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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Fraud prevention using Device Check when publishing multiple apps
I would like to confirm about fraud prevention using Device Check when publishing multiple apps. If the Team ID and Key ID are the same, will the values be shared across all apps with Device Check? With Device Check, only two keys can be created per developer account, and these two are primarily intended for key renewal in case of a leak, rather than for assigning different keys to each app, correct? If both 1 and 2 are correct, does that mean that Device Check should not be used to manage "one-time-only rewards per device" when offering them across multiple apps? Thank you very much for your confirmation.
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207
Apr ’25
AKAuthenticationError Code=-7026
I want to add the "Sign In with Apple" feature to my iPadOS application. I've already done the following: Include com.apple.developer.applesignin in mobileprovision Include com.apple.developer.applesignin in entitlements However, I'm getting the following errors: `Authorization failed: Error Domain=AKAuthenticationError Code=-7026 "(null)" UserInfo={AKClientBundleID=xxxx} LaunchServices: store (null) or url (null) was nil: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-54 "process may not map database" UserInfo={_LSLine=72, _LSFunction=_LSServer_GetServerStoreForConnectionWithCompletionHandler, _LSFile=LSDReadService.mm, NSDebugDescription=process may not map database} Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried. Failed to initialize client context with error Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-54 "process may not map database" UserInfo={_LSLine=72, _LSFunction=_LSServer_GetServerStoreForConnectionWithCompletionHandler, _LSFile=LSDReadService.mm, NSDebugDescription=process may not map database} Failed to get application extension record: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-54 "(null)" ASAuthorizationController credential request failed with error: Error Domain=com.apple.AuthenticationServices.AuthorizationError Code=1000 "(null)" ` What is this problem? How can I solve it? Hoping someone can help, thank you!
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390
Jan ’26
Not receiving Sign in with Apple Server-to-Server Notifications despite correct configuration
I received a notification stating that we need to register a server-to-server notification endpoint to handle the following three events: Changes in email forwarding preferences. Account deletions in your app. Permanent Apple Account deletions. However, even though we have registered the API endpoint under our Identifier configuration, it appears that we are not receiving any API calls when these events trigger. I honestly have no idea what’s going wrong. I’ve checked our WAF logs and there’s no trace of any incoming traffic at all. Is it possible that Apple hasn't started sending these notifications yet, or is there something I might be missing? I’m stuck and don’t know how to resolve this. I would really appreciate any help or insights you could share. Thank you.
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255
Jan ’26
Does accessing multiple Keychain items with .userPresence force multiple biometric prompts despite reuse duration?
Hi everyone, I'm working on an app that stores multiple secrets in the Keychain, each protected with .userPresence. My goal is to authenticate the user once via FaceID/TouchID and then read multiple Keychain items without triggering subsequent prompts. I am reusing the same LAContext instance for these operations, and I have set: context.touchIDAuthenticationAllowableReuseDuration = LATouchIDAuthenticationMaximumAllowableReuseDuration However, I'm observing that every single SecItemCopyMatching call triggers a new FaceID/TouchID prompt, even if they happen within seconds of each other using the exact same context. Here is a simplified flow of what I'm doing: Create a LAContext. Set touchIDAuthenticationAllowableReuseDuration to max. Perform a query (SecItemCopyMatching) for Item A, passing [kSecUseAuthenticationContext: context]. Result: System prompts for FaceID. Success. Immediately perform a query (SecItemCopyMatching) for Item B, passing the same [kSecUseAuthenticationContext: context]. Result: System prompts for FaceID again. My question is: Does the .userPresence access control flag inherently force a new user interaction for every Keychain access, regardless of the LAContext reuse duration? Is allowableReuseDuration only applicable for LAContext.evaluatePolicy calls and not for SecItem queries? If so, is there a recommended pattern for "unlocking" a group of Keychain items with a single biometric prompt? Environment: iOS 17+, Swift. Thanks!
