No adminstrator password prompt

[3rd Doctor]

Did anyone else not receive an admin password prompt for when they installed the java update? Also i didnt get one for the safari update about a month ago. I am running 10.6.2 on an admin account.

Yesterday i installed cyberduck which also never required an admin password, i presume however that this is normal behaviour as it's just a standard drag and drop install.

 

[ViViDboarder]

Did anyone else not receive an admin password prompt for when they installed the java update? Also i didnt get one for the safari update about a month ago. I am running 10.6.2 on an admin account.

Yesterday i installed cyberduck which also never required an admin password, i presume however that this is normal behaviour as it's just a standard drag and drop install.

Your computer will ask you for admin rights anytime you make changes to System files. If it's not asking then the updates are not root only.

Should be normal behavior.

 

[3rd Doctor]

I was under the impression that installing the java update and safari update would in fact be altering system files. It seems i could be mistaken.

 

[maflynn]

If you just dragged and dropped an application to install it, then you will not get prompted. Only when an app installs files in ~/Library or /Library will you get prompted for the admin password.

 

[ViViDboarder]

I was under the impression that installing the java update and safari update would in fact be altering system files. It seems i could be mistaken.

It's possible... I'm not familiar with the exact updates you're speaking of. If you're worried about the permissions on your computer you can open DiskUtility and click on your HardDrive and click Fix Permissions. Then reboot just to be safe. Should be good then.

 

[AzureCloud]

I am having this same issue on Snow Leopard. After a bit of online searching I have found at least these two threads on Apple's forums:

Topic: No password prompt on any software installation
Topic: Software Update Didn't Ask for My Password!

I have also found that this extends to setting permissions in the Get Info window for any file. You can now change file permissions without having to "unlock" it with an admin password. I'm guessing that these issues are related, perhaps something to do with the "sudo" command?

In Leopard, and before the recent 10.6.x updates, Software Update would always ask for a password, even on admin accounts. Also, the Get Info window would always require a password to change file permissions. I have access to three computers, all running 10.6.2 (one MBP with a clean install, one with an upgrade install, and another new MBP with SL pre-installed), and they all experience these issues.

I believe that anyone experiencing this should submit a bug report to Apple so that it will become a priority for them to fix. Some of the posts on the Apple forums seem to indicate that it is a security issue, and I am inclined to agree. I'm also guessing that most people on Snow Leopard are having this issue and do not even realize it.