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In this article we will show you how to Disable and Enable System Integrity Protection on Mac. System Integrity Protection, or SIP, was made by Apple to keep your Mac safe from changes that could be harmful. With this security feature, it will be even harder for malware to change system processes, locations, or Kernel extensions.
Malware attacks can’t finish when SIP is in place. If you turn it off, macOS will be more vulnerable right away. Note that this is for advanced users or developers, and you shouldn’t turn SIP off unless you know what you’re doing. You can also go to the official Apple support site to know more information.
System Integrity Protection (SIP) is a security feature in OS X El Capitan and later versions that helps Mac users stop potentially dangerous software from accessing important system files and changing protected files and folders on their Mac. Before System Integrity Protection, the root user on your Mac could get into any system folder or app.
How to Disable System Integrity Protection on Mac
- Turn off your Mac by going to the Apple menu and Shut Down.
- Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold the Command (⌘)-R keys. Release the key when you see the Apple logo. Your Mac will reboot into Recovery Mode.
- You will see the Recovery Mode screen, select your username and click Continue. You will have to enter your password then the macOS Utilities window will appear.
- From the top menu, click Utilities and Terminal.
- In Terminal enter the following code and hit enter:
csrutil disable
- You will see a confirmation message in Terminal saying “Successfully disabled System Integration Protection”
- You will have to restart your Mac for the changes to take effect by going to the Apple menu and restart.
How to Enable System Integrity Protection on Mac
- Reboot your Mac into Recovery Mode (see the steps above)
- Open Terminal and this time, enter the following code and then hit enter:
csrutil enable
- Hit Enter
- Restart your Mac
What is SIP?
System Integrity Protection, or SIP, is a platform that comes with macOS X El Capitan (2015, OS X 10.11) and later versions. Its main job is to keep harmful files like malware, viruses, and ransomware from changing or attacking protected files and folders on your Mac. It works by preventing access to the root user account and limiting what the root user can do with the Mac OS’s protected folders.
Without SIP, the root user has no limitations. It can get into all system folders and apps that are installed on the Mac. To give software root-level permission to install, you would need to enter your admin credentials. Then, any app or program could be changed or updated by the program or app.
FAQ
Is it bad to disable SIP?
Should you disable your SIP LAG feature? Yes, most of the time. Even though SIP LAG is meant to make things safer, it gets in the way of many basic business functions. If your SIP LAG is causing dropped calls, missed voicemails, and muddy sound, you should turn it off.
How do I disable ACL on Mac?
But if you want to remove all ACLs from a file or folder, you can use the brute-force option: chmod -N. This removes all access control entries for a file or folder. The chmod -RN command will do the same thing for a folder and all of its files.
What is system integrity protection in Mac?
System Integrity Protection is a piece of security software that helps keep bad software from getting on your Mac. System Integrity Protection is a security feature that helps stop software that might be harmful from changing protected files and folders on your Mac.