…is a proper, ‘real’ security mechanism for InputManagers. So 10.5 puts some fairly strict restrictions on them, which will certainly help with the potential threat of malware spreading this way, but, as Erik points out, comes with the non-negligible downside that all installed InputManagers affect every user. They don’t get to opt in, and – unless they have admin privileges and are okay with reverting another admin’s decision – not to opt out either.
But since Apple has left InputManagers enabled at all (albeit not for 64-bit processes), I have some hope left they’re planning to eventually provide a better solution. We have LaunchServices specifically asking permission to launch an app you’ve never launched before. We have Keychain asking permission for changed or new apps to access passwords. Why not ask about newly found InputManagers, and otherwise move them aside?
(As a matter of fact, one could possibly implement such a security feature using APE, mach_inject or similar hackery, much in the way Paranoid Android did way back in the day. Anyone?)
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