Is it true that an app that I launch has the identical permissions as me? So why does it ask me for my credentials? The creds would not elevate its permissions
An app doesn’t essentially have the identical permissions as you; all of it is determined by what the app must do (i.e. set up/upgrading) when asking to your credentials. Going on the idea you might be an admin with commensurate privileges, the app could require elevated privileges to tie into the system. The modifications could possibly be something from making modifications to the PATH variable to accessing providers like printing or working with bodily units like a microphone. Usually, the place you see that is through the set up course of the place it wants write a file to a protected quantity/listing that’s owned by root. Including a LaunchAgent or LaunchDaemon Is one other good instance. Putting in software program that will probably be accessible to “all customers” systemwide (regardless in case you even have a number of customers on that system) can also be a superb instance (assume Adobe Photoshop or MS Workplace, LibreOffice, and so on.).
How would I am going about discovering out what assets the app is making an attempt modify. Or, at the very least, what resourdces it modified after I entered credentials
Usually, this information could be discovered within the set up log of the app in query. It could possibly be a standalone file or it might have used the in-built logging subsystem (i.e.syslog) which might, sarcastically, require elevated privileges to take action.
What course of/daemon owns this dialog
It’s not a single course of or daemon chargeable for this (undecided why that is related). Thus, the reply right here is it relies upon. Privilege escalation requests could possibly be from parental controls, community safety, and so on. and never relegated to the core system solely.
Safety is a really broad matter; you could discover some worth in reviewing the Apple’s Information Apple Platform Safety