Devs beware: Apple announces Gatekeeper security enhancements in macOS Sequoia
Working much like Microsoft's Smart App Control tool that is part of Windows, Apple has Gatekeeper for macOS. It is a security feature which is designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on a user's Mac.
In the upcoming macOS Sequoia, Gatekeeper is being updated to help boost security. While this runtime protection change may be welcomed by many, the approach Apple has taken is also likely to irritate some users as it makes it more awkward to run unsigned software.
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As things stand at the moment, it is possible to bypass Gatekeeper protection by Control-clicking an app. This is set to change as Apple is taking away this quick bypass option. That is not to say that getting past Gatekeeper is not possible, but that it is more cumbersome.
Announcing the change, Apple says:
In macOS Sequoia, users will no longer be able to Control-click to override Gatekeeper when opening software that isn't signed correctly or notarized. They'll need to visit System Settings > Privacy & Security to review security information for software before allowing it to run.
With the vast majority of software being distributed through the Mac App Store, the change may not present too many challenges to most people. But there are still plenty of developers who, for various reasons, choose not to use the Mac App Store. For devs in this position, Apple recommends that software is submitted to be notarized so it can run without triggering Gatekeeper.