Prioritize user privacy and data security in your app. Discuss best practices for data handling, user consent, and security measures to protect user information.

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Outlook for Mac add-in - Passkeys
hello, My organization has an outlook add-in that requires auth into our platform. As Microsoft forces Auth on MacOS to use WKWebView https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/concepts/browsers-used-by-office-web-add-ins, we are running into a situation that we cannot use passkeys as an auth method as we are unable to trigger WebAuthN flows. We’ve raised this in Microsoft side but they have deferred to Apple given WKWebView is Safari based. This is a big blocker for us to achieve a full passwordless future. Has anyone come across this situation? Thank you.
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316
Aug ’25
My first launch and... My Apple Developer Account suddenly disappeared
Hi! I've just opened Xcode and found that I can't build my app anymore. The error was about signing. Basically, there's no team in my account. Also, I've found that all my certificates have been revoked! I created my dev account a month ago and released only one macOS app. It's SecFolder (it's not self-promotion!!!). App not even in the App Store. I planned to self-distribute it. I'm in a little shock right now since I've just launched and had my first users. And of course, my app is now gone from their Macs, screaming "malware" popup in their faces now :( Since my app is all about paranoia security, this is basically a death sentence for my project... Could someone with experience in the Apple dev ecosystem help me understand what might have gone wrong? Why might Apple think that my app is malware or something? P.S. My app is about Advanced File Access Control for macOS. It gives user complete control over which applications can access specified by user files and folders
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394
Dec ’24
Privacy & Security Resources
General: Forums topic: Privacy & Security Privacy Resources Security Resources Share and Enjoy — Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"
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323
Jul ’25
Should ATT come before a 3rd party CMP? Does the order matter?
When presenting a cookie banner for GDPR purposes, should ATT precede the cookie banner? It seems that showing a Cookie Banner and then showing the ATT permission prompt afterwards (if a user elects to allow cookies/tracking) would be more appropriate. Related question: Should the “Allow Tracking” toggle for an app in system settings serve as a master switch for any granular tracking that might be managed by a 3rd party Consent Management Platform? If ATT is intended to serve as a master switch for tracking consent, if the ATT prompt is presented before a cookie banner, should the banner even appear if a user declines tracking consent? I’m not finding any good resources that describe this flow in detail and I’m seeing implementations all over the place on this. Help! Thanks!!!
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185
Jul ’25
How to manage User Account Token
I am running a service available on both an app and a web platform with "Sign In with Apple." Should I store the tokens separately, or should I overwrite them in a single storage location? When a user requests to sign out, should I revoke both the app and web tokens, or will revoking the app token automatically cover the web token as well?
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388
Jan ’25
Security Resources
General: Forums topic: Privacy & Security Apple Platform Security support document Developer > Security Enabling enhanced security for your app documentation article Creating enhanced security helper extensions documentation article Security Audit Thoughts forums post Cryptography: Forums tags: Security, Apple CryptoKit Security framework documentation Apple CryptoKit framework documentation Common Crypto man pages — For the full list of pages, run: % man -k 3cc For more information about man pages, see Reading UNIX Manual Pages. On Cryptographic Key Formats forums post SecItem attributes for keys forums post CryptoCompatibility sample code Keychain: Forums tags: Security Security > Keychain Items documentation TN3137 On Mac keychain APIs and implementations SecItem Fundamentals forums post SecItem Pitfalls and Best Practices forums post Investigating hard-to-reproduce keychain problems forums post App ID Prefix Change and Keychain Access forums post Smart cards and other secure tokens: Forums tag: CryptoTokenKit CryptoTokenKit framework documentation Mac-specific resources: Forums tags: Security Foundation, Security Interface Security Foundation framework documentation Security Interface framework documentation BSD Privilege Escalation on macOS Related: Networking Resources — This covers high-level network security, including HTTPS and TLS. Network Extension Resources — This covers low-level network security, including VPN and content filters. Code Signing Resources Notarisation Resources Trusted Execution Resources — This includes Gatekeeper. App Sandbox Resources Share and Enjoy — Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"
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3.5k
Nov ’25
Receiving Apple SignIn profile info again after deleting account
We are currently trying to fix a bug when using SignIn with Apple. It appears that on some occasions we are not receiving a user's profile info (name, email) when a new account is created. After doing some investigation we believe this bug is due to the same Apple login being used as an already deleted account. ASF only appears to send profile info the very first time an Apple login is used. If that account is deleted and another is created with the same apple login we won't receive the profile info. As a result we are not in compliance with Apple's guidelines requiring that we use the provided profile info with Apple SigIn, and need to prompt users to enter it again. Is there a process in place to properly "clear" a user after their account is deleted in our system, so that the next time a user creates an account with the same Apple login, we receive their profile info again?
