What is iMessage capture?
iMessage capture brings supported Apple iMessage communications into MCO eComms through FirmScribe so they can be retained, monitored, and reviewed according to your organization’s electronic communications policy.
Overview
iMessage is Apple’s messaging service for communications sent between Apple devices. These communications can include business records that compliance teams need to preserve and supervise.
MCO eComms supports iMessage capture through FirmScribe. FirmScribe captures supported iPhone messaging activity after an employee completes a one-time setup process. Once configured, capture runs in the background and does not change how the employee uses their iPhone.
FirmScribe provides the captured communications to MCO eComms for archival and review. User mapping is required so captured messages can be associated with the correct MCO eComms user profiles and policy assignments.
Supported iMessage content
FirmScribe can capture supported iPhone messaging content and related metadata.
Content type | Description |
iMessage | Supported iMessage communications from the employee’s iPhone. |
SMS | Supported SMS communications from the employee’s iPhone. |
RCS | Supported RCS communications from the employee’s iPhone. |
Attachments | Message attachments, including images, videos, documents, contact cards, and other supported files. |
Group message details | Group message names and group name changes, when available. |
Captured metadata
Captured iMessage communications can include message content, participant information, and other message metadata.
Metadata | Description |
Employee number | Phone number associated with the employee’s iPhone. |
Employee name | Employee name as entered in the FirmScribe Admin Portal. |
Participant phone numbers | Phone numbers of message participants. |
Participant names | Participant names when stored in the employee’s contacts and contacts in iCloud are enabled. |
Message body | Contents of the message. |
Message attachments | Files or media attached to the message. |
How it works
Step | Description |
Confirm capture scope | Your organization confirms which employees require iMessage capture. |
Add users in FirmScribe | Users are added in the FirmScribe portal with their names and email addresses. |
Send setup link | FirmScribe sends each employee a secure setup email. |
Complete employee setup | The employee signs in with the Apple ID associated with their iPhone and completes the required verification steps. |
Trust the capture device | The employee approves the secure device used for capture when prompted by Apple. |
Enable required settings | The employee confirms required iPhone settings, including Messages in iCloud and text message forwarding when prompted. |
Capture communications | FirmScribe captures supported iMessage and text message communications in the background. |
Provide data to MCO eComms | FirmScribe makes captured communications available to MCO eComms for processing. |
Map users | Admin users map FirmScribe iMessage identifiers to MCO eComms user profiles. |
Archive messages | Captured iMessage communications are added to the MCO eComms archive. |
Apply policies | Once messages are mapped, configured retention and detection policies apply based on your organization’s setup and license limitations. |
Review communications | Compliance users can search, monitor, and review captured iMessage communications in MCO eComms. |
Employee setup
Each covered employee must complete a one-time setup process before iMessage communications can be captured.
During setup, the employee may need to:
Open the secure setup link from the FirmScribe email.
Sign in with the Apple ID associated with their iPhone.
Approve Apple account sign-in prompts on their iPhone.
Enter the six-digit verification code shown on their iPhone.
Confirm that a device has been added to the Apple ID.
Accept the FirmScribe monitoring notice.
Confirm the required iPhone settings are enabled.
NOTE: The employee should have their iPhone nearby and unlocked during setup.
Required iPhone settings
FirmScribe requires the employee’s iPhone settings to support message capture.
Setting | Purpose |
Messages in iCloud | Allows supported message content to be available for capture. |
Text message forwarding | Allows supported text message content to be forwarded for capture when prompted during setup. |
Contacts in iCloud | Allows participant names to be captured when contacts are stored in iCloud and available. |
User mapping
User mapping allows MCO eComms to associate captured iMessage communications with the correct user profiles.
For FirmScribe iMessage capture, the email address entered in the FirmScribe portal should be used as the Unique Identifier for the iMessage source mapping in MCO eComms.
If captured communications cannot be matched to a user profile, they may appear as unmapped until the required source mapping is completed.
Message availability
iMessage communications may not appear in the archive immediately after setup is complete. Availability depends on employee activation, iPhone settings, FirmScribe configuration, transfer method, user mapping, and MCO eComms processing.
After communications are imported and mapped, they can be retained and reviewed in MCO eComms according to the policies assigned to the user.