Device control is a feature of Defender for Endpoint that allows infrastructure administrators to control the type of peripherals users can install and use in their computers. This ranges from USB external drives, Bluetooth devices, printers and BitLocker encrypted removable media (Preview). Device control is an integral part of the Attack Surface Reduction rules that can be configured in Defender for Endpoint. These rules are designed to minimize potential vulnerabilities by controlling and restricting device usage within an organizational network. By integrating device control into this broader security framework, administrators can establish a robust defense against threats arising from unauthorized or compromised devices. The challenge with external devices has always been to determine if the device has been tampered with or contains malicious artifacts that can be used to initiate an attack, or what media can be used on such devices that is not aligned with corporate policies. The reasons are too many to list here and this is why Defender for Endpoint provides a very granular control to keep the devices that are allowed for users and keep at bay those are not allowed to be connected to the organization. In this guide, I would like to focus on how Device Control for MacOS operates and provide a detailed overview of how to implement Defender for Endpoint Device Control for MacOS.
Step-by-step implementation guide
Requirements for Implementing Device Control:
Defender for Endpoint or Defender for Business licenses (can be a trial subscription)
Minimum OS version: macOS...
Updated Jun 16, 2025
Version 5.0
edgarus71
Microsoft
Microsoft