There are no changes for Sonoma and earlier macOS, and Sequoia 15.0-15.1.1 will also continue working as before. But 15.2 and later work differently, as explained here.
Software Update
You’ve just installed an update to XProtect in Sequoia, so why doesn’t it change the version number? How to fix this common problem.
Does XProtect confuse you in Sequoia? Do you know why it could show as version 0, 5273 or 5274? Here’s a guide to what I think is going on.
If your Mac is running Sequoia, it could have no XProtect data at all, or being using version 5272 or 5273 but not 5274; if it’s running Sonoma or earlier, the version could be 5272 or 5274 but not 5273. Simple.
There should be an update available, but you can’t find it, or it fails to install, or you have problems with a Content Caching Server. How to tackle these.
How SilentKnight can install macOS updates, up to a point, and how you can recover from an inadvertent download of a macOS update.
While other Macs had happily updated XProtect’s data in the normal way, my Sequoia beta system told me it was out of date, and refused to find an updater. Then I recalled an old tweet.
Extends checks on XProtect Remediator scans to cover the previous 36 hours, and is ready for use with macOS 15 when it arrives.
Is your Mac slow to report and install macOS, security data, or App Store updates? These tips ensure you do get them promptly.
You don’t need a large network to make a Content Caching server worthwhile. If you’ve 100 GB or more to spare on an external disk, and a Mac that’s running when others are, give it a try. It’s simple to set up and use.
The Eclectic Light Company 