kernel extensions need authorization symantec mac big sur

For these reasons, Apple’s decision to move away from kexts is one both users and developers should welcome and benefit from. It’s probably fair to say that few developers really enjoy the added complications of trying to maintain and debug kernel extension code. Moreover, minor changes in kernel APIs can have profound effects on an application’s functionality and performance, even rendering it useless or worse, such as causing kernel panics that bring the entire device down. A bug in the kernel could cause random crashes, data corruption, or even render the operating system inoperable…Kernel programming is a black art that should be avoided if at all possible.Īs noted, kernel extension programming errors can cause all sorts of problems, from crashing the system to local privilege escalation and data leakage.

With such power, kernel extensions have been vital for endpoint security products in the fight against malware, but kernel extensions themselves can, if not developed with great care, cause security issues of their own.Īpple’s own documentation on developing kexts has plenty of warning to this effect, with statements even so bold as this: With access to the kernel, programs can access data or files from other applications and users. Moreover, with kexts, developers can tap into kernel-level APIs that are not available to ordinary user-level applications and achieve things like code injection, memory mapping and authentication. Examples of such functionality include controlling hardware devices, querying low-level file events, and inspecting network traffic. What Are Kexts and Why Are They Problematic?įor those unfamiliar, kernel extensions or kexts are a kind of third-party, system-level plug-in that developers can use to provide functionality that is not typically available from “user space”. In this post, we explain why moving away from kernel extensions is an important development for macOS endpoint security products and describe some of the advantages that the new architecture brings.

Although kernel extensions will continue to be allowed on macOS Big Sur and possibly later versions of the operating system, SentinelOne fully supports Apple’s move to a “kextless” architecture, and SentinelOne intends to support macOS Big Sur as early as possible after Apple’s public release, and once we ensure the product meets our high standards of protection, quality and performance. This year, with the forthcoming release of macOS Big Sur, Apple have continued the phasing out of kexts and further developed their alternative technologies. Last year, with the release of macOS Catalina, Apple introduced a new technology with the intention of replacing kernel extensions (aka “kexts”).

Kernel extensions need authorization symantec mac big sur