Confidential "internetaccounts access group" request

Question

Level 1

39 points

Confidential "internetaccounts access group" request

Not for the first time, Mail is flashing a request, "Mail wants to use your confidential information stored in "InternetAccounts Access Group" in your keychain. Do you wan to allow access to this item?"

There are three choices - Always Allow, Deny and Allow.

Before I grant the Always option, I'd like to know more about what this is and why I have to choose to do it? Seems Mail won't work unless I do, because if I simply pick Allow, it continues to flash the request.

I checked the Support Knowledge Base and nothing turned up.

Any ideas?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.1), Dual Core Intel

Posted on May 17, 2011 10:54 AM

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Answer 1

g_wolfman

Level 4

1,137 points

May 17, 2011 11:11 AM in response to LGGeiger

Dialogs like that usually refer to a specific keychain item being accessed (in this case, named InternetAccounts Access Group, evidently). I'd suggest going into your keychain (Keychain Access is in the /Applications/Utilities folder) and seeing what the item is exactly.

My guess would be that it's related to some web-mail account you have set up in Mail, but that the Keychain item is oddly named...but by all means, you should check the item yourself.

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Answer 2

LGGeiger Author

Level 1

39 points

May 17, 2011 11:49 AM in response to g_wolfman

I searched as thoroughly as I could, and do not find anything called InternetAccounts Access Group via the Keychain Access search facility. Also, it does not show up in Spotlight.

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Answer 3

g_wolfman

Level 4

1,137 points

May 17, 2011 9:27 PM in response to LGGeiger

Huh.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the last time I got one of those dialogs...so I also can't remember all the details of what they contain. Is there a "details" switch that let's you get any more info about the process when the dialog shows up?

InternetAccounts Access Group doesn't seem to have any google results either...which is odd. It's rare that google is not your friend (for searches).

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Answer 4

May 18, 2011 1:22 AM in response to LGGeiger

A new one to me, also. I would err on the side of caution and deny.

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Answer 5

May 18, 2011 8:25 AM in response to noondaywitch

What mail accounts have you set up?

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Answer 6

LGGeiger Author

Level 1

39 points

May 18, 2011 8:46 AM in response to Austin Kinsella1

Three IMAP accounts; two MobileMe and Gmail

One POP account; Comcast

Interestingly, when I opened Mail>Preferences just now I got the request again. I denied it, and it got it three more times (equalling the 4 accounts, perhaps?)

Seems you're onto the right area. Any thoughts?

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Answer 7

g_wolfman

Level 4

1,137 points

May 18, 2011 10:12 AM in response to LGGeiger

What info is under the "Details" disclosure triangle? Might provide something useful.

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Answer 8

LGGeiger Author

Level 1

39 points

May 18, 2011 1:26 PM in response to g_wolfman

Here's a screenshot of the details. However, I cannot find InternetAccounts Access Group with the Keychain Access utility. Also, my mail has been working fine without this info for a long while.

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Answer 9

g_wolfman

Level 4

1,137 points

May 19, 2011 9:27 AM in response to LGGeiger

I know you said you've tried using the search function...have you tried just selecting "All Items" in the Bottom-Left sidebar and then sorting everything alphabetically?

Basically, as far as I can tell, Mail want to access something in your login keychain with the name "InternetAccounts Access Group". And I realize this isn't new information...but applications don't request information from the security service unless there's a setting they need that's in a marked security field (like a password).

Similarly, the security service doesn't pop a dialog box unless there's actually a keychain item that corresponds to the request (well, technically it could, but it would be a different dialog box asking for the password and offering to store it...)

Quite honestly I can't see how this item couldn't be present in the keychain...if it's not there then I'm stumped.

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Answer 10

May 19, 2011 10:54 AM in response to LGGeiger

Hmm. I have several mail accounts (but no imap) but none of them have anything like "InternetAccounts Access Group"

Out of curiosity, you could quit Mail, then drag the login.keychain (I think that's it) from Library/Keychains in your Home folder to the Desktop, restart Mail and see what happens. Afterwards put it back again.

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Answer 11

LGGeiger Author

Level 1

39 points

May 25, 2011 9:42 AM in response to g_wolfman

Thanks, I've been away from my computer for a few days.

I tried your suggestion, but InternetAccounts Access Group does not appear in the alpha list of All Items.

But, it's still being asked for for each of my internet accounts if I go into Mail>Preferences. If I deny, then there appears to be no ill effects, and it doesn't ask again until I quit Mail and restart.

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Answer 12

LGGeiger Author

Level 1

39 points

May 25, 2011 9:46 AM in response to Austin Kinsella1

Austin, I tried your suggestion and when the login.keychain file was on my desktop, Mail was asking for passwords and put all my accounts offline. When I went into Preferences (where the request has been coming) it did not show up.

But, when I returned the login.keychain file to it's library folder, and returned the four internet accounts to online, when I opened Preferences I got the same request for Mail to allow access to InternetAccount Access Group in my keychain for each of my internet accounts.

Do you have a suggestion of where I might turn at Apple support for advise on this.

Thanks.

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Answer 13

May 28, 2011 5:12 PM in response to LGGeiger

LGGeiger wrote:

Austin, I tried your suggestion and when the login.keychain file was on my desktop, Mail was asking for passwords and put all my accounts offline. When I went into Preferences (where the request has been coming) it did not show up.

Why not give it the passwords?

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