![]() ![]() Cybercriminals have exploited third-party KEXTs in the past or have developed their own signed kernel extensions that they then used in attacks.Īpple’s new system extensions will cut off access to the macOS kernel and allow code to be executed only in a controlled user-space. However, giving developers access to the macOS kernel also gave potential attackers a way in. Until now, whenever an app was developed for macOS, it used KEXTs to execute code at kernel level. The difference between them is the level at which the code runs. KEXTs and system extensions both allow users to install apps that extend the native features and functions of the macOS operating system. What this essentially means is that the use of kernel extensions will now trigger a notification to the user, letting them know when software uses deprecated KEXTs and asking them to contact the developer for alternatives. While the new extensions were used in parallel with kernel extensions until now, macOS Catalina 10.15.4 will officially begin deprecating KEXTs. What will this mean for developers and Data Loss Prevention tools? Let’s take a closer look.Īpple introduced system extensions with the release of macOS Catalina 10.15.0 in September 2019, after announcing its plans to deprecate kernel extensions (KEXTs) at WWDC 2019. ![]() As we head into Apple’s 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), taking place 22 – 26 June online free of charge this year, excitement is mounting over the rollout of macOS Catalina 10.15.4 which will begin the deprecation of kernel extensions in favor of Apple’s new system extensions.
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