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Apple wants devs to sandbox all apps by March 2012
To keep apps for Mac OS X as free from malware as possible, Apple Inc. wants app developers to sandbox their works starting March.
In an announcement to registered developers, Apple said all apps submitted to the Mac App Store should implement sandboxing starting March 1, 2012.
"As of March 1, 2012 all apps submitted to the Mac App Store must implement sandboxing. Sandboxing your app is a great way to protect systems and users by limiting the resources apps can access and making it more difficult for malicious software to compromise users' systems," it said.
It noted the "vast majority" of Mac users have been free from malware, and it is working on technologies "to help keep it that way."
Sandboxing is a process that isolates untested code changes - including potetntial malware - and effectively quarantines it.
But an article on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) said this may ruffle the feathers of some developers.
TUAW noted Apple had initially planned to require sandboxing starting November 2011, but delayed it for a few months.
It said some developers are concerned that sandboxing may lead to a dumbing down of Mac App Store options or the death of AppleScript itself.
However, TUAW said Apple allows for some exceptions in the upcoming sandboxing policy, if the developers can justify using the "entitlements."
On the other hand, TUAW said apps being re-engineered to be sandbox-compatible may request additional temporary entitlements, but these entitlements are short term and may be phased out. — TJD, GMA News
In an announcement to registered developers, Apple said all apps submitted to the Mac App Store should implement sandboxing starting March 1, 2012.
"As of March 1, 2012 all apps submitted to the Mac App Store must implement sandboxing. Sandboxing your app is a great way to protect systems and users by limiting the resources apps can access and making it more difficult for malicious software to compromise users' systems," it said.
It noted the "vast majority" of Mac users have been free from malware, and it is working on technologies "to help keep it that way."
Sandboxing is a process that isolates untested code changes - including potetntial malware - and effectively quarantines it.
But an article on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) said this may ruffle the feathers of some developers.
TUAW noted Apple had initially planned to require sandboxing starting November 2011, but delayed it for a few months.
It said some developers are concerned that sandboxing may lead to a dumbing down of Mac App Store options or the death of AppleScript itself.
However, TUAW said Apple allows for some exceptions in the upcoming sandboxing policy, if the developers can justify using the "entitlements."
On the other hand, TUAW said apps being re-engineered to be sandbox-compatible may request additional temporary entitlements, but these entitlements are short term and may be phased out. — TJD, GMA News
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