Does Etrecheck have the blessing/approval of Apple itself?

liv0123 wrote:

I work in IT. We are blocked from EtreCheck, but ironically we are blocked from most things.

Do I wish I could use it, feel it's safe, and would I though, if I weren't blocked?

How are you blocked? A number of people have reported problems purchasing a license. I don't know what they are doing with their corporate firewalls that prevents an app from connecting to a standard web server on a standard web port. It is a constant battle against software pirates. I can't risk a public release of a version that can be activated without a secure exchange of tokens with my license server.

But even if you can't purchase a license, you can still use EtreCheck to diagnose problems. It will run 5 times without a license. That should be enough to identify a problem, troubleshoot it, and show that it is resolved. I also plan to reset that 5 run limit periodically so that people who have tried EtreCheck in the past can use it again in the future.

HunterBD wrote:

Sadly, that link didn't 'work' for me. Has it been 'doctored' in some way? No matter where one goes on the Internet, one can never be certain that it's safe to click on a link!

The link posted by LACAllen hasn't been "doctored" in any way. The link I provided goes to the same exact place. I omitted the "/web/" part because that is the final landing page after logging into the bug reporter.

The similar link posted by 'etresoft' DID work, though .... but with this result:-

As he is a Developer, I'm rather surprised that 'etresoft' was unaware of this restriction.

I was not unaware of this restriction. All bug reporting systems require you to create an account. How else would the developers be able to reach out to you to potentially ask more information, a clarification, or to ask you to confirm a fix? If you don't want to create an account, you can use the feedback link that I posted above. That is more of a "black hole" system where there is no possibility of ever getting a response.

To file a bug report in the Apple bug reporter, you have to create a free developer account. This is not the same type of account that would allow you to create apps. And, to be clear, even if you spent $100 or $500 for a real developer account, Apple would never give you any kind of approval. It simply doesn't work that way.

Oh, it's nothing on your end. It's our IT guy but mostly our head of security. I checked my so-called admin settings out of curiosity, bc I still tried knowing how insanely strict they are.

He's got them set up to appear to us as though we are administrators, just like anyone else who has those privileges.

Nope. He actually has us as managed users but has it display to us that we are listed as admin, not just upon login, but t/out settings. I looked around a bit though , thus, how I found out. Sneaky & well, just unnecessary .... just list us as standard users? We know we don't have root access but no admin? Bit ironic....

Worse, I can fix basic computer issues such as how my issue began. That's what I do. But, am I allowed to on my own iMac? Nope. Now, my iMac has gotten to the point where it's shot. I'm agitated bc I know I could've prevented it from becoming unusable. I now have to use someone else's. Grrrr....quite inconvenient & if I dare try to change the security settings whatsoever or any others for that matter to still try to fix it via privileges I need for certain tools, I'd get fired straight away. Soooooo, I have to deal for now & wait on IT to appear which will be??

Regardless, once they get mine back to me, I'm asking about etresoft though. We have tools, but I find your program log more user friendly & easier on the eyes, and I know my associates & clients would find it to be so too. I'd like to use it along with our diagnostic log too as desired for clarification on things or simply to have as an additional form of documentation that I feel is safe and credible.

Anyways.... time will tell

HunterBD wrote:

Are you aware of the names of such "third-party anti-malware products" approved for use by Apple?

No, Apple has never to my knowledge, recommended a third-party product of any kind.

They have always include Cisco's ClamAV scanner with Apple Server, but that would seem to be a second-party product.

HunterBD wrote:

Is there a simple reason?

Apple uses a single authentication system for any Apple site that requires Apple ID authentication. This authentication system requires you to log in with an Apple ID that has access to the requested resource.

If your Apple ID doesn't have access to the requested site, then you will be taken to a landing page where you may be able to request access. If your Apple ID does have access to the site, you will be immediately redirected into the site.

If you attempt to access a deep link into a site that requires authentication, then you may bypass that landing page and not have an opportunity to request access. That is what happened in this case. About 18 months ago, Apple re-designed the bug reporter to have a more modern web interface circa 2006. As part of that, it now redirects users into the "/web/" subdirectory. If you login to the bug reporter and copy the URL from the address bar, you are going to get the "/web/" subdirectory.

