Interprocess Communication with macOS: Apple IPC Methods

Table of Contents
About the Author
About the Technical Reviewer
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction to IPC on macOS
	Interprocess Communication
	IPC on macOS
	IPC Techniques on macOS
		Shared File
		Shared Memory
		Mach Ports
		Sockets
		Apple Events
		Distributed Notifications
		Pasteboard
		XPC
	Summary
Chapter 2: IPC Through Shared Memory
	Introduction to Shared Memory
	Understanding System Calls
		shmget
		shmat
		shmdt
		shmctl
	Implementing IPC Using Shared Memory
		Implementing Server Process
		Implementing Client Process
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using Shared Memory
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Shared Memory
	Summary
Chapter 3: IPC Through Mach Ports
	Introduction to Mach
		Tasks and Threads
		Ports
	IPC with Mach
		IPC Transactions and Event Dispatching
		Message Queues
		Semaphores
		Notifications
		Locks
		Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Objects
	Implementing IPC Using Mach Ports (Low-Level APIs)
		Implementing Server Process
		Implementing Client Process
		Time to Run the Code!
	Implementing IPC Using Mach Ports (High-Level APIs)
		Implementing Server Process
		Implementing Client Process
		Time to Run the Code!
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using Mach Ports
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Mach Ports
	Summary
Chapter 4: IPC Through Sockets
	Introduction to Socket Programming
	Implementing IPC Using Sockets (Network Framework)
		Implementing Server Process
		Implementing Client Process
		Testing with Terminal
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using Sockets
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Sockets
	What’s Next?
Chapter 5: IPC Through Apple Events
	Open Scripting Architecture (OSA)
		Script Execution in the OSA
	Scripting with AppleScript
		Script Editor
	Scriptable Applications
	Interaction of Scriptable Application with Open Scripting Architecture (OSA)
	IPC Using AppleScript
		Example 1
		Example 2
		Example 3
		Example 4
	AppleScript with Cocoa Application
		Invoking AppleScript Handler from  Objective-C Code
		Invoking AppleScript Handler from Swift Code
		Scripting Bridge
		How Scripting Bridge Works?
		Working with Scripting Bridge
			Code Preparation
			Creating Application Object and Controlling Scriptable Application
		Pros and Cons of IPC Using Apple Events
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Apple Events
	What’s Next?
Chapter 6: IPC Through Distributed Notifications
	Notifications
	Notification Center
		NotificationCenter
		DistributedNotificationCenter
	Registering for a Notification
		Registering for Local Notifications
		Registering for Distributed Notifications
		Unregistering an Observer
	IPC Using Distributed Notifications
	Server Implementation
		Client Implementation
		Time to Run the Code!
	Delivering Notifications to Threads
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using Distributed Notifications
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Distributed Notifications
	What’s Next?
Chapter 7: IPC Through Pasteboards
	IPC Using Pasteboard
		Objective-C Implementation
		Reading/Writing Custom Data
		Swift Implementation
		Reading/Writing Custom Data
		Time to Run the Code!
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using Pasteboards
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using Pasteboards
	What’s Next?
Chapter 8: IPC Through XPC
	Introduction to XPC
		Stability
		Privilege Separation
	Architecture and Behavior of XPC
		NSXPCConnection API
		XPC Services API
	Creating XPC Service
	IPC Using XPC
		Objective-C Implementation
		Designing an Interface
		Implementing Server Interface
		Accepting Connection XPC Server/Helper
		Client Implementation
		Swift Implementation
		Client Implementation
		User Interface
		Time to Run the Code!
	Pros and Cons of IPC Using XPC
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Using XPC
	What’s Next?
Chapter 9: IPC Between Native and Web Apps
	Introduction to WKWebView
	IPC Using WKWebView
		Configuring Web View
		Web Code
		Call JavaScript from Native Code
		Call Native Code from JavaScript
		Passing Parameters Through URL
		Time to Run the Code!
		JavaScript Injection
		Time to Run the Code!
	Pros and Cons of IPC Between Web and Native Apps
	Real-World Scenarios for IPC Between Native and Web Apps
	What’s Next?
Chapter 10: Privilege Elevation
	When Do We Need Elevated Privileges?
	Security Vulnerabilities
		Buffer Overflows
		Unvalidated Input
		Race Conditions
		Insecure File Operations
		Access Control Problems
	Principle of Least Privilege in Hostile Environment
		Launching a New Process
		Command-Line Arguments
		Inheriting File Descriptors
		Abusing Environment Variables
		Modifying Process Limits
		File Operation Interference
	Writing a Privileged Helper
		SMJobBless
			For the calling application
			For the Helper tool
		Swift Implementation
		Preparing Client and Helper Targets
		Setting Up Signing Requirements
		Shared Code
		Client Implementation
		Privileged Helper Tool Implementation
		Running Privileged Operation
			Error Logs
			Python Script
	Real-World Scenarios for Creating Secure Privileged Helper Tool
	What’s Next?
Conclusion
Index