Automatic Software Update in a Standard Account

[Milan]

It seems that Mac OS X Software Update does not automatically check for updates if the current user is not privileged to install them.

For security reasons I am using a standard account and I have set Software Update to check for updates on a daily basis, but it does not bother to check because I'm not running as admin. I have to manually do the check. I can do that in my standard account, it just asks me for an admin password.

Is there a way to force Software Update to do the automatic check even if I'm using a standard account?

 

[whustedt]

same problem here. it was never a big issue though; but with the recent update that is supposed to keep the malware-list up-to-date automatically I'm worried I won't receive these updates either.

-> what to do?

 

[GGJstudios]

There is little or no advantage to running as a standard user vs as an admin user. Just run as admin and you eliminate the problem altogether.

 

[whustedt]

There is little or no advantage to running as a standard user vs as an admin user. Just run as admin and you eliminate the problem altogether.

You can't be serious. The one lesson to learn from this MacDefender Incident is that you should not be running every app with admin rights.

 

[GGJstudios]

You can't be serious. The one lesson to learn from this MacDefender Incident is that you should not be running every app with admin rights.

Running as admin or standard user has absolutely zero effect on the MacDefender issue. If you want to educate yourself, here's some helpful information:

Mac Virus/Malware Info​

The first section of that link deals specifically with the MacDefender/MacSecurity/MacProtector/MacGuard issue, which is not a virus. I encourage you to read it.

 

[whustedt]

Running as admin or standard user has absolutely zero effect on the MacDefender issue. If you want to educate yourself, here's some helpful information:

Mac Virus/Malware Info​

The first section of that link deals specifically with the MacDefender/MacSecurity/MacProtector/MacGuard issue, which is not a virus. I encourage you to read it.

Allright. It seems the latest variation does not ask for a password even when you are logged in as a standard-user. I'm no expert on user-privileges but my understanding of this is as you are logged in as an admin it is 'easier' to install applications or modify system stuff. You will be asked for permission less often.
So the level of security is higher if you are logged in as a standard user.

Trivial services like update-notification should work no matter which user is logged in. Don't you agree?

 

[GGJstudios]

Allright. It seems the latest variation does not ask for a password even when you are logged in as a standard-user. I'm no expert on user-privileges but my understanding of this is as you are logged in as an admin it is 'easier' to install applications or modify system stuff. You will be asked for permission less often.
So the level of security is higher if you are logged in as a standard user.

That's not true. Whether or not you're asked for your admin password during installation depends on the privileges the app is asking for, regardless of the level of user account you're running.

Trivial services like update-notification should work no matter which user is logged in. Don't you agree?

Update notification isn't a trivial service.

 

[whustedt]

Allright. It seems the latest variation does not ask for a password even when you are logged in as a standard-user. I'm no expert on user-privileges but my understanding of this is as you are logged in as an admin it is 'easier' to install applications or modify system stuff. You will be asked for permission less often.
So the level of security is higher if you are logged in as a standard user.

That's not true. Whether or not you're asked for your admin password during installation depends on the privileges the app is asking for, regardless of the level of user account you're running.

Do I understand you correctly, that your statement ("That's not true") refers to this section: "You will be asked for permission less often. So the level of security is higher if you are logged in as a standard user."?
In that case: Why is there even a choice provided?

Trivial services like update-notification should work no matter which user is logged in. Don't you agree?

Update notification isn't a trivial service.

Well it is trivial enough for it to work flawlessly on other operating systems. If a non-admin user sets the preference to automatically receive system updates he should get notified of new updates at least.


But all of this is not my biggest concern. I am worried whether this auto-updating malware-list will work for non-admin users. What is the service that checks for malware-updates called? Is there a way to check if it works correctly?

Kind regards

 

[GGJstudios]

What is the service that checks for malware-updates called? Is there a way to check if it works correctly?

It's all part of Software Update.

 

[whustedt]

It's all part of Software Update.

Nope. It seems to be called XProtectUpdater (/usr/libexec/).
When I start it manually (or via sudo) it does not reply. It also does not seem to write to any logs. Is there a way to check if it works correctly?