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412
Mar ’25
appleid.apple.com response servers IPs
Developers of our e-shop are preparing to enable Apple Sign In for account login. Apple ID verification is conducted via the domain appleid.apple.com, and the responses should be coming back from the following two Apple IP addresses: IPv4 Address: 17.32.194.6 IPv4 Address: 17.32.194.37 Question is whether these addresses are correct and if they remain unchanged over time. Alternatively, it is existing an official list of IP addresses that may be used for Apple Sign In verification response? This is necessary to ensure precise network communication settings and protection by F5 security solution. Thanks a lot for answers.
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153
Mar ’25
Guidance on Building a Custom Referral Attribution System for iOS
Hello, I’m planning to develop a custom referral-based attribution system for my app. The goal is to log the number of installs that come from unique referral links and then track subsequent in‑app analytics (for example, when a user reaches level 5 in a game). I’d also like to capture the user’s country to further segment these analytics. I want to build this system myself—without relying on third‑party services (such as AppsFlyer or Branch) since I only need a few key data points and want to keep costs low. However, I’m aware of the privacy restrictions in iOS and want to ensure that my implementation complies with Apple’s guidelines. Specifically, I would appreciate guidance on the following: Permissible Signals: Is it acceptable to log signals like IP address (or a suitably anonymized version), device model, and timestamp to help correlate the referral click to a successful install and subsequent in‑app events? Are there any other recommended non‑PII signals that can be used to confirm a referral install without risking rejection during App Review? Best Practices: What are the best practices for handling and transmitting these signals (e.g., should IP addresses be truncated or hashed)? How can I ensure that my system remains compliant with Apple’s App Tracking Transparency and other privacy guidelines? I’d appreciate any insights or references to relevant documentation that might help me build this system without getting rejected by Apple. Thank you in advance for your assistance!
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172
Mar ’25
Application with identifier is not associated with domain
Hi, This issue is happening during Passkey creation. We’ve observed that approximately 1% of our customer users encounter a persistent error during Passkey creation. For the vast majority, the process works as expected. We believe our apple-app-site-association file is correctly configured, served directly from the RP ID over HTTPS without redirects, and is up-to-date. This setup appears to work for most users, and it seems the Apple CDN cache reflects the latest version of the file. To help us diagnose and address the issue for the affected users, we would appreciate guidance on the following: What tools or steps does Apple recommend to identify the root cause of this issue? Are there any known recovery steps we can suggest to users to resolve this on affected devices? Is there a way to force a refresh of the on-device cache for the apple-app-site-association file? Thank you in advance for any input or guidance.
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138
May ’25
Anti-**** Apps Need Solutions to iOS Sandbox Restrictions
Hello everyone, I’ve been working on ways to implement stricter accountability systems for personal use, especially to prevent access to NSFW content in apps like Reddit and Twitter. The main challenge is that iOS sandboxing and privacy policies block apps from monitoring or interacting with other apps on the system. While Apple’s focus on privacy is important, there’s a clear need for an opt-in exception for accountability tools. These tools could be allowed enhanced permissions under stricter oversight to help users maintain accountability and integrity without compromising safety. Here are a few ideas I’ve been thinking about: 1. Vetted Apps with Enhanced Permissions: Allow trusted applications to bypass sandbox restrictions with user consent and close monitoring by Apple. 2. Improved Parental Controls: Add options to send notifications to moderators (like accountability partners) when restrictions are bypassed or disabled. 3. Custom Keyboard or API Access: Provide a framework for limited system-wide text monitoring for specific use cases, again with user consent. If anyone has ideas for how to address this within current policies—or suggestions for advocating for more flexibility—I’d appreciate the input. I’m curious how others have handled similar challenges or if there are better approaches I haven’t considered.
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503
Jan ’25
App Sandbox Resources
General: Forums subtopic: Privacy & Security > General Forums tag: App Sandbox App Sandbox documentation App Sandbox Design Guide documentation — This is no longer available from Apple. There’s still some info in there that isn’t covered by the current docs but, with the latest updates, it’s pretty minimal (r. 110052019). Still, if you’re curious, you can consult an old copy [1]. App Sandbox Temporary Exception Entitlements archived documentation — To better understand the role of temporary exception entitlements, see this post. Embedding a command-line tool in a sandboxed app documentation Discovering and diagnosing App Sandbox violations (replaces the Viewing Sandbox Violation Reports forums post) Resolving App Sandbox Inheritance Problems forums post The Case for Sandboxing a Directly Distributed App forums post Implementing Script Attachment in a Sandboxed App forums post Share and Enjoy — Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com" [1] For example, this one archived by the Wayback Machine.
