What are the main parts?
A Mac endpoint product can divide the work across four components:
- Main app: manages settings and explains results.
- Endpoint Security extension: observes process and file activity.
- Network Extension: adds context for selected network activity.
- Privileged helper: handles protected settings and installation work.
Giving each component one narrow job limits permissions and makes problems easier to isolate.
Why can some actions be stopped while others are only observed?
macOS sends two types of security event. An AUTH event asks for a decision before an action finishes. It can stop or delay that action, but the software must respond quickly. A NOTIFY event arrives after the action and allows deeper analysis without interrupting your work.
Fast checks happen before the action. Slower work, such as inspecting archives, scanning content, or comparing earlier activity, happens afterward.
What activity can macOS expose?
macOS can report when processes start and when selected files are accessed or changed. That can help protect credentials, system settings, startup items, and sensitive commands.
Some activity remains outside that view, especially inside virtual machines, containers, unsupported tools, or embedded processes.
What does network activity add?
Selected network activity can show where a process is connecting and, when inspection is possible, what kind of response it receives. Combined with process and file activity, this can help identify suspicious downloads, unexpected destinations, or attempts to send sensitive data.
It cannot see everything. Encryption, unsupported protocols, and connections shared by several tools can limit what can be inspected or linked to one process.
Why decide on the Mac?
Local evaluation can respond quickly to time-sensitive events without sending file paths, commands, content, or credentials to a server just to make a decision.
Online services can still provide threat information, software updates, accounts, and optional synchronization. Each service should explain what it sends and receives.
How do the parts work together?
Each component contributes only the information needed for a decision. The result can combine process, file, and network activity without giving every component broad access or slowing a time-sensitive action.
The result also explains when information is missing, outdated, or incomplete. Missing context is not treated as proof that an action is safe.
How is 41BIT using this architecture?
We use this layered approach in native Mac security software for developers. It brings together selected process, file, persistence, network, and AI-agent activity so protection can respond when multiple signals point to risk.
Development is ongoing. Final architecture, coverage, compatibility, pricing, and availability will be published with the product.