Blog - Archived Entries - February 2024

February 27, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2187 for OS X 10.11 to macOS 10.14 (Update Product ID: 052-59915)
Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2187 for macOS Catalina (Update Product ID: 052-59916)

XProtect is part of the built-in antivirus software of macOS. The package does not appear in the Software Update section of System Preferences (or App Store in older versions of the operating system). macOS is updating the software automatically in the background if you have granted the system permission to download system data files and security-related files.

February 24, 2024:
We are releasing System Monitor version 6.1 through the Mac App Store:

Added new layout option for the menu bar to suppress labels in small two-line display items. This can further reduce the necessary widths on small screens.
Added workaround for an issue of macOS 14 Sonoma where the operating system could prevent that the current status of individual IPv6 addresses is shown as help tags (tool tips).
The preference pane to control layout settings for menu-bar items was redesigned.
Better help tags for the available menu-bar items of the processor load section.
Fixed a problem where a misleading “less than or equal” symbol could be shown for the temperature readings of inactive CPU cores of M3 Pro or M3 Max processors when they entered a special power-saving mode.

System Monitor is an application for the menu bar of macOS, designed to inform you unobtrusively about the activity of your computer. A Trial Version is available as free download.

February 21, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple XProtect Payloads version 126 (Update Product ID: 052-49204)

XProtect is part of the built-in antivirus software of macOS. The package does not appear in the Software Update section of System Preferences (or App Store in older versions of the operating system). macOS is updating the software automatically in the background if you have granted the system permission to download system data files and security-related files.

February 19, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2186 for OS X 10.11 to macOS 10.14 (Update Product ID: 052-57726)
Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2186 for macOS Catalina (Update Product ID: 052-57725)

XProtect is part of the built-in antivirus software of macOS. The package does not appear in the Software Update section of System Preferences (or App Store in older versions of the operating system). macOS is updating the software automatically in the background if you have granted the system permission to download system data files and security-related files.

February 15, 2024:
We are releasing TinkerTool System 8 version 8.9:

The feature to work with Spotlight was completely rewritten to supported the latest operating system versions. The corresponding user interface was redesigned.
Added new detail panel when reviewing the Spotlight index of a volume.
Added progress display when discarding or restoring unprotected user caches.
Added new diagnostic features to determine whether and why macOS is slow when processing inactive user caches.
All tables where bullets are used to indicate yes/no status information now use larger bullet characters for better readability.

TinkerTool System 8 is a collection of system utility features helping you in performing advanced administration tasks on Apple Macintosh computers.

February 15, 2024:
We are releasing Autostarter version 1.8 through the Mac App Store:

Enhanced user guidance when users mistakenly try to add volumes or network connections as login items.
Enhanced user guidance when users try to automatically hide applications which don’t support windows by default.
The user interface now differentiates more accurately between the behavior of macOS 13 and 14 when handling background items.
Modernized organization of language support files.

Autostarter is a small app that makes it possible to launch applications automatically during login without letting the applications show windows, even with macOS Ventura or later.

February 14, 2024:
We are releasing TinkerTool System 7 version 7.98. This is a routine update which fixes minor issues:

Fixes a problem where TinkerTool System for Recovery Mode (ttsfrm) could show misleading instructions on Macs with Apple Silicon when it was launched outside of a recovery operating system.
Avoids a possible race condition which could cause a potential failure of the feature to remove the security component.

TinkerTool System 7 is a collection of system utility features helping you in performing advanced administration tasks on Apple Macintosh computers running macOS 11 or 12.

February 13, 2024:
We are releasing Mac Power Monitor version 2.6:

Added a workaround for technical defects in several operating system versions combined with specific Apple processors if they are unable to perform correct processor cluster usage measurements. These defects could result in “100 %” activity readings to be shown permanently or for extended periods of time. When Mac Power Monitor detects such defects, it will ignore the corresponding readings and compute corrected values itself. In particular, this affects Macs with M3 Max processors and current versions of macOS Sonoma, as well as M2 Max/Ultra processors with some older versions of macOS.

Mac Power Monitor is a graphical, easy-to-use interface for the energy and power measuring features of macOS.

February 12, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2185 for OS X 10.11 to macOS 10.14 (Update Product ID: 052-54169)
Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2185 for macOS Catalina (Update Product ID: 052-54170)

XProtect is part of the built-in antivirus software of macOS. The package does not appear in the Software Update section of System Preferences (or App Store in older versions of the operating system). macOS is updating the software automatically in the background if you have granted the system permission to download system data files and security-related files.

February 9, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Safari 17.3.1 for macOS Ventura (Update Product ID: 052-45295)
Safari 17.3.1 for macOS Monterey (Update Product ID: 052-45329)

The updates address critical security issues in the web browsers.

February 9, 2024:
We are releasing Bresink Software Updater, version 1.8:

Support for macOS 10.14 Mojave and macOS 10.15 Catalina has been removed.
Added new features for authorization of privileged operations. The application will now allow authentication of administrative users in additional special cases previously not permitted:

authorization within a running login session of a non-administrator
authorization by administrators with empty passwords in operating system versions that don’t block this generally
authorization in cases where multiple users are logged in, but the affected user is not on the frontmost console session

Administrators can return to the previous stricter authorization policies if needed.
Modernized organization of language support files.

If you use many of our software products on your Mac, it can become tedious to keep all of them up-to-date. Bresink Software Updater facilitates the maintenance of our applications considerably. At a glance you can see if all programs are at their latest versions. You will be notified about available updates and can decide to either trigger the update procedure for a single product or for all of them automatically.

February 8, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

macOS 14.3.1 Sonoma (Update Product ID: 052-40759)
BridgeOS Customer Update 14.3.1 (Update Product ID: 052-40804)

The updates address critical security issues in the Sonoma operating system and fixes several technical defects, including:

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February 5, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple XProtect Payloads version 125 (Update Product ID: 052-37182)
Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2184 for OS X 10.11 to macOS 10.14 (Update Product ID: 052-49206)
Apple XProtect Configuration Data version 2184 for macOS Catalina (Update Product ID: 052-49205)

XProtect is part of the built-in antivirus software of macOS. The package does not appear in the Software Update section of System Preferences (or App Store in older versions of the operating system). macOS is updating the software automatically in the background if you have granted the system permission to download system data files and security-related files.

February 5, 2024:
We are releasing PrefEdit version 5.4:

Added new features to support keys of dictionaries containing control characters oder multiple lines. This is particularly useful when working with modern macOS string tables for international language support in applications.
Values with multiple lines, or values containing control characters, respectively, will now be presented more clearly. They can be edited in a separate panel. There are additional presentation options to display special characters live, either as ISO symbols or in C syntax.
The presentation of non-modifiable entries has been enhanced.
Modernized organization of language support files.

PrefEdit is an application to manage nearly all aspects of the preference system contained in every macOS installation. The program consists of two components which are tightly integrated with each other: (1) An entry point to the preferences database of macOS, with access to all settings which are effective for your user account, (2) a browser and editor for macOS property list files (plists).

February 1, 2024:
Apple releases new software via macOS Software Update:

Apple SafeView version 10.0.0 (Update Product ID: 042-92443)

SafeView 10.0 introduces the ability to support screen sharing for Vision Pro. Advisors will see an option to select visionOS in the list of available operating systems. SafeView for Vision Pro supports one way messaging, privacy masking, and more. Arrows and annotations are not supported, nor is Shared Settings for visionOS.

SafeView is an internal utility that macOS customers can use to share their screens via Internet with service representatives from Apple or AppleCare. It allows remote access for support purposes. This software is not available to the general public.