As an ex-Apple engineer I have a very good idea how you implemented this and why you require SIP deactivation.
With SIP disabled, malicious tools can directly patch binaries, inject shims, or drop payloads into system locations. Also, SIP works with the Signed System Volume (SSV), which cryptographically seals the system volume and enforces integrity checks.
Any app that tells a normal end‑user to “disable SIP to use me” is effectively asking them to defeat a system‑wide safety net and trust the developer absolutely.
Using this tool would be be like removing every lock in your house because you don't like the shape of the roof.
If I wanted to create malware, I'd wrap it in something like this project which ostensibly provides a service. That's far easier than trying to hack in normally.
You're right - disabling SIP is a real security relaxation, not something I want to handwave.
A few clarifications that might be useful: Liquid Radius doesn't touch /System or modify the SSV. The dylib lives in /Library, not on the SSV, and injects into SkyLight at runtime.
I definitely wouldn't recommend the average person to install this app unless they actually understand what it entails.
Genuinely curious from an ex apple engineer, are you aware of any system wide visual tweak like this that can be done without injection, or is that just technically impossible?
> Liquid Radius doesn't touch /System or modify the SSV
I'm not doubting you, but by requiring users to disable SIP you are effectively opening their entire system to SSV attacks. 99% of "regular" users won't understand that tradeoff.
Rounded corners are not worth disabling the operating system's major security protections, especially in today's crazy cyber environment.
yabai [0] is a good example of how this type of tool can be shared. I would never install a closed-source app that requires me to disable SIP without being able to build it myself.
> are you aware of any system wide visual tweak like this that can be done without injection
There used to be several ways to do it (e.g. userdefaults) but AFAIK that is no longer possible. As I'm sure you already know, there are ways to do this to individual apps which would probably be a better use-case.
As an ex-Apple engineer I have a very good idea how you implemented this and why you require SIP deactivation.
With SIP disabled, malicious tools can directly patch binaries, inject shims, or drop payloads into system locations. Also, SIP works with the Signed System Volume (SSV), which cryptographically seals the system volume and enforces integrity checks.
Any app that tells a normal end‑user to “disable SIP to use me” is effectively asking them to defeat a system‑wide safety net and trust the developer absolutely.
Using this tool would be be like removing every lock in your house because you don't like the shape of the roof.
If I wanted to create malware, I'd wrap it in something like this project which ostensibly provides a service. That's far easier than trying to hack in normally.
You're right - disabling SIP is a real security relaxation, not something I want to handwave.
A few clarifications that might be useful: Liquid Radius doesn't touch /System or modify the SSV. The dylib lives in /Library, not on the SSV, and injects into SkyLight at runtime.
I definitely wouldn't recommend the average person to install this app unless they actually understand what it entails.
Genuinely curious from an ex apple engineer, are you aware of any system wide visual tweak like this that can be done without injection, or is that just technically impossible?
& thanks for your comment.
> Liquid Radius doesn't touch /System or modify the SSV
I'm not doubting you, but by requiring users to disable SIP you are effectively opening their entire system to SSV attacks. 99% of "regular" users won't understand that tradeoff.
Rounded corners are not worth disabling the operating system's major security protections, especially in today's crazy cyber environment.
yabai [0] is a good example of how this type of tool can be shared. I would never install a closed-source app that requires me to disable SIP without being able to build it myself.
> are you aware of any system wide visual tweak like this that can be done without injection
There used to be several ways to do it (e.g. userdefaults) but AFAIK that is no longer possible. As I'm sure you already know, there are ways to do this to individual apps which would probably be a better use-case.
[0]: https://github.com/asmvik/yabai