Mac Developers Reminded to Have Their Apps Notarized as Apple Tightens Security

Apple today reminded Mac developers that it is encouraging them to have their apps notarized, meaning that the apps have been scanned by Apple and checked for malware and other security issues.

Notarization is not currently a requirement for apps distributed outside of the Mac App Store, but Apple says it will "more prominently highlight notarization status" starting in the spring of 2019. And in an unspecified "upcoming macOS release," Apple will require any Developer ID-signed apps to be notarized.

When users on macOS Mojave first open a notarized app, installer package, or disk image, they'll see a more streamlined Gatekeeper dialog and trust that it does not contain known malware. Starting spring of 2019, macOS Mojave will more prominently highlight notarization status. In an upcoming macOS release, Gatekeeper will require Developer ID–signed software to be notarized by Apple.

Apple introduced the notarization process for macOS Mojave back in June at WWDC, providing an extra level of confidence for users that apps are free of malware while also giving Apple finer-grained controls to shut down specific problematic releases instead of having to revoke an entire Developer ID.

Apple has stressed that notarization is not a full app review process and is only intended to analyze apps for security purposes.

Top Rated Comments

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Red Menace

2 weeks ago

And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?

A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?

Rating: 26 Votes

Mac Fly (film)

2 weeks ago

Why doesn’t Apple protect less savvy users from installing MacKeeper. The OS literally needs built in protection from apps like this. And ftp clients like FileZilla shouldn’t be able to make so many changes without user permission. And Chrome shouldn’t be able to deactivate the cmd+Q shortcut. These sort of common sense practical user protections I would like to see.

Rating: 18 Votes

brenton289

2 weeks ago

A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?

And why should consumers have to put up with the App Store, and Apple controlling and tracking what the applications they use?

Rating: 18 Votes

shareef777

2 weeks ago

Apple might considering requiring all app developers for Mac who have an iOS app to release their Mac apps only via the Mac App Store.

This doesn’t solve the case for developers without an iOS app but it would provide a big lever for those that do if they want continued access to the iOS store. And there are many developers with both iOS and Mac versions of their apps.

Note, this doesn’t mean a developer couldn’t offer the same app outside of the Mac App Store, the could do both, but why would they want to? And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?

Get an iPad and be done with it. The rest of us have real work to get done.

Rating: 10 Votes

Stella

2 weeks ago

Apple might considering requiring all app developers for Mac who have an iOS app to release their Mac apps only via the Mac App Store.

Many Mac applications cannot be put on the Appstore due to Apple's requirements, such as sandboxing etc. The majority of applications that I ( and many others ) use on a daily basis for work would fit into that category.

Last few companies I've worked at would have no choice but to dump Macs and switch to Linux. That would be a real shame.

And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?

I much prefer to buy outside of the AppStore for good reasons: A few apps I've used have more capabilities than the Mac AppStore version.... why would I want a crippled Mac AppStore version at the same price as the full version? Additionally, I would not be able to use these Mac AppStore apps at work.

Rating: 9 Votes

jtara

2 weeks ago

A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?

They don't.

There is nothing stopping developers from selling MacOS apps outside of the App Store. It's the developer's choice.
[doublepost=1543973456][/doublepost]

And why should consumers have to put up with the App Store, and Apple controlling and tracking what the applications they use?

They don't either.

People, stop making up non-existing problems.

The App Store is an optional market that developers can freely take or leave.

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"notarization" is an unfortunate, and confusing name. In the U.S. at least, that word refers to having a signed document witnessed and attested by a government-enrolled agent (a Notary Public) who witnesses signatures for a small fee. I've *never* seen the word used in a different context before.

My mother was a Notary Public. I used to play with the embosser when I was a little kid. Shhhhhhh! ;) (Imagine Bart Simpson let loose with a Notary embosser! I didn't do any of the evil things he'd do with it - just stamp random blank sheets of paper.)

Can't techies stop overlaying the common usage of words with their own specialized meanings?

Rating: 7 Votes

KoolAid-Drink

2 weeks ago

God, using "app" for Mac applications is a really big pet peeve of mine. Idk why, the word itself just seems so dumb and too simplified. iOS like.

No offense, but this is a request to editors...please use the word "application" for all Mac programs/software. Leave "app" for use related with iOS.

Apple used to call all their Mac "apps" applications on their website and throughout the OS. References to the word "application(s)" is becoming more and more rare, instead "app(s)" is being used more and more often. Really annoying. It may sound weird to you, but it's a niggling pet peeve of mine.

Rating: 7 Votes

jtara

2 weeks ago

But I also HATE the idea of Apple controlling literally everything that users are able to install on their computers.

Read My Lips. They aren't. It is optional.

I prefer to use the App Store for apps that don't need super cow powers. When purchasing outside of the store, I am more cautious about vetting the app and company.

Rating: 7 Votes

robbyx

2 weeks ago

I still can't decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing... Sure, it helps with security. But I also HATE the idea of Apple controlling literally everything that users are able to install on their computers. I don't think it's Apple's business to control that.

Well I’d get used to it because that’s where we’re headed. Ten years from, whatever “macOS” is, it will be as locked down as iOS. MacOS releases have been moving us in that direction for a while now.

Rating: 5 Votes