kernel extensions need authorization mac

Having some issues in the code may allow the attacker to gain TOTAL control on the machineĮamework (ES.framework) is a convenient, user-mode mechanism designed as replacement of Kernel-level kAuth and MACF. To use the debugger, you should make some magic and use 2 machines (debugger and debuggee) If you have a crash in your KEXT - whole macOS is crashed If you have a crash in your usual App - the App only is crashed. Most popular products were built on top of kAuth and MACF:Īnd now (since macOS 10.15) these mechanisms become deprecated. Such mechanisms can be used by developers by writing KEXT (Kernel eXtension) - a special executable, that can be loaded into the Kernel of macOS. For example, user of kAuth is able to subscribe to file open events and decide to allow or deny the action on exact file for a particular process. They are designed to granulary authorize particular events that occur in the system (file events, process events, other). KAuth (Kernel Authorization) and MACF(Mandatory Access Control framework) are mechanisms that reside in Kernel. Kernel Extensions (KEXT): a bit of history Note 2: In the end of the article you can find a short Demo (~4 min) that shown whole process on both machines. What it does - helps to debug applications that use it. Note 1: The article does NOT cover all details about EndpointSecurity framework. When they build apps with amework and try to debug them, they said “Doh!” When the Apple announced KEXTs deprecation and replacement for kernel-mode kAuth & MACF APIs with user-mode EndpointSecurity framework, many developers said “Wow”. Two machine debug of Apple’s amework AUTH events

Kernel extensions need authorization mac