A complete guide to using this new version, with explanations of how to keep XProtect up to date, which updates the app will install, and where to get further information.
SilentKnight
First full release of SilentKnight designed and optimised for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 15.6 Sequoia or later, including Golden Gate betas. Clean and simple to use, with sophisticated features such as JSON report exporting.
Adds reporting to both text and JSON files, runs from standard user accounts, and fixes several other issues. For Apple silicon Macs only, macOS 15.6 and later.
Completely rewritten using SwiftUI, this now excludes macOS updates from those it downloads and installs, and caters better for Apple silicon Macs running Sequoia and later. Please give it a try and comment.
Two users confronted by a dialog to install command line developer tools so they can use git. Neither wanted to use git, but wondered which app could have triggered it. Despite its protestations, Claude knows only too well.
SilentKnight relies on the system_profiler command for much of the key information it needs. But that output is localised to the primary language in use at the time. This continues to cause problems.
An important update for those expecting to update Apple silicon Macs to 26.4, as older versions may crash, and are expected to report firmware version errors.
How SilentKnight came about, and how it knows – most of the time – which version of XProtect and other security data your Mac should be using.
What to do when you know there’s an update available, but Software Update pretends that it can’t find it. With details of undocumented options for softwareupdate command and more.
If you are testing beta-releases of macOS 26.4 Tahoe on Apple silicon Macs, please use this new build of SilentKnight, version 2.12 build 61, as it shouldn’t crash.
The Eclectic Light Company 