Apple today reminded Mac developers that it is encouraging them to have their apps notarized, meaning that the apps have been scanned by Apple and checked for malware and other security issues.
Notarization is not currently a requirement for apps distributed outside of the Mac App Store, but Apple says it will "more prominently highlight notarization status" starting in the spring of 2019. And in an unspecified "upcoming macOS release," Apple will require any Developer ID-signed apps to be notarized.
When users on macOS Mojave first open a notarized app, installer package, or disk image, they'll see a more streamlined Gatekeeper dialog and trust that it does not contain known malware. Starting spring of 2019, macOS Mojave will more prominently highlight notarization status. In an upcoming macOS release, Gatekeeper will require Developer ID–signed software to be notarized by Apple.
Apple introduced the notarization process for macOS Mojave back in June at WWDC, providing an extra level of confidence for users that apps are free of malware while also giving Apple finer-grained controls to shut down specific problematic releases instead of having to revoke an entire Developer ID.
Apple has stressed that notarization is not a full app review process and is only intended to analyze apps for security purposes.
Top Rated Comments
Last few companies I've worked at would have no choice but to dump Macs and switch to Linux. That would be a real shame.
I much prefer to buy outside of the AppStore for good reasons: A few apps I've used have more capabilities than the Mac AppStore version.... why would I want a crippled Mac AppStore version at the same price as the full version? Additionally, I would not be able to use these Mac AppStore apps at work.
There is nothing stopping developers from selling MacOS apps outside of the App Store. It's the developer's choice.
[doublepost=1543973456][/doublepost]They don't either.
People, stop making up non-existing problems.
The App Store is an optional market that developers can freely take or leave.
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"notarization" is an unfortunate, and confusing name. In the U.S. at least, that word refers to having a signed document witnessed and attested by a government-enrolled agent (a Notary Public) who witnesses signatures for a small fee. I've *never* seen the word used in a different context before.
My mother was a Notary Public. I used to play with the embosser when I was a little kid. Shhhhhhh! ;) (Imagine Bart Simpson let loose with a Notary embosser! I didn't do any of the evil things he'd do with it - just stamp random blank sheets of paper.)
Can't techies stop overlaying the common usage of words with their own specialized meanings?