Update 15th Nov 2020: Apple has updated a Mac security and privacy support document today sharing details about Gatekeeper and the OCSP process. Importantly, Apple highlights it doesn’t mix data from the process of checking apps for malware with any information about Apple users and doesn’t use the app notarization process to know what apps users are running.
The company also details Apple IDs and device identification have never been involved with these software security checks.
But going forward “over the next year,” Apple will be making some changes to offer more security and flexibility for Macs. First is that Apple will stop logging IP addresses during the process of checking app notarizations.
Second, it’s putting in place new protections to prevent server failure issues. And finally, addressing the overarching concern that Jeffry Paul raised, Apple will release an update to allow users to opt-out of using these macOS security protections.
