# How does Mobile Device Manager Plus detect jailbroken devices in the network?

Last updated: July 24, 2026

Detect jailbroken iOS devices by identifying files like Cydia.app or MobileSubstrate.dylib and apps with unauthorized filesystem access outside the application sandbox, then automatically remove flagged devices from management via Enrollment settings to eliminate security and data protection risks.

## Description

Jailbreaking devices gives users additional control over the devices at the cost of security. The lack of security makes these devices an easy target for malware and cyber attacks. This poses a risk for the corporate data on the mobile devices. Thus to ensure security of corporate data, it is recommended that jailbroken devices must not be used in organizations. Mobile Device Manager Plus allows organizations to detect jailbroken devices in the network and also remove these devices once they are detected. These devices then cannot be enrolled into Moble Device Manager Plus and thus lose access to corporate data.

This document explains how Mobile Device Manager Plus identifies jailbroken devices.

## Conditions

A device is marked as jailbroken if any of the following conditions are met:

1. **If any of the following files are found on the device**

   This is the simplest method to detect if a device is jailbroken. Mobile Device Manager Plus checks if any of the following files, which are common to jailbroke devices, is present on the devices. If it is present, then the device is considered jailbroken.

   1. Cydia.app
   2. MobileSubstrate.dylib

2. **If the devices can access files or folders outside the application sandbox**

   Among the list of additional controls attained upon jailbreaking devices is access to files and folders outside the application sandbox on the device. If an application can read or write outside the application sandbox, then the device can be considered as jailbroken.

Once the devices are marked as jailbroken, the admin can enable a setting by navigating to **Enrollment -> Self Service app (previously ME MDM app) (under iOS)** and enabling the setting **on detecting jailbroken device** to remove them from management.

## Frequently asked questions

### How does Mobile Device Manager Plus determine if a device is jailbroken?

It checks for files common to jailbroken devices, such as Cydia.app or MobileSubstrate.dylib, and also checks whether an app can read or write to files or folders outside the application sandbox - either condition marks the device as jailbroken.

### What happens to a device once it's marked as jailbroken?

Jailbroken devices can't be enrolled and lose access to corporate data; admins can also enable a setting under Enrollment -> Self Service app (previously ME MDM app) (under iOS) to automatically remove jailbroken devices from management.

### Is jailbreak detection specific to iOS devices?

Yes, this jailbreak detection method is documented for iOS devices managed through Mobile Device Manager Plus.