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bundles

Versions and other app metadata: what to trust?

Version numbers are simple, aren’t they? So how come so few of Apple’s own apps conform to its own rules? And as for copyright info, forget it, as so many Apple apps seem to.

July 10, 2019 Macs, Technology

How can Mojave let you open an app with signature errors?

The differences between a full Gatekeeper check, an AMFI check for integrity, and a normal app open, and why signature errors can be tolerated.

December 25, 2018 Macs, Technology

App signatures are always checked on launch, but serious errors may be ignored

Whenever an app is opened in 10.14.2, its signature is checked asynchronously, often several times. But in many cases, macOS doesn’t act on any errors returned.

December 24, 2018 Macs, Technology

Last Week on My Mac: Weed control in the walled garden

Another worthless piece of “security theatre” about bundle signatures. I wouldn’t bother reading it, or downloading the new version of Signet.

December 23, 2018 Macs, Technology

How thoroughly does Gatekeeper check existing apps?

T T Read More

Is checking bundle signatures a waste of time once they have passed their ‘first run’ check? Does macOS ever do that?

December 22, 2018 Macs, Technology

Mojave happily runs apps with revoked signatures, and more

T T Read More

Has your Mac got any old apps and other bundles on it? Have their signing certificates been revoked, or are they perhaps unsigned? Here’s a new app to help you find out.

December 20, 2018 Macs, Technology

Common packages: documents which are folders in drag

One of the Finder’s grand illusions, these are standard documents actually composed of a hierarchy of files and folders. Here are some details of common packages.

March 7, 2018 Macs, Technology

More fun scripting with Swift and Xcode: Finding apps, and calls that don’t fail

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Trying to decide whether a selected item is an app bundle turns out to be simple, if you cheat.

March 25, 2017 Macs, Technology

Bundle, package, library, or folder?

There’s more to the Finder’s illusions than plain folders. Here’s an explanation of packages and bundles, and how to use and abuse them.

March 14, 2017 Macs, Technology

The Genius of Mac: ResEdit and resources

T T Read More

If you wanted to mess someone’s Mac up, you could go into their system files and change things around when they were out at lunch.

June 4, 2016 Macs, Technology
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