In recent years, Apple has done more than just support code signing… it’s come as close as is reasonably possible to requiring code signing. This allows the system, and the user, to verify which developer created the software, and check that it hasn’t been modified since it was created. Code signing involves using a certificate to cryptographically sign a piece of software. For quite a few years now, Apple has supported what is called “code signing” on macOS. How does this relate to Apple and HP, you ask? Good question. Not many people actually look at these certificates, of course, but doing so is a sure-fire way to avoid a phishing site. For example, when you try to connect to your bank site, the site’s certificate will verify that the site really does belong to your bank. With web traffic, these certificates are used to encrypt the data, but they support more than just encryption.Ĭertificates also allow for validation. Code signing and certificatesįirst, it’s important to understand that when I say “keys,” what I really mean is “certificates.” These certificates are similar to the ones that are the basis for secure communication between a web server and your browser. This is a story of those keys, and how a Hewlett Packard (HP) error caused problems for a lot of people. Apple holds the keys to nearly all recent Mac software.
