What is OSMessageTracer used for

It is not Malware. For some it shows up in the Login Items settings under Background Processes. You can shut it off with no effects on the system. Even though it says it is from an unidentified developer, it is from Apple. If you click on the info button then preview the file, you can clearly see it is from Apple and is an old artifact from running Apple Diagnostics on a much older OS. The process it is supposed to run is no longer available in the current OS, so it does not do anything. I don't know why Apple has not cleared it up, but suspect it is only on a small subset of users who had ran Apple Diagnostics on a particular version of the OS.

You can delete the file by clicking the info button which opens the LaunchDaemons folder. It will then no longer be visible in Login Items.

Download and run the free version of Malwarebytes and see what it says.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/

other sites regard it as an active virius.

The entire scam security industry (that may be redundant) make money through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. What you found was a common search term with little authoritative confirmation is transformed into fake malware by an industry that is trying to sell you fake solutions to non-existent problems.

You should always assume 12% of what you read on the internet is false. The rest is p0rn.

FWIW, I don't have OSMessageTracer on my Monterey and later installs. It's possible it's malware.

If you have it on your Mac, where is it located?

+1 Good idea.

Jim was correct. Although there is no app, there is a .plist, which once deleted, will no longer appear in System Settings the next time it's opened.

Barney-15E wrote:

You should always assume 12% of what you read on the internet is false. The rest is p0rn.

Wiser words were never said.