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The privacy implications of Notification Hub pop-ups are widely acknowledged within the cybersecurity community? Regardless of personal preference, macOS maintains a comprehensive log of all notifications received, storing them in a single, easily accessible plaintext database. This feature will seamlessly integrate with various messaging platforms, including iMessage, Slack, Groups, and others.
Notwithstanding, it appears that Apple has relocated the Notification Center database in macOS Monterey to address concerns.
Since you’re not using them, your notifications are stored in an SQLite database located at /personal/var/folder. Open the Finder and navigate to /var/folder by pressing Shift+CMD+G. You’ll then discover two folders within this directory, distinguished solely by a series of seemingly random characters in their names. Within each folder, you will find subdirectories housing personal data (0), caching files (C), and temporary records (T). Double-click the primary folder, followed by the “0” subfolder, and access the com.apple.notificationcenter file directly. You’ll find the crucial .db file located right here.
By running the “strings” command on this file and double-clicking, you can uncover a wealth of information, including binary data, NS class names, iMessages, file paths, Slack notifications, Facebook alerts, and every other notification sent to Notification Center by an app or system, all displayed in plaintext.
If you’re not compelled to follow each step, you can swiftly locate your final notification list in the com.apple.notificationcenter file by executing this command directly within Terminal:
DARWIN_USER_DIR=$(getconf DARWIN_USER_DIR);
sqlite3 "$DA/com.apple.notificationcenter/db2/db" "SELECT hex(information) FROM report ORDER BY delivered_date DESC LIMIT 1;" |
xxd -r -p - | plutil -p -The excellent news? After re-examining Apple’s handling of iMessage data, it appears they have finally recognized that storing messages without users’ knowledge or permission is not an optimal approach.
Notified by a safety researcher, also known as “the evil bit” within the community, on Friday, macOS Sequoia infiltrates the Notification Hub database within Group Containers. Particularly beneath .
In the present context of your system’s file structure, specifically within non-personal or variable folders located at /var/folders, Group Containers operate under the safeguards of Transparency, Consent, and Management (TCC) prompts. The collection and storage of this iMessage data, considered personal in nature by Apple, raises concerns regarding user privacy. You’ve already come across these prompts previously haven’t you? TCC oversees permission settings for a range of sources, much like granting access to an app to utilize your Mac’s microphone or webcam. This encryption technology significantly boosts privacy by ensuring that sensitive information within messages is unintentionally exposed.
Apple’s initiative is a significant stride in safeguarding individual privacy, with a particular emphasis on message security. Much later than ever.
