Service Description
In February 2020, Apple introduced a set of app notarization policies for any app distributed on MacOS outside the Mac App Store. These policies are enforced by the MacOS Gatekeeper software which performs a check on an app package before attempting to run it. This check is designed to ensure the app has come from the original developer and that it meets security standards.
In order to make this guarantee, apps must first be submitted by the developer to Apple’s “Notarization Service” which scans the app for security issues and malicious code. This is a similar process that apps submitted to the Mac App Store undergo. This ensures that users can download and install apps with a similar level of confidence as they would if they had downloaded them from the store.
Once an app has successfully undergone notarization, when opened for the first time on a Mac, Gatekeeper checks the app’s signature with the notarization service. If the app is permitted by the service, the app is allowed to run. If you are offline, it is also possible to “staple” a notarization “ticket” to the app itself during the notarization process, verifying that it has been notarized.
Charging Model
This service can be performed on a "best efforts" basis where your request will be added to the queue of our mobile engineers. If your request is urgent, it can be prioritised for a charge of £125.
Contact
To request notarization you can complete the Research Application Support Connect form.