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560
Jan ’26
Apple login returns undefined
Issue with passport-apple: req.user Returning Undefined Data & Callback URL Issue I am facing an issue with passport-apple where, after successful authentication, the callback function does not receive the expected user data. Instead, req.user contains undefined values, and there seems to be an issue with the callback URL handling. Steps to Reproduce I have configured passport-apple with the following strategy: passport.use( new AppleStrategy( { clientID: process.env.APPLE_CLIENT_ID, teamID: process.env.APPLE_TEAM_ID, keyID: process.env.APPLE_KEY_ID, privateKeyLocation: path.join(__dirname, 'Auth.p8'), callbackURL: process.env.APPLE_CALLBACK_URL, scope: ['name', 'email'], passReqToCallback: true }, async (req, accessToken, refreshToken, idToken, profile, done) => { try { const decoded = jwt.decode(idToken); const user = { id: decoded?.sub || null, email: decoded?.email || null, name: profile?.name?.firstName || 'Unknown' }; const userApp = await authController.handleAppleAuth(user.email, accessToken, refreshToken); done(null, userApp); } catch (error) { return done(error); } } ) ); Observed Behavior Apple login succeeds, and an existing user is found in the database. However, req.user contains undefined values after authentication. The callback URL does not seem to function correctly, leading to potential misrouting or incomplete authentication flow. Expected Behavior req.user should contain the authenticated user's ID, email, and name. The callback URL should properly handle the authentication response. Actual Behavior req.user contains undefined values instead of valid user data, and the callback URL handling seems to be incorrect. Log Output: { id: '001412.13cccc5062074c35833683f6f0bcf5f6.1212', email: 'xyz@somemail.com', name: 'Unknown' } user checking redirectionn [Function: next] 📍 Processing Apple callback 📍 Authentication successful for user: { id: undefined, email: undefined } { id: undefined, email: undefined, firstName: undefined, lastName: undefined, subscriptionStatus: undefined }
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118
Mar ’25
Mac App Store app triggers "cannot verify free of malware" alert when opening as default app
My app Mocawave is a music player distributed through the Mac App Store. It declares specific audio document types (public.mp3, com.microsoft.waveform-audio, public.mpeg-4-audio, public.aac-audio) in its CFBundleDocumentTypes with a Viewer role. When a user sets Mocawave as the default app for audio files and double-clicks an MP3 downloaded from the internet (which has the com.apple.quarantine extended attribute), macOS displays the alert: "Apple could not verify [filename] is free of malware that may harm your Mac or compromise your privacy." This does not happen when: Opening the same file via NSOpenPanel from within the app Opening the same file with Apple's Music.app or QuickTime Player The app is: Distributed through the Mac App Store Sandboxed (com.apple.security.app-sandbox) Uses com.apple.security.files.user-selected.read-write entitlement The file being opened is a regular audio file (MP3), not an executable. Since the app is sandboxed and distributed through the App Store, I expected it to have sufficient trust to open quarantined data files without triggering Gatekeeper warnings — similar to how Music.app and QuickTime handle them. Questions: Is there a specific entitlement or Info.plist configuration that allows a sandboxed Mac App Store app to open quarantined audio files without this alert? Is this expected behavior for third-party App Store apps, or could this indicate a misconfiguration on my end? Environment: macOS 15 (Sequoia), app built with Swift/SwiftUI, targeting macOS 13+.
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2w
SecPKCS12Import fails in Tahoe
We are using SecPKCS12Import C API in our application to import a self seigned public key certificate. We tried to run the application for the first time on Tahoe and it failed with OSStatus -26275 error. The release notes didn't mention any deprecation or change in the API as per https://developer.apple.com/documentation/macos-release-notes/macos-26-release-notes. Are we missing anything? There are no other changes done to our application.
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780
Sep ’25
APP ID's indentifier not updating
When implementing Sign In with Apple I created an App ID and a Service ID for my app. I didn't configure the Server-to-Server Notification URL properly there and token revocation didn't work. Later on I updated the url config and the name of the identifiers. However, when I Sign in with Apple in my app I still see the old identifier name in my iPhone Settings->Apple Account->Sign in with Apple. I would assume that if the name doesn't update, the configuration doesn't update either. I'm using automatic Xcode signing, I have deleted all the profiles locally, cleaned project, bumped versions, waited for a week, nothing worked. Token revocation for account deletion doesn't work properly I would assume because of the initial misconfiguration. I want to mention that this is working fine for my development build (another bundleID, AppID, ServiceID) What am I missing here?