I manually removed the "/web/" subdirectory before I pasted my URL. I manually edit pretty much every Apple URL I post because they all have some funky redirection scheme. So yes, there was most definitely some "doctoring" of URLs. I "doctored" the URL I posted. Sometimes I doctor Apple URLs to ensure that users hit the proper landing page. Other times, I doctor Apple URLs to ensure that the user will be redirected to a version of a page more appropriate for their language and region instead of mine.

Now, is that a "simple" reason? The answer is yes. The simple reason is that you are automatically assuming conspiracy and malicious intent where there is none. Everyone who answers questions in this forum does so because they are trying to help people. As this is the public internet, there are always some scammers or bad actors with malicious intent. But in most cases, those people are spotted and reported right away. Then Apple's moderation team quickly removes their posts. But if a Level 6, like LACAllen with 16,295 points, posts a link, you can safely click on it. That's why we have the points and the levels.

Everybody here is always learning and trying to do their best. In fact, most people are always learning and trying to do their best. Maybe they write an antivirus apps like ClamXAV. Maybe it reports a false positive one day. Someone files a bug report about it and they fix it. They do better next time. Does that mean they deserve to be incessantly hounded across the internet for that one mistake years ago?

Sometimes people make mistakes. But they learn, try to do better, and eventually develop a good reputation. Other people never learn from their mistakes. They repeat them and develop a bad reputation. Which group do you want to be in?

HunterBD wrote:

I'm taking your question as being rhetorical in nature!

Then you are taking it incorrectly.

I suspect that 'LACAllen' also knew this only too well. It's OK, I can take a joke!

No. There was no joke. Someone innocently posted a URL and you immediately accused them of a malicious act. Multiple people tell you that you are wrong and still you persist in claiming some kind of conspiracy over three letters.

May I ask a favour?

No.

Will you, please, invite the developer of ClamXav to visit ASC to explain WHY he has marketed an anti-malware software facility which, by all accounts, is completely unnecessary when one is using an Apple computer?

No. Why would I invite someone that I don't even know, and have nothing against, to come here and be subject to your abuse? Now that would be a malicious act.

If it subsequently transpires that I am mistaken about the product and the developer, I will apologise unreservedly.

You are mistaken. I can tell you that right now. No one wants to see your apology. Everyone just wants you to stop. Just stop.

If not, have you now learned something from the exercise too?

I most certainly have. Discretion, manners and the community's terms keep me from saying what.

The link I provided was not an attempt in any way to fool you or cause you harm. It has been shown to be harmless elsewhere in this conversation. It took you a portal that required credentials you don't have.

The long, sinister URL you post is what that request resolves to for you. As I posted, I tested my link and did not get that result. The world wide web is an odd place at times. Not always predictable and consistent.

I tested it in Safari and Chrome while signed out of my ASC credentials.

I stand by my previous observations.

No. Let me reiterate. You need to stop these baseless accusations. You are making obvious attempts to sow discord with disingenuous accusations. You aren't fooling anyone here. We are here because we enjoy answering technical questions and we enjoy helping people with their Apple problems. No one enjoys playing your social manipulation game. That doesn't belong here.

HunterBD wrote:

Perhaps you missed this earlier thread of mine?

No. I am well aware of each of your attempts to spread misinformation. You aren't fooling anyone. Don't bother trying to pretend and play nice for a while. It won't work.

Hello HunterBD

At the risk of my post being removed, my advice to you is to drop this thread entirely and think very carefully before you get yourself similarly involved in the future.

You are not encouraging people here to see you as a member should be seen.

HunterBD wrote:

Thank you for that link - I've never looked there before! 🙂

Did the link to 'bugreport', posted here in this thread by 'LACAllen', 'work' for YOU?

Just wonderin'! 😕

D.

I provided the link to give you and those who land here additional information. I didn't provide it as a means to create doubt about any of the previous links or their posters. As expected, the link posted by LACAllenworked and works fine.

As there's more going on here than I perceived before my previous post, I'll have nothing further to add to this thread.

Hello ! Liv0123

See this article Product security certifications, validations, and guidance for macOS - Apple Support

Accordingly, will you please tell me HOW I can report my concerns to "product-security"?

This seems to be a good first step.

https://bugreport.apple.com