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Gatekeeper

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This article is about the security feature in macOS. For the unrelated anti-virus utility for classic Mac OS, see Gatekeeper (classic Mac OS).
Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper[1][2] is an anti-malware feature of the macOS operating system. A user with administrator permissions can access the feature through the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences.[3][4]

History[]

The feature first appeared in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) as File Quarantine. It was expanded in Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and became Gatekeeper in OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion). Gatekeeper allows users to restrict which sources they can install applications from in order to reduce the likelihood of inadvertently executing a Trojan horse. There are three options: allow only applications downloaded from the Mac App Store to be launched, allow applications downloaded from the Mac App Store or certified by identified developers to be launched, or allow all applications from Anywhere to be launched.[5]

Disabling Gatekeeper[]

Starting in OS X 10.11 (El Capitan), the Security & Privacy preference pane began hiding the option to allow apps downloaded from Anywhere. This can be allowed on a one-by-one basis through the preference pane, or re-enabled with the following Terminal command: (both steps require admin access)[6][7] 

sudo spctl --master-disable

References[]

  1. ↑ OS X Mountain Lion - Gatekeeper keeps your Mac even safer. Apple. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
  2. ↑ Thursday, February 16th, 2012 (2012-02-16). Surprise! OS X Mountain Lion Roars Into Existence (For Developers Today, Everyone This Summer). TechCrunch. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
  3. ↑ OS X Mountain Lion Gatekeeper: Can it Really Keep Malware Out? - International Business Times. Ibtimes.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
  4. ↑ Jason Snell (Feb 16, 2012). Mountain Lion: Hands on with Gatekeeper. MacWorld. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
  5. ↑ Mogull, Rich. TidBITS Tech News: Gatekeeper Slams the Door on Mac Malware Epidemics. Tidbits.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-21.
  6. ↑ How to open apps from unidentified developers on Mac in macOS Catalina, by Bryan M. Wolfe, iMore. 2019-10-04.
  7. ↑ How to Disable Gatekeeper in MacOS X Sierra & El Capitan by Floridify Team. 2017-11-23.

External links[]

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  Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) : 10.6.0 | 10.6.1 | 10.6.2 | 10.6.3 | 10.6.4 | 10.6.5 | 10.6.6 | 10.6.7 | 10.6.8
Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) : 10.7.0 | 10.7.1 | 10.7.2 | 10.7.3 | 10.7.4 | 10.7.5
OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) : 10.8.0 | 10.8.1 | 10.8.2 | 10.8.3 | 10.8.4 | 10.8.5
OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) : 10.9.0 | 10.9.1 | 10.9.2 | 10.9.3 | 10.9.4 | 10.9.5
OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) : 10.10.0 | 10.10.1 | 10.10.2 | 10.10.3 | 10.10.4 | 10.10.5
OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) : 10.11.0 | 10.11.1 | 10.11.2 | 10.11.3 | 10.11.4 | 10.11.5 | 10.11.6
macOS 10.12 (Sierra) : 10.12.0 | 10.12.1 | 10.12.2 | 10.12.3 | 10.12.4 | 10.12.5 | 10.12.6
macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) : 10.13.0 | 10.13.1 | 10.13.2 | 10.13.3 | 10.13.4 | 10.13.5 | 10.13.6
macOS 10.14 (Mojave) : 10.14.0 | 10.14.1 | 10.14.2 | 10.14.3 | 10.14.4 | 10.14.5 | 10.14.6
macOS 10.15 (Catalina) : 10.15.0 | 10.15.1 | 10.15.2 | 10.15.3 | 10.15.4 | 10.15.5 | 10.15.6 | 10.15.7
macOS 11 (Big Sur) : 11.0 · 11.0.1 | 11.1 | 11.2 · 11.2.1 · 2 · 3 | 11.3 · 11.3.1 | 11.4 | 11.5 · 11.5.1 · 2 | 11.6 · 11.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 | 11.7 · 11.7.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10
macOS 12 (Monterey) : 12.0 · 12.0.1 | 12.1 | 12.2 · 12.2.1 | 12.3 · 12.3.1 | 12.4 | 12.5 · 12.5.1 | 12.6 · 12.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 | 12.7 · 12.7.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
macOS 13 (Ventura) : 13.0 · 13.0.1 | 13.1 | 13.2 · 13.2.1 | 13.3 · 13.3.1 | 13.4 · 13.4.1 | 13.5 · 13.5.1 · 2 | 13.6 · 13.6.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 | 13.7 · 13.7.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
macOS 14 (Sonoma) : 14.0 | 14.1 · 14.1.1 · 2 | 14.2 · 14.2.1 | 14.3 · 14.3.1 | 14.4 · 14.4.1 | 14.5 | 14.6 · 14.6.1 | 14.7 · 14.7.1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
macOS 15 (Sequoia) : 15.0 · 15.0.1 | 15.1 · 15.1.1 | 15.2 | 15.3 · 15.3.1 · 2 | 15.4 · 15.4.1 | 15.5
macOS 26 (Tahoe) : 26.0
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