| Enforce file encryption | All files saved by the app are encrypted |
| Require PIN or biometrics | Additional authentication when opening the app |
| Block screenshots | Prevent screen capture with data |
| Remote selective wipe | Remove only corporate data upon employee departure |
| Block opening links in personal browser | Links open only in Managed Browser |
MAM integration via Microsoft Intune is the industry standard. The Intune documentation confirms that the SDK supports all these policies out of the box.
Intune App SDK: Integration into iOS App
To apply MAM policies, the SDK must be integrated. The SDK intercepts system APIs (clipboard, file sharing, screenshot detection) and applies policies.
Adding via CocoaPods:
pod 'MSAL' pod 'IntuneMAMSwift' Minimal initialization in AppDelegate:
import IntuneMAMSwift @main class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, IntuneMAMPolicyDelegate { func application(_ app: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions options: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool { IntuneMAMPolicyManager.instance().delegate = self return IntuneMAMPolicyManager.instance().didFinishLaunching(withOptions: options) } func identitySwitchRequired(_ identity: String, forReason reason: IntuneMAMPolicyManagerIdentitySwitchReason, completionHandler completion: @escaping IntuneMAMAddIdentityCompletionHandler) { // Handle identity switch for multi-account scenarios completion(.allowed) } } After SDK integration, UIPasteboard is automatically restricted according to policy, and UIDocumentPickerViewController as well. The app itself remains unchanged—the MAM engine operates via method swizzling of system classes.
A critical point: the SDK requires MSAL (Microsoft Authentication Library) to obtain an MAM token. Without proper app registration in Azure AD (App Registration + MAM permissions), policies will not be applied even with the SDK. A typical mistake in first-time integration is that policies "don't work" precisely due to incorrect App Registration or missing Intune App Protection Policy in Azure Portal.
MAM on Android: Intune App SDK for Android
// build.gradle implementation 'com.microsoft.intune.mam:android-mam-sdk:10.0.0' For Android, proper configuration of MAMApplication is important:
class MyApplication : MAMApplication() { override fun onCreate() { super.onCreate() // MAM SDK intercepts Context, Activity, ContentProvider } } The Android MAM SDK uses MAMActivity instead of AppCompatActivity, MAMContentProvider instead of ContentProvider. This requires refactoring base classes. If rewriting base classes is undesirable (legacy app, large codebase), use the App Wrapping Tool—a post-build tool that adds MAM logic to a compiled APK/IPA without modifying source code. Intune MAM SDK applies policies more precisely but requires more work during integration.
Comparison of MAM Platforms
| Platform | Integration Method | Policy Accuracy | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Intune | SDK or App Wrapping | High (SDK), Medium (Wrapping) | Medium |
| VMware Workspace ONE | SDK | High | Medium |
| MobileIron AppConnect | App container | High | High |
What is Selective Wipe and How Does It Work?
Remote selective wipe via MAM policy removes only corporate data: Keychain entries tagged with appID, files in Application Support/, cache, cookies in WKWebView. Personal data remains untouched.
Wipe handler implementation in SDK:
// IntuneMAMPolicyDelegate func wipeDataForAccount(_ account: String) -> Bool { DataVault.shared.deleteAll() KeychainManager.shared.clearCorporateKeys() URLCache.shared.removeAllCachedResponses() return true } IT administrators initiate a wipe from the Intune Portal with a single click. On the next app launch, data is gone, requiring re-authentication.
Work Stages
- Audit policy requirements
- Choose MAM platform (Intune, VMware, MobileIron)
- Configure Azure AD or EMM console
- Develop App Registration
- Integrate SDK for iOS and Android
- Test all policies (clipboard, screenshot, save, wipe)
- UAT with IT team
- Rollout and training
Timeline: Intune MAM SDK integration for an existing app: 3–5 weeks per platform. Full MAM rollout with policy configuration and training: 6–8 weeks.
What's Included
- Documentation: policy scheme, operation manual
- Access configuration to Azure AD and Intune Portal
- SDK integration for iOS and Android
- Testing of all policies on real devices
- IT team training: up to 8 hours of consulting
- Post-release support: 2 weeks
We have over 5 years of experience in MAM integration, with more than 30 projects completed. Get a free assessment of your app—contact us. Order turnkey MAM implementation with a guaranteed result.