Apple has warned developers it will be reinstating the app notarization requirements it set out for macOS Catalina, with the transition period affecting macOS software distributed outside the Mac App Store ending at the start of February 2020.
New app notarization policies meant for macOS Catalina was announced in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference, with an intention to ensure the security of end users. To ensure the rollout of macOS Catalina was smooth, the full enforcement of the requirements was delayed, but an announcement by Apple reveals that time will end in early 2020.
In a post to the Apple Developer site, Apple confirms “all submitted software must meet the original notarization prerequisites” starting from February 3, 2020.
The new policies require developers to submit their apps to Apple to go through a notarizing security process, or they won’t run in macOS Catalina. An extension to the existing Gatekeeper process that previously allowed notarization as an option, the requirement is designed to ensure downloaded software is from the source users believe it is from.
Read more at AppleInsider.com