What is GateKeeper in MacOS?

Answers

Gatekeeper is a security feature in macOS designed by Apple to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac.

Here’s how it works:

Code Signing: Gatekeeper enforces code signing. When you download and open an app, plug-in, or installer package from outside the App Store, Gatekeeper verifies that the software is from an identified developer. It also checks if the software has been notarized by Apple to be free of known malicious content and hasn’t been altered.
User Approval: Before opening downloaded software for the first time, Gatekeeper requests user approval. This prevents users from accidentally running executable code they believed to be a data file.
Provenance Tracking: Gatekeeper tracks the provenance of files written by downloaded software.
Sandboxing: All apps from the App Store are sandboxed, restricting access to data stored by other apps. If an App Store app needs to access data from another app, it can only do so using macOS APIs and services.
Customization: Users and organizations can customize Gatekeeper settings. You can allow only software from the App Store or override policies to open any software unless restricted by a mobile device management (MDM) solution.
Malicious Plug-Ins: Gatekeeper also protects against the distribution of malicious plug-ins with benign apps.

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