matryer / matryer/xbar

Cant create a macOS PPPC/TCC Approval for xbar?

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#682 2 comments 3 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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Dominant language
Go
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Forks
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Description

When xbar launches automatically, it displays a pop-up in the macOS Finder stating that "xbar needs to control the SystemEvents app..."

This is a common PPPC (Privacy Preferences Policy Control) approval that end users must acknowledge when multiple apps or services try to talk to each other in various (potentially sneaky) ways. This security measure started in macOS Mojave.

Rather than approve xbar manually, for a single end-user, I need to pre-approve it automatically via my MDM (Jamf) using a PPPC MDM configuration profile for mass deployment. This is very common in enterprises (I have over 20 PPPC profiles for various apps and services).

Typically I use a tool named PPPC Utility (https://github.com/jamf/PPPC-Utility) to build these profiles. However, PPPC cannot build a profile for xbar. This is the first time I have ever seen an app fail. The error is:

Failed to get designated code requirement. The executable may not be signed. Error: The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error -67062.)

I believe this clearly means xbar is from an unrecognized developer (not siged etc).

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by investigating how xbar is signed and why PPPC Utility reports that it cannot get a designated code requirement. Confirm the macOS packaging or signing change needed for Jamf to generate a PPPC profile and verify that the resulting xbar application can be pre-approved.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
go, macos
Domain
desktop, operating-systems, security
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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