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Mac app launches slowed by malware scan (2024)


Feedback Assistant Boycott I've always attributed slow Xcode launches to Xcode simply sucking, but I've noticed that the FileMerge app frequently launches slowly too. When this happens, the app can take a dozen bounces in the Dock before finally opening.

I've noticed the same syspolicyd malware scanning and consequent slow launches with some other apps such as Xcode itself, Google Chrome, and Wireshark. otool -L /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/FileMerge.app/Contents/MacOS/FileMerge I doubt that the built-in system libraries are scanned for malware, because they reside on a separate cryptographically-signed read-only disk volume. I'm very careful about what I install, and I've never had malware in over twenty years of full-time Mac usage, so I think it's safe to say that for me, syspolicyd is security theater, and I'd rather not have to sit through its "play", full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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