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Reference Library: Darwin
Mac OS X provides a number of authorization, authentication, and cryptographic services that developers can use to build security into their applications. Developers can use certain security-related programming techniques (such as enabling root access) at the Darwin or core OS level to enable applications to perform operations not ordinarily supported by these APIs.

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Kerberos: Highly Secure Single Sign On Authentication in Mac OS X (HTML)
Learn how you can take advantage of Kerberos in your application.
Articles 2007-02-05
Security Overview (HTML) (PDF)
An introduction to computer security concepts and the Mac OS X security APIs.
Guides 2008-02-08
Code Signing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how you can sign your code and why you should.
Guides 2007-05-15
Secure Coding Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes techniques to use and factors to consider to make your code more secure from attack.
Guides 2006-05-23
Performing Privileged Operations With Authorization Services (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add fine-grained control of privileged operations in an application.
Guides 2004-02-01
Code Signing Release Notes (HTML)
Release Note 2007-10-31
CryptNoMore (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to authenticate a user using Open Directory (Directory Services).
Sample Code 2008-03-17
KauthORama (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Prints each Kauth request, illustrating how Kauth interacts with high-level operations, like copying files.
Sample Code 2007-04-30
GetPrimaryMACAddress (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates retrieving the MAC address of the built-in Ethernet controller. Useful for uniquely identifying a Macintosh system.
Sample Code 2005-10-27
MoreIsBetter (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Library providing indispensable wrapers and workarounds for many areas of Mac OS programming.
Sample Code 2003-10-27
QISA (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates the basics of writing an Internet setup assistant for traditional Mac OS and Mac OS X.
Sample Code 2003-05-15
CryptoSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Contains sample code showing symmetric encryption and message digest calculation.
Sample Code 2003-02-06
GetMACAddressSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to retrieve the MAC address for each Ethernet interface from the Mac OS X I/O Registry.
Sample Code 2003-01-14
SSLSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Contains examples showing how to use SecureTransport.
Sample Code 2003-01-14
Kernel Authorization (HTML)
TN2127: Describes the kernel authorization (kauth) subsystem and its associated KPI.
Technical Note 2007-01-16
Uniquely Identifying a Macintosh Computer (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
TN1103: How to identify a specific Macintosh computer.
Technical Note 2006-04-25
Suppressing the "unexpectedly quit" alert (HTML)
QA1288: Describes how to suppress the "unexpectedly quit" alert.
Technical Q&A 2008-03-11
Security Framework Error Codes (HTML)
QA1499: Explains how to interpret errors returned by the Security Framework with an overview of Security error handling.
Technical Q&A 2006-11-16
Mac OS X and root access (HTML)
QA1013: Describes how to enable root access in Mac OS X.
Technical Q&A 2001-03-13