Apple on Tuesday announced an update to its next-gen version of macOS that makes overriding a bit more difficult for users Goalkeeper protection.
A goalkeeper is a the most important line of defense built into macOS, designed to ensure that only trusted programs run on the operating system. When an app is downloaded from outside the App Store and opened for the first time, it verifies that the software is from an identified developer.
It also performs checks to ensure that the program is notarized and has not been tampered with to install malware on macOS systems. In addition, user approval is required before allowing any such third-party application to run.
It’s this user approval mechanism that Apple has further strengthened with macOS Sequoia, the next iteration of the Mac operating system due out next month.
“In macOS Sequoia, users will no longer be able to press Control to override Gatekeeper when opening software that is not properly signed or notarized,” Apple. said.
“They will need to visit System Preferences > Privacy & Security to review the software’s security information before allowing it to run.”
The move is seen as a way to combat theft malware and backdoors targets macOS, which are often unsigned and force users to bypass Gatekeeper protections.
In July 2023, North Korean threat actors were is observed distributed an unsigned disk image (DMG) file that mimicked a legitimate video calling service called MiroTalk and released its malicious behavior after the victim pressed the Control key and selected “Open” and ignored a security warning from Apple.