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128
Jun ’25
Intermittent Failures Launching App from Universal Links using ASWebAuthenticationSession
I'm developing an iOS app that utilizes Universal Links and ASWebAuthenticationSession to deep-link from a website to the app itself. This implementation adheres to the recommendations outlined in RFC 8252, ensuring that the app opening the ASWebAuthenticationSession is the same app that is launched via the Universal Link. Problem:  While most users can successfully launch the app via Universal Links,a few percent of users experience instances where the app fails to launch, and the user is redirected to the browser. What I've Tried:  ASWebAuthenticationSession Configuration: I've double-checked the configuration of callbackURLScheme and presentationContextProvider.  Universal Links: Verified the apple-app-site-association file and associated domains entitlement.  Network Conditions: Tested on various network environments (Wi-Fi, cellular) and devices. Questions:  What are the potential causes for this behavior?  Has anyone else encountered a similar issue and found a solution?  Are there any debugging techniques or ways to generate more detailed logs? I haven't been able to determine which device or OS version is causing this problem. Thank you.
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1.1k
Apr ’25
Need support downloading key
I’ve been running into an issue for over a day when trying to create a Sign in with Apple key. Each time I attempt to download it, I’m redirected to a page that displays an error and provides no further guidance. I’ve contacted Support and haven’t yet received a reply. I’ve also tried across multiple browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox), including incognito modes. Any ideas on how to resolve this? We’re currently stuck and would appreciate guidance.
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132
Apr ’25
Apple Account Security and Passkeys
hello, I'm writing to seek clarification on Apple account security, particularly regarding potential risks of compromise, implemented safeguards, and residual risks with corresponding mitigation strategies. We would appreciate your insights on the following specific points: iCloud Keychain Access: Is an Apple ID login strictly required to access iCloud Keychain? We understand that a compromise of iCloud Keychain is unlikely unless a malicious actor successfully takes over the legitimate user's Apple ID. Is this understanding correct? Passkey Theft Methods and Protections: What are the conceivable methods a malicious actor might employ to steal a legitimate user's passkey, and how are these attempts protected against? Impact of Apple ID Compromise on Passkeys: If a malicious actor successfully compromises a legitimate user's Apple ID, is it accurate to assume that the legitimate user's passkeys would then synchronize to the attacker's device, potentially allowing them to log in using their own biometrics? Authorization Flow on Legitimate User's Device: Could you please detail the authorization flow that occurs on the legitimate user's device? We are particularly interested in the types of authentication involved and the conditions under which they are triggered. Detection and Additional Authentication for Unauthorized Login: How are attempts to log in to an Apple ID from an unrecognized device or browser detected, and what additional authentication steps are implemented in such scenarios? Thank you for your time and assistance in addressing these important security questions.
