Sometimes, I will receive messages such as App would like to access data from other apps, permission prompt for screen recording, etc., it said that these are due to the TCC framework on macOS, designed to protect user privacy. Do you know any more information about it?
In macOS, TCC stands for Transparency, Consent, and Control. It is a security framework introduced by Apple to help protect user privacy. TCC manages access to sensitive data and services, such as the camera, microphone, location services, contacts, calendar, reminders, and other system resources.
Applications must request permission from the user through TCC to access these resources. For example, if an app wants to use the microphone or access your contacts, it will prompt you for permission, and you can choose to allow or deny access just like the permission prompt for screen recording on macOS Sequoia. These settings can be adjusted at any time in System Settings’s Privacy & Security section.
TCC helps ensure that apps can only access sensitive data and system resources if the user explicitly grants permission, enhancing overall system security and privacy in macOS.
In macOS, TCC, which stands for Transparency, Consent, and Control, plays a vital role in protecting user privacy and enhancing system security. This framework was introduced to ensure that applications requesting access to sensitive data or system resources must first obtain explicit user consent. By doing so, macOS helps users maintain control over their personal information and ensures that apps cannot access data without permission.
These permissions are managed through the Privacy section of the System Settings in macOS. Users can review and modify the access privileges for each app in this section, ensuring that they remain in control of which apps can access their sensitive information.
How TCC Works in macOS
When an application requests access to one of the above system features for the first time, macOS presents a dialog asking the user to grant or deny access. This system-level permission request ensures that users are aware of the data or services the app is trying to use.
For example, if an app wants to use the camera, a pop-up will appear with a message such as: “[App Name] would like to access your camera.” The user can then choose to allow or deny the request. Once permission is granted, the app will continue to have access unless the user later revokes it. Permissions can be reviewed and changed at any time through System Settings > Privacy & Security > [Resource Name] (e.g., Camera, Microphone, Files, etc.).
On Apple devices, there exist two distinct TCC databases: /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db is located at the system level and $HOME/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db is located at the user level. Because System Integrity Protection (SIP) safeguards the system-level TCC database, writing to it requires disabling or bypassing SIP. Only privileged processes with the appropriate permissions, such as Full Disk Access (FDA), can write to the user-level database.