Vedette
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Vedette.
How Vedette Works
Why doesn't Vedette show live allow/block prompts?
It would make your Mac unusable.
macOS generates over a thousand file events per second during normal use. Apple gives security software a tiny window to respond to each one, and there's no time to show a dialog and wait for a click. Miss that window and macOS makes the call itself.
The popup model doesn't work either. Tools that try it cause alert fatigue. People stop reading the prompts and just click through them. Vedette enforces rules you've already written and records everything else. See how Vedette protects your files.
What happens when no rules match a file access?
It follows a default you pick and logs it.
You configure separate defaults for signed, untrusted, and global access. Each has four options:
- Allow - access goes through silently.
- Pending (Allow) - access goes through but gets flagged for review.
- Pending (Block) - access is blocked and flagged for review.
- Block - access is blocked silently.
Out of the box, signed software is set to Pending (Allow) and untrusted software to Pending (Block).
What is the performance impact?
Negligible.
Rules get checked in memory. Each lookup takes a fraction of a millisecond. The app barely shows up in Activity Monitor.
Identity and Rules
How does Vedette identify apps?
Code signature. Rules stick even after app updates.
When you create a rule, you pick which identity to bind it to:
- Team ID - Apple issues this to the developer. Doesn't change when the app updates or moves.
- Signing ID - Narrows it to a specific app from that developer. Useful when one company ships multiple apps.
- Certificate hash - Pinned to a specific certificate. More restrictive, but it'll break when the developer renews their cert.
- Path - Just the file's location on disk. This is the fallback for unsigned things like shell scripts. Breaks if you move the file.
What are signing categories?
A rough trust level based on where the app came from.
Every process gets sorted by how it was signed:
- Apple Platform - Built-in macOS system binaries like Finder, Safari, and system daemons.
- App Store - Apps distributed through the Mac App Store. Apple-signed, but distinct from platform binaries.
- Developer ID - Third-party apps signed with an Apple-issued certificate. Most commercial Mac software.
- Ad-hoc signed - Signed, but not through Apple. You see this with local dev builds.
- Unsigned - No signature. Shell scripts, some CLI tools, etc.
There are more granular groupings too (like "any Apple-signed" which covers both platform and App Store). Global rules can target a specific category.
Setup and Requirements
What macOS versions are supported?
macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. Apple Silicon only.
Why does Vedette need a system extension?
Apple requires it.
Watching file access at the OS level requires a system extension. Apple makes you approve it in System Settings before it can load. After approval, it loads automatically on boot.
Why does Vedette need Full Disk Access?
Without it, macOS hides activity in Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and other protected folders.
Those are where your sensitive files are. Full Disk Access lets the extension see the whole filesystem instead of a limited slice. See the setup and trust model for more detail.
How do I uninstall Vedette?
Open the app, go to Settings, and click "Uninstall Vedette."
That cleans everything up. Then trash the app.
Subscription and Privacy
Can I use Vedette on multiple Macs?
Yes.
Your subscription comes with a license key that works on more than one machine. Check the customer portal for how many activations you have and to manage them.
Does Vedette send my file data anywhere?
No. Everything stays on your Mac.
Rules and activity logs are stored locally. Nothing leaves the machine. The only network call is license validation.
How does the 7-day trial work?
You get 7 days. Cancel before they're up and you pay nothing.
Your card is authorized at checkout but won't actually be charged for a week. If you cancel in that window, that's it. Otherwise the $59.99/year subscription starts. Download Vedette to get started.