Recently, a problem was spotted on Mac that didn’t allow users to launch apps downloaded from the Mac App Store. The issue was first spotted and diagnosed by Tapbots’ developer Paul Haddad on Wednesday, who concluded that the issue was related to an expired security certificate. Apple has now fixed the issue by issuing an updated certificate.
Users started reporting the issue on social media stating that they were getting error messages and other issues with apps downloaded from the Mac App Store. The warnings informed users that their apps had been damaged and that they needed to be deleted and then re-installed. Users reported that even after following these instructions, they kept getting the same prompt.
Finally, the big guys came in and acknowledged the issue to be related to Apple’s failure to renew a security certificate. Apple quickly resolved the problem but the problem persisted for many users.
To use their apps again, users needed to stay online and reauthenticate on the Mac App Store using their Apple account information. This was alright for most but some people had forgotten their iCloud passwords, making the issue more of a mess.
When the issue first surfaced, most users started contacting the developers who were helpless as they themselves didn’t understand the problem completely. The issue confused everyone using Mac, users and developers alike, as it said that their apps were damaged and needed to be re-installed.
Apple solved the issue by issuing a brand new security certificate with an expiration date of 2035. The certificates are responsible for protecting the users’ systems from malware and other unauthorised apps.
