- Originally introduced with OS X El Capitan, System Integrity Protection, usually referred to as SIP, is a security feature built into the Mac operating system that’s designed to protect most system locations, system processes, and Kernel extensions from being written to, modified, or replaced.
- Posted on October 2, 2017 September 28, 2017 Author krypted Categories Mac OS X, Mac Security Tags file paths, macos, protected, sip One thought on “SIP-Protected Apps In macOS” Howie Isaacks says.
- We design Mac hardware and software with advanced technologies that work together to run apps more securely, protect your data, and help keep you safe on the web. And with macOS Catalina available as a free upgrade, it’s easy to get the most secure version of macOS for your Mac.
- MacOS app security overview. App security on macOS consists of a number of overlapping layers—the first of which is the option to run only signed and trusted apps from the App Store. In addition, macOS layers protections to ensure that apps downloaded from the Internet are free of known malware.
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The app doesn't have much to it aside from on-off sliders, and a few minor settings, but for those who just want a set-it-and-forget-it option, AVG's free antivirus for Mac is a good choice.
Published June 17th, 2012 at 8:31 PM EDT , modified April 25th, 2014 at 12:17 PM EDT
Mac OS X is certainly not impervious to malware, and there have been some imperfections in Apple’s handling of security issues over the years. However, there are some very innovative security features in Mac OS X that can do a lot to help protect you, if you let them. The key is knowing what they are and what they do, so that you don’t unintentionally disable something without understanding the consequences.
File Quarantine
File quarantine is a feature of Mac OS X introduced in Leopard. It is explained very well in Apple Support article HT3662, but here’s the gist of it: when you download a potentially dangerous file using a quarantine-aware application (such as Safari or Mail), that file will be “quarantined.” When you try to open it, the OS will warn you and ask if you really want to open it. Obviously, if you see this warning when trying to open something you didn’t think was an application – for example, if you thought the file was a song in MP3 format or a picture in JPEG format – you probably shouldn’t open it.
XProtect
In Snow Leopard, quarantine was expanded to also check for trojans. Quarantine now uses a technology Apple has quietly named XProtect to scan downloads for known malware. The list of recognized trojans has been expanded many times from the original two (RSPlug and iServices) included in 10.6.0, and as of Security Update 2011-003, new malware definitions are downloaded daily, when available. If you try to open a quarantined file that is actually a trojan, you will get a very different and scarier warning that tells you the application is malware.
Example XProtect warning. Image referenced from Apple.com.
Any of Apple’s applications that allow you to download support quarantine. However, results are more mixed with third-party applications. Some will support quarantine and some will not. Especially when using peer-to-peer file sharing programs, which are one of the biggest vectors for malware, I strongly advise testing support for quarantine. Download an application from a trusted source, and if you can open it without a quarantine warning, you know that the program that downloaded it does not support quarantine and could provide malware with a backdoor into your system by letting it sneak past quarantine.
There are many web sites that will tell you how to turn these “annoying” warnings off. I strongly recommend that you do no such thing, as this can also give malware a way to sneak onto your system. Although this system has its flaws – sometimes not receiving updates in as timely a fashion as would be desired – it is nonetheless an important security feature.
The list of definitions can be found, by those interested in such things, at the following path on a Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7 system:
Best movie mac apps. /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/XProtect.plist
If you choose Go -> Go To Folder in the Finder and paste that path into the window, that will take you there. Getting inside the CoreTypes.bundle “file” manually may be a stumper, otherwise, for those who don’t know the trick.
Gatekeeper
In Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8), Apple added Gatekeeper, which provides for a way to limit what applications are allowed to run based on code signing. Code signing is a method by which a developer uses a security certificate issued by Apple to cryptographically sign their app, verifying ownership of the code found in the app. A code-signed app cannot be modified without breaking the signature.
In System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General, you will see a control to set what applications are allowed, via three radio buttons. You can allow only applications downloaded from the Mac App Store, the most restrictive option. In this case, applications you downloaded from any other source will not open.
You can also choose to allow applications from the App Store and those from “identified developers.” This means that applications from outside the App Store will work if they have been code-signed by a developer who is registered with Apple. Although malware has been seen now and then with a valid developer signature (either stolen or registered with false credentials), that hasn’t become common. In addition, every time this has happened, Apple simply revoked the certificate in question, halting the spread of the malware. This is probably the ideal setting for most people, since it provides a significant amount of protection without being too restrictive.
The third radio button allows you to give any application, regardless of source, the right to run. This is the same behavior as in previous systems, and you should still have XProtect defending you against known malware. However, malware has been known to get past XProtect, since XProtect – like any anti-malware software – can only protect against known threats. This is the least safe option, and I discourage its use.
Fortunately, if you want to open a legit app that has not been signed, there’s a way to do that without changing the setting… simply control-click the app and choose Open from the menu that appears. This will result in a warning, but you will be allowed to open the app if you choose to, rather than being blocked completely.
Gatekeeper is integrated with the quarantine system, and thus is only capable of blocking applications that would trigger a quarantine warning (ie, those that are downloaded from the internet via quarantine-aware apps). Do not be surprised when your Gatekeeper preference does not appear to be respected for apps that were already on your machine at the time you installed Mountain Lion. For good or for ill, those apps are considered to be “trusted” apps, and will not be blocked by Gatekeeper.
It is important to understand that quarantine, XProtect and Gatekeeper will not protect you against malware that enters your system through vulnerabilities in third-party software, such as Java or Flash. Such software can provide a back door that lets that malware sneak in behind the system’s back. As such, I highly recommend disabling Java if you have it enabled, or not installing it in the first place in Lion and Mountain Lion. Flash is less easy to do without, but you could use a browser that provides “click to play” access to plugins, or the ClickToPlugin extension for Safari, to make Flash a bit safer.
