When you run an app in a sandbox, you limit what it can do and provide additional permissions based on input.

As the name suggests, sandboxing refers to providing the app with all the bare essentials it needs to perform its purpose, and nothing else. It's just more common to see malware from unsigned applications than apps downloaded from the Mac App Store or signed with an Apple-issued developer certificate. Unsigned software isn't always harmful-lots of free software developers can't justify the $99 required to enter Apple's Developer Program and issue certificates. Gatekeeper blocks all software that isn't signed with an Apple-issued developer certificate from opening on your Mac, unless you specifically authorize it. This prevents unknown applications from causing harm. Thus, if any file is suspicious, you'll see a warning that the file may damage your computer.Īnother technology incorporated into macOS is Gatekeeper. Whenever you open a file, XProtect scans and checks it against known macOS malware. It may surprise you to know that your Mac already runs an anti-malware scanner in the background called XProtect. Your Mac has many built-in security features to keep it safe.

What Are the Built-In Mac Security Features?

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