Zero Day

Ryan Naraine, Emil Protalinski and Dancho Danchev

Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

By Ryan Naraine | February 16, 2012, 11:41am PST

Summary: The new anti-malware feature works behind the scenes to let Mac users either allow or deny application downloads based on where they come from.

Apple has built a ‘Gatekeeper’ to help protect Mac OS X users from downloading and running malicious software.

The new anti-malware feature, now fitted into the new OSX Mountain Lion, works behind the scenes to let Mac users either allow or deny application downloads based on where they come from.

In the “Security and Privacy” preference, the end user gets the choice over whether to allow applications downloaded from:

Mac App Store
Mac App Store and identified developers
Anywhere

The pre-checked default is the “Mac App Store and identified” developers, a setting that works in tandem with Apple’s new Developer ID Program.

As part of the Mac Developer Program, Apple gives developers a unique Developer ID for signing their apps. A developer’s digital signature allows Gatekeeper to verify that their app is not known malware and that it hasn’t been tampered with. If an app doesn’t have a Developer ID associated with it, Gatekeeper can let you know before you install it.

More on Gatekeeper from Apple Insider and Daring Fireball.

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Topics

Apple Macintosh, Malware, Attack, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Cyberthreats, Apple Mac OS X, Apple Mac OS, Viruses And Worms, Security, Operating Systems, Software, Ryan Naraine

Ryan Naraine is a journalist and social media enthusiast specializing in Internet and computer security issues.

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Is it a Gatekeeper or an AppStoreKeeper?

fjpoblam Updated - 17th Feb

How much is the motivation noble-minded and how much is money-minded? (Certification for sale: which devs are in YOUR wallet?)

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

bstringy 16th Feb

you know where this is headed right?

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Only apps through the Mac App Store. Why do you ask? [nt]

olePigeon Updated - 16th Feb

[nt]

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

gribittmep 16th Feb

@bstringy

Waiting for the nuts to come out of the woodwork.

But let me be the first to say that I hope Apple will not take the iOS approach and allow me to install any applications I want on my system. Its ok to warn me but let me make the decision.

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

YaBaby 16th Feb

@gribittmep Then you want to click the radio button next to the word "Anywhere"

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Obvious solution, I've been calling for it for years...

Richard Flude Updated - 16th Feb

for windows ( we have a workable solution for other unixes ).

This is the most sensible addition to any OS. Being able to restrict software is the most effect malware tool available, short of fixing all bugs.

Malware detectors are useless (well except for subscription revenue).

update: Restricting API's to App Store sourced apps, also in Mountain Lion, is more likely to impact consumer choice than gatekeeper.

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But what about bypassing it!

OhTheHumanity 16th Feb

Someone will come up with a way to hack around this feature, so it just adds another layer, which is good, but not going to stop it all!

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

MrElectrifyer 16th Feb

@OhTheHumanity You can never stop it all ... cough .... excuse me, you actually can stop it all by formatting your HDD and shutting down your computer.

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

jerald76 16th Feb

Good to know that but i think it will not stop. they tend to do the same thing always

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

Jaytmoon 17th Feb

Sounds a bit like UAC in windows

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

jblazsek@... 17th Feb

@Jaytmoon

But Apples never get viruses, Spyware or malware/ At least that's what they say.

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

Gisabun 17th Feb

@jblazsek@... : I guess they never head of MacDefender and its variants. happy

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

dagodevas 17th Feb

But their ios is perfect - why would they need this?

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

Gisabun 17th Feb

@dagodevas : NO idea. Maybe Apple ran out of new features. It is a "perfect" iOS as you said.

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

bsmi021@... 17th Feb

Oh and Microsoft calls the Microsoft Security Essentials, gee apple if finally showing some of the truths behind security issues with any computer

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

Gisabun 17th Feb

@bsmi021@... : Actually there is a difference. MSE will hopefully detect and clean malware and viruses. Gatekeeper looks like a switch. Allow or not. Doesn't even look like it will check for malware.

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RE: Apple pushes 'Gatekeeper' to protect Mac OS X from malware attacks

Pete "athynz" Athens 17th Feb

But why? Mac OSX is completely invulnerable to any sort of attack - I keep being told so by Apple Geniuses and the frothing at the mouth Apple fanzealots on here. So this must be some sort of lie by Microsoft.../sarcasm