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110
2w
Sign In by Apple on Firebase - 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable
Hello everyone, I'm encountering a persistent 503 Server Temporarily Not Available error when trying to implement "Sign in with Apple" for my web application. I've already performed a full review of my configuration and I'm confident it's set up correctly, which makes this server-side error particularly confusing. Problem Description: Our web application uses Firebase Authentication to handle the "Sign in with Apple" flow. When a user clicks the sign-in button, they are correctly redirected to the appleid.apple.com authorization page. However, instead of seeing the login prompt, the page immediately displays a 503 Server Temporarily Not Available error. This is the redirect URL being generated (with the state parameter truncated for security): https://appleid.apple.com/auth/authorize?response_type=code&client_id=XXXXXX&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2FXXXXXX.firebaseapp.com%2F__%2Fauth%2Fhandler&state=AMbdmDk...&scope=email%20name&response_mode=form_post Troubleshooting Steps Performed: Initially, I was receiving an invalid_client error, which prompted me to meticulously verify every part of my setup. I have confirmed the following: App ID Configuration: The "Sign in with Apple" capability is enabled for our primary App ID. Services ID Configuration: We have a Services ID configured specifically for this. The "Sign in with Apple" feature is enabled on this Services ID. The domain is registered and verified under "Domains and Subdomains". Firebase Settings Match Apple Settings: The Services ID from Apple is used as the Client ID in our Firebase configuration. The Team ID is correct. We have generated a private key, and both the Key ID and the .p8 file have been correctly uploaded to Firebase. The key is not revoked in the Apple Developer portal. Since the redirect to Apple is happening with the correct client_id and redirect_uri, and the error is a 5xx server error (not a 4xx client error like invalid_client), I believe our configuration is correct and the issue might be on Apple's end. This has been happening consistently for some time. My Questions: What could be causing a persistent 503 Server Temporarily Not Available error on the /auth/authorize endpoint when all client-side configurations appear to be correct? What is the formal process for opening a technical support ticket (TSI) directly with Apple Developer Support for an issue like this? Thank you for any insights or help you can provide.
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605
Sep ’25
The Case for Sandboxing a Directly Distributed App
I’ve explained this point many times on the forums, so I figured I’d write it up properly once and for all. If you have questions or comments, start a new thread in Privacy & Security > General and add the App Sandbox tag. That way I’ll be sure to see it. Share and Enjoy — Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com" The Case for Sandboxing a Directly Distributed App Many folks consider the App Sandbox to be a binary choice: “My app ships in the Mac App Store, so I must sandbox it.” “I directly distribute my app, so I’ll ignore the App Sandbox.” However, those are not your only options. In many cases it makes sense to sandbox a directly distributed app. Sandboxing your app has at least three benefits: It enables app container protection. See Trusted Execution Resources for a link to more info on that. If your app includes any app extensions, it simplifies your development experience because your app and its extensions run in a similar environment. It improves your app’s security (although the actual benefits vary based on the specifics of your app). Sandboxing some apps can be tricky because of the additional security limits applied by the sandbox. However, in a directly distributed app you have access to two techniques that are not available to Mac App Store apps: Temporary exception entitlements Non-sandboxed XPC services Temporary exception entitlements Use temporary exception entitlements to selectively disable specific sandbox security limits. Imagine, for example, that you’re creating a simple document-based app that’s generally compatible with the sandbox. However, that app needs to send an Apple event to Music to create a playlist. That Apple event is blocked by the sandbox. You don’t need to disable the entire App Sandbox just to get around this security limit. Instead, use the com.apple.security.temporary-exception.apple-events entitlement to open a small hole in the sandbox. There are temporary exception entitlements to disable most sandbox security limits. For more information about them, follow the link in App Sandbox Resources. IMPORTANT Don’t be alarmed by the temporary in temporary exception entitlements. That word makes sense when you view this from the Mac App Store perspective. Back in the early days of the Mac App Store, some apps were allowed to use temporary exception entitlements because of limitations in the App Sandbox. Once App Sandbox was sufficiently enhanced, these temporary exception entitlements were no longer allowed in the Mac App Store. However, there’s nothing temporary about the implementation of these entitlements. They work today and are expected to continue working in the future. Using them in a directly distributed app is not a problem. Non-sandboxed XPC services Not all sandbox security limits have a corresponding temporary exception entitlement. For example, the sandbox prevents you from sending a Unix signal to other processes, and there’s no temporary exception entitlement to allow that. If you run into such a limit, move that code to a non-sandboxed XPC service, then have the main app request that the XPC service perform the operation on its behalf. An XPC service can be useful even when there is a temporary exception entitlement to disable a specific sandbox security limit. Continuing the Apple event example from above, if you put the code that sends the Apple event into an XPC service, you only need to apply the temporary exception entitlement to that service, not to your app as a whole. Conclusion If you directly distribute your app, consider enabling the App Sandbox. It has some important benefits, and it might be more feasible than you think.