If you do have Flash or Java installed and enabled in your web browser, Apple has established a pattern of blocking insecure versions of these plugins whenever vulnerabilities are discovered that could affect Mac users. The XProtect system was updated to include minimum allowed versions of these plugins, and these minimum versions are changed as needed. This prevents those vulnerabilities from being used to infect Mac users (after XProtect gets updated, at least). As with quarantine, this has caused some unrest among those who want to run old plugins, but I strongly recommend that you do not follow any instructions that tell you how to modify these minimum version numbers!
Adware
Mac OS X does not currently protect you very well against adware. There are a number of adware programs out there these days, which get installed through devious methods. Sometimes they are included with installers downloaded from unscrupulous download sites, such as Softonic or Download.com. Sometimes they are found on sites offering Adobe Flash Player updates, video plug-ins, video streaming apps and other assorted junkware, but what you end up downloading is really just an adware installer with no signs of the promised software. Often they are found when downloading files from torrents or from piracy sites (like Pirate Bay).
Unfortunately, most adware is not detected by XProtect in Mac OS X, nor is it blocked by Gatekeeper. In fact, most anti-virus apps won’t even detect adware at all, and if they do, they only call it a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application) or PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program) rather than actually calling it adware.
If you think you might be infected with some kind of adware, see my Adware Removal Guide for assistance.
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We design Mac hardware and software with advanced technologies that work together to run apps more securely, protect your data, and help keep you safe on the web. And with macOS Catalina available as a free upgrade, it’s easy to get the most secure version of macOS for your Mac.*
Apple T2 chip.
The next generation of security.
The Apple T2 Security Chip — included with many newer Mac models — keeps your Mac safer than ever. The Secure Enclave coprocessor in the Apple T2 chip provides the foundation for Touch ID, secure boot, and encrypted storage capabilities. Touch ID gives you a seamless way to use your fingerprint to unlock your Mac, fill passwords in Safari, and make purchases with Apple Pay. Secure boot helps ensure that you are running trusted operating system software from Apple, while the Apple T2 chip automatically encrypts the data on your Mac. So you can be confident knowing that security has been designed right into the architecture of your Mac, from the ground up.
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Apple helps you keep your Mac secure with software updates.
The best way to keep your Mac secure is to run the latest software. When new updates are available, macOS sends you a notification — or you can opt in to have updates installed automatically when your Mac is not in use. macOS checks for new updates every day, so it’s easy to always have the latest and safest version.
Protection starts at the core.
The technically sophisticated runtime protections in macOS work at the very core of your Mac to keep your system safe from malware. This starts with state-of-the-art antivirus software built in to block and remove malware. Technologies like XD (execute disable), ASLR (address space layout randomization), and SIP (system integrity protection) make it difficult for malware to do harm, and they ensure that processes with root permission cannot change critical system files.
Download apps safely from the Mac App Store. And the internet.
Now apps from both the App Store and the internet can be installed worry-free. App Review makes sure each app in the App Store is reviewed before it’s accepted. Gatekeeper on your Mac ensures that all apps from the internet have already been checked by Apple for known malicious code — before you run them the first time. If there’s ever a problem with an app, Apple can quickly stop new installations and even block the app from launching again.
Stay in control of what data apps can access.
Apps need your permission to access files in your Documents, Downloads, and Desktop folders as well as in iCloud Drive and external volumes. And you’ll be prompted before any app can access the camera or mic, capture keyboard activity, or take a photo or video of your screen.
FileVault 2 encrypts your data.
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With FileVault 2, your data is safe and secure — even if your Mac falls into the wrong hands. FileVault 2 encrypts the entire drive on your Mac, protecting your data with XTS-AES 128 encryption. And on Mac systems with an Apple T2 Security Chip, FileVault 2 keys are created and protected by the Secure Enclave for even more security.
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Designed to protect your privacy.
The most secure browser for your Mac is the one that comes with your Mac. Built-in privacy features in Safari, like Intelligent Tracking Prevention, help keep your browsing your business. Automatic strong passwords make it easy to create and use unique passwords for all the sites you visit. And iCloud Keychain syncs those passwords securely across all your devices, so you don’t have to remember them. You can also easily find and upgrade any weak passwords you’ve previously used (and reused and reused and reused).
Automatic protections from harmful sites.
Safari also helps safeguard you against fraudulent websites and those that harbor malware — before you visit them. If a website seems suspicious, Safari prevents it from loading and notifies you. And when connecting to unencrypted sites, Safari will warn you. So everything you need to browse without worry is right at your fingertips.
Find your missing Mac with Find My.
The Find My app combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends into a single, easy-to-use app on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Find My can help you locate a missing Mac — even if it’s offline or sleeping — by sending out Bluetooth signals that can be detected by nearby Apple devices. These devices then relay the detected location of your Mac to iCloud so you can locate it in the Find My app. It’s all anonymous and encrypted end-to-end so no one — including Apple — knows the identity of any reporting device or the location of your Mac. And it all happens silently using tiny bits of data that piggyback on existing network traffic. So there’s no need to worry about your battery life, your data usage, or your privacy being compromised.
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Keep your Mac safe.
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All Mac models with the Apple T2 Security Chip support Activation Lock — just like your iPhone or iPad. Mac os app permissions. So if your Mac is ever misplaced or lost, the only person who can erase and reactivate it is you.