{"id":27393,"date":"2019-11-26T15:14:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T20:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=27393"},"modified":"2020-02-04T14:25:13","modified_gmt":"2020-02-04T19:25:13","slug":"gatekeeper-override-for-indirect-launching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2019\/11\/26\/gatekeeper-override-for-indirect-launching\/","title":{"rendered":"Gatekeeper Override for Indirect Launching"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chuq Von Rospach<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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The first time I tried to publish new images to Flickr, Lightroom aborted and the OS put up a dialog warning me that the app “magick” isn’t signed and so it might be dangerous, so the OS wouldn’t let it launch. “magick” is part of the ImageMagick graphics tool suite, a commonly used set of image manipulation tools; as of today the developers haven’t signed it with a developer certificate from Apple, so Apple’s Gatekeeper will reject it.<\/p>\n

You can tell the OS to let the app run, but it’s not obvious where to do that. Here’s how:<\/p>\n

Try to export some images and get the warning dialog. Then open up the System Preferences app and navigate to the “Security and Privacy” section and the “General” tab. At the bottom of that tab, you should see some text similar to the warning you got in the dialog. There’s an “Allow” button there. If you click it, you’re approving that app as something that’s okay to be launched.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When launching an app directly, the workaround is easier: you can Control-click and choose Open from the contextual menu.<\/p>\n\n

In both cases, why doesn’t the alert tell you how to resolve the problem (if you do, in fact, trust the software)? In my view, this is poor design and essentially security through obscurity. Apple decided that they don’t want you to run unsigned software, but they don’t want to (or realistically can’t) completely forbid it, so they provide an escape hatch but keep it hidden. macOS doesn’t trust the user to make the right decision, so it acts as though there’s no choice.<\/p>\n\n

It could have explained the situation, from Apple’s point of view, and perhaps required a few extra clicks to confirm. But instead it makes it look like an unsolvable problem. Most customers will probably give up. Some will enter the text into Google and find who-knows-what. In other words, Apple is delegating the explanation to an unknown third party.<\/p>\n\n

Walt Mossberg<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Today I upgraded both of my fairly new Macs to the Catalina OS. Then I tried to run Skype. On my MacBook Pro, it wouldn’t load. On my MacBook Air, it launched fine, but wouldn’t work. Had to use an iPad. Is this Apple’s way of forcing a switch to the iPad from the Mac? WTF?<\/p>\n

Note: Skype was up to date. Even so, on one of the Macs, I tried downloading it again from the Web and was told my Mac couldn’t run it because Apple couldn’t check it for malware. I saw no opt out from this warning box. Again, WTF?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Again, the alert presents it as if something is broken. The app certainly could<\/em> be checked for malware. It’s just that Apple has decided to only do the check in a particular way. The app certainly could<\/em> be launched without the check, but Apple has decided not to tell you that.<\/p>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n