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Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck

From David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk>
Newsgroups alt.computer.workshop, uk.comp.sys.mac
Subject Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck
Organization Retired
References <n7obu5F9snuU1@mid.individual.net> <6a178095$0$26$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com> <n7qaabFj4hqU1@mid.individual.net> <6a183492$0$55442$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>
Date 2026-06-02 10:51 +0000
Message-ID <6a1eb5cb$0$25$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com> (permalink)

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 28 May 2026 at 13:26:58 BST, "Brock McNuggets" <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com>
wrote:

> On May 28, 2026 at 12:48:27 AM MST, ""David B."" wrote
> <n7qaabFj4hqU1@mid.individual.net>:
> 
>> MID <6a178095$0$26$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>
>> 
>> On May 27, 2026, Brock McNuggets posted:-
>> 
>> https://shottr.cc/s/Pv0B/SCR-20260527-o33
>> 
>> "Nope. Not there. Another place where you simply are trusting AI and not
>> checking for yourself."
>> 
>> =
>> 
>> You are looking at the basic, free App Store version or an un-activated
>> bundle, Brock.
> 
> I am not going to pay for EtreCheck. Nope. Not gonna happen.

It's a small price to pay for LOTS of information about one's computer! ;-)

>> The developer explicitly splits the architecture between the basic
>> user-space scanner and the advanced diagnostic features.
>> 
>> The privileged helper tool functionality is tied directly to the
>> EtreCheckPro activation and its advanced storage benchmark tools.
>> 
>> If you want to actually see the mechanics in action instead of looking
>> at a surface-level folder, try this exact test:
>> 
>> Open EtreCheckPro.Select the Storage
> 
> https://shottr.cc/s/P4Mf/SCR-20260528-8gt

Thank you for that!

>> or Performance testing sections
>> that require low-level disk access.Watch for the standard macOS security
>> dialogue box asking for your administrator password to allow the tool to
>> measure raw drive performance.
>> 
>> The moment you authenticate that prompt, open your Terminal and run:ls
>> -la /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/
> 
>   David
>     -----
>     If you haven't triggered that admin elevation, the file won't
>     be in your root directory yet. However, the blueprint is
>     permanently baked into the software. Anyone can verify this
>     by right-clicking the EtreCheck app bundle, selecting Show
>     Package Contents, and looking inside
>     /Contents/Library/LaunchServices/
>     -----
> 
> https://shottr.cc/s/Pv0B/SCR-20260527-o33
> 
>> 
>> You will see com.etresoft.EtreCheckHelper appear right there.
>> 
>> The mechanism isn't a hallucination; it is the standard SMJobBless API
>> architecture that macOS uses to safely escalate privileges for specific
>> diagnostic tools.
>> 
>> As we already established with your Windscribe example, the core issue
>> is that once a user grants that admin permission, dragging the main app
>> to the Trash leaves that privileged helper binary behind in the root
>> system folder.
> 
> This is not in contention.
>> 
>> No amount of looking at basic, un-triggered app bundles changes how the
>> underlying operating system manages authorized helper tools.
> 
> No evidence of you being correct, and even if you are about it having some
> helper in very specific situations, no evidence of it causing any harm.

Another Usenet poster said this to me in an email message .....

"RE: the 'leaving things behind' argument, from my POV it's not malware
(though, I acknowledge it's not completely impossible for that to happen)"

THAT is my only concern - that it might be possibe for malware to be stored
surreptitiously in such hidden places.
It would be difficult to spot!

-- 
With kind regards,
David

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macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-27 15:03 +0100
  Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 14:29 +0000
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Gremlin <nobody@haph.org> - 2026-05-27 15:15 +0000
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 15:34 +0000
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-27 18:34 +0100
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 20:00 +0000
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-27 23:36 +0100
          Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 23:33 +0000
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-28 12:48 +0100
  Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 20:31 +0000
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-27 23:42 +0100
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-27 23:39 +0000
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-05-28 08:48 +0100
          Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-28 12:26 +0000
            Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 10:51 +0000
              Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 16:13 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-02 21:58 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 21:03 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 21:21 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 21:46 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-02 21:57 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 00:35 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 07:46 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <Brock.McNuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 14:02 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 14:54 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 15:43 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 16:00 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 19:06 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 19:40 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 19:48 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 19:58 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 23:53 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-04 08:08 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 13:53 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-04 14:32 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <Brock.McNuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 14:47 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-04 15:05 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 16:20 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 20:07 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 19:16 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 21:59 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 21:15 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 22:38 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 22:28 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 22:50 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 22:27 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 23:34 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 22:57 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 15:45 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-03 17:01 +0100
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 19:06 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck David B. <boaterdave@hotmail.co.uk> - 2026-06-03 19:46 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 19:49 +0000
  Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-02 09:59 +0100
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 16:14 +0000
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-02 22:02 +0100
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-02 21:05 +0000
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> - 2026-06-02 22:23 +0000
          Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 00:40 +0000
          Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-03 08:51 +0100
            Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <Brock.McNuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 14:02 +0000
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Gremlin <nobody@haph.org> - 2026-06-03 20:22 +0000
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 23:45 +0000
    Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Gremlin <nobody@haph.org> - 2026-06-03 20:22 +0000
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-03 23:45 +0000
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 08:31 +0100
          Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 13:56 +0000
            Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 15:59 +0100
              Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 16:06 +0000
              Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Gremlin <nobody@haph.org> - 2026-06-05 03:42 +0000
                Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-05 03:59 +0000
      Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck "David B." <"David B."@invalid.org> - 2026-06-04 08:26 +0100
        Re: macOS Technical Note: Privileged Helpers, dragging to Trash, and EtreCheck Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-06-04 13:57 +0000

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