> This version requires a network connection when you attempt to install any OS software updates, because it needs to verify with Apple that the updates are legitimate.
They can't just verify the signatures?
They can't just verify the signatures?
Signature verification alone may confirm that a release is from Apple, but it doesn't confirm that the release hasn't been superseded due to security issues. (Or marketing, if you're conspiracy-minded.)
The "Medium" setting allows older versions of MacOS, so although the article doesn't say, I suspect that is doing signature-verification alone, and does not require a network connection.
But fuse sets will. Thus is how downgrade attacks are generally protected against in high integrity consumer electronics.
That way your device continues to work when you reboot and Comcast is down again.
The trivial proof here is if it did anything else, ignoring an OS update would brick your device, which is obviously not desired behavior.
This is correct. Network is only needed for re-install on the high security setting. When already installed, the only verification is to ensure signatures are valid, similar to how iOS devices function (You cannot re-flash/downgrade to an older OS, but if you have an older OS installed, the device will not prevent you from booting).
Edit: Apparently not, you can turn it off so it doesn't require network. See the other comment.
Ignoring for the moment that you can already do this, allowing users to go back to older versions is a security hole.