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2.7k
Jul ’25
Regarding licensed applet
To apply for NFC & SE Platform entitlement, I need to provide information regarding licensed applets and TSM. However, I currently lack background knowledge in these areas. Could you provide me with an overview or examples of what licensed applets and TSM entail?
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431
Dec ’24
Background Location Indicator Remains Active Despite "Never" Permission Setting in iOS 18+
Hi everyone, I'm encountering an issue where the background location indicator remains visible on the status bar even though I have set the location permissions to Never for my app in the system settings. Despite taking all the necessary steps to stop location tracking (including stopping updates, geofencing, and other location-related services), the indicator still appears. This seems to be a bug since everything has been turned off on my end. Here’s what I’ve already tried: Setting location permissions to Never in the settings. Stopping startUpdatingLocation(), stopMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges(), and geofencing (using locationManager.stopMonitoringRegions()). Calling locationManager.showsBackgroundLocationIndicator = false. Ensuring that the CLLocationManager is fully invalidated. Despite all of this, the background location indicator still remains in the status bar. I’ve tested it on real devices, as well as in the simulator, with no improvement. Has anyone experienced something similar, or can suggest why this might be happening? Could this be related to an iOS 18+ issue? Any insights or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
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381
Dec ’24
Issue to reset "Privacy & Security" permissions
Hello, I am working on a script to update an application which bundle ID changed. Only the bundle ID was modified; all other aspects remain unchanged. This application requires access to "Screen & System Audio Recording" permissions, which are currently granted to the old bundle ID. The script performs the following steps: launchctl bootout gui/$(id -u) /Library/LaunchAgents/com.my_agent_1.plist pkgutil --forget com.my_agent_1 tccutil reset All com.my_agent_1 rm /Library/LaunchAgents/com.my_agent_1.plist rm -rf </path/to/com_my_agent_1> installer -dumplog -allowUntrusted -pkg </path/to/com_my_agent_2.pkg> -target / ... When running steps #1-6 without a restart between steps #5 and #6, the old bundle ID (com.my_agent_1) remains visible in TCC.db (verified via SQL queries). Looks like this is the reason why "com.my_agent_2" is not automatically added to the permission list (requiring manual add). Moreover, "tccutil reset All com.my_agent_1" does not work anymore, the error: tccutil: No such bundle identifier "com.my_agent_1": The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error -10814.) Is there any way to completely clear the "Privacy & Security" permissions without requiring a system restart? Thank you a lot for your help in advance!
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116
Jun ’25
Clarification requested on Secure Enclave key usage across apps with shared keychain access group
During internal testing, we observed the following behavior and would appreciate clarification on whether it is expected and supported in production environments. When generating an elliptic-curve cryptographic key pair using "kSecAttrTokenIDSecureEnclave", and explicitly specifying a "kSecAttrAccessGroup", we found that cryptographic operations (specifically encryption and decryption) could be successfully performed using this key pair from two distinct applications. Both applications had the Keychain Sharing capability enabled and were signed with the same provisioning profile identity. Given the documented security properties of Secure Enclave, backed keys, namely that private key material is protected by hardware and access is strictly constrained by design, we would like to confirm whether the ability for multiple applications (sharing the same keychain access group and signing identity) to perform cryptographic operations with the same Secure Enclave–backed key is expected behavior on iOS. Specifically, we are seeking confirmation on: Whether this behavior is intentional and supported in production. Whether the Secure Enclave enforces access control primarily at the application-identifier (App ID) level rather than the individual app bundle level in this scenario. Whether there are any documented limitations or guarantees regarding cross-application usage of Secure Enclave keys when keychain sharing is configured. Any guidance or references to official documentation clarifying this behavior would be greatly appreciated.
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1d
Authentication Services uses Safari when it is not the default browser and fails the flow anyway
We are developing an app that uses Authentication Services to authenticate users. According to the documentation, this framework will open the default web browser if it supports auth session handling, and Safari otherwise. This is not entirely true, and users will be frustrated! macOS version: Sequoia 15.5; Safari version: 18.5. When: The default browser is not Safari, and supports auth session handling (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge as examples); and - The Safari app is already running; The auth flow will: Present the confirmation dialog box with the default browser icon. Good! Open a Safari window, instead of the default browser's one. Bad! Respond with "User Cancelled" error to the app, after making the end user believe the auth was good. Very Bad!! If the app retries the auth session, the default browser window will open as expected, and it will work as expected. However, requiring users to authenticate twice is a very bad users experience... This issue does not reproduce, when either: Safari is not running at the moment of auth session start; The default browser does not support auth session handling; or - Safari is the default browser. Fellow developers, be warned! Apple engineers, feedback #18426939 is waiting for you. Cheers!
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84
Jun ’25