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499
Mar ’25
Persistent Privacy Notification Issue with Screen & Audio Access on macOS 15+
Hello Apple Developer Community, We have been experiencing a persistent notification issue in our application, Flowace, after updating to macOS 15 and above. The issue is affecting our customers but does not occur on our internal test machines. Issue Description When users share their screen using Flowace, they receive a repetitive system notification stating: "Flowace has accessed your screen and system audio XX times in the past 30 days. You can manage this in settings." This pop-up appears approximately every minute, even though screen sharing and audio access work correctly. This behavior was not present in macOS 15.1.1 or earlier versions and appears to be related to recent privacy enhancements in macOS. Impact on Users The frequent pop-ups disrupt workflows, making it difficult for users to focus while using screen-sharing features. No issues are detected in Privacy & Security Settings, where Flowace has the necessary permissions. The issue is not reproducible on our internal test machines, making troubleshooting difficult. Our application is enterprise level and works all the time, so technically this pop only comes after a period of not using the app. Request for Assistance We would like to understand: Has anyone else encountered a similar issue in macOS 15+? Is there official Apple documentation explaining this new privacy behavior? Are there any interim fixes to suppress or manage these notifications? What are Apple's prospects regarding this feature in upcoming macOS updates? A demonstration of the issue can be seen in the following video: https://youtu.be/njA6mam_Bgw Any insights, workarounds, or recommendations would be highly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help. Best, Anuj Patil Flowace Team
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Apr ’25
Is “webcredentials” required for HTTPS callbacks in ASWebAuthenticationSession?
Hello, When using ASWebAuthenticationSession with an HTTPS callback URL (Universal Link), I receive the following error: Authorization error: The operation couldn't be completed. Application with identifier jp.xxxx.yyyy.dev is not associated with domain xxxx-example.go.link. Using HTTPS callbacks requires Associated Domains using the webcredentials service type for xxxx-example.go.link. I checked Apple’s official documentation but couldn’t find any clear statement that webcredentials is required when using HTTPS callbacks in ASWebAuthenticationSession. What I’d like to confirm: Is webcredentials officially required when using HTTPS as a callback URL with ASWebAuthenticationSession? If so, is there any official documentation or technical note that states this requirement? Environment iOS 18.6.2 Xcode 16.4 Any clarification or official references would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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260
Nov ’25
Clarification on Apple Sign-In Integration Across Multiple Applications
Dear Apple Support Team, I hope this message finds you well. Our tech team is currently working on integrating the Apple Sign-In feature, and we have a specific query where we would appreciate your guidance. Background Context: We have several applications across different brands and are aiming to implement a unified sign-up and sign-in experience. Currently, we are utilizing a shared website to enable single sign-in functionality across all these applications. Our Query: If we embed the same website in all of these applications and implement the Apple Sign-In within this website—using a dedicated Service ID that is configured with the App Store name and icon—will users consistently see the Apple Sign-In pop-up with the Service ID’s name and icon, regardless of which base application (e.g., App A, App B, etc.) the website is accessed from? We would like to ensure a seamless and consistent user experience and want to confirm that the branding within the Apple Sign-In prompt will reflect the Service ID’s configuration, rather than that of the hosting app. Looking forward to your guidance on this matter.
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86
Apr ’25
iPhone + Safari + Passwords violates WebAuthn spec when pubKeyCredParams doesn't contain ES256
WebAuthn Level 3 § 6.3.2 Step 2 states the authenticator must : Check if at least one of the specified combinations of PublicKeyCredentialType and cryptographic parameters in credTypesAndPubKeyAlgs is supported. If not, return an error code equivalent to "NotSupportedError" and terminate the operation. On my iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 18.5, Safari + Passwords does not exhibit this behavior; instead an error is not reported and an ES256 credential is created when an RP passes a non-empty sequence that does not contain {"type":"public-key","alg":-7} (e.g., [{"type":"public-key","alg":-8}]). When I use Chromium 138.0.7204.92 on my laptop running Arch Linux in conjunction with the Passwords app (connected via the "hybrid" protocol), a credential is not created and instead an error is reported per the spec.
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529
Jul ’25