Why does the DeDRM app need access to my contacts, calendar, etc.?

[gershomtripp]

It seems like the app requires quite a bit of access to different things, like calendar, contacts, finder, etc. Is this normal? I use a 2015 MacBook running Mojave 10.14.15.

[ZolaLa9]

This doesn't sound normal. How do you know it's accessing your calendar, contacts, etc?

[gershomtripp]

@ZolaLa9 I keep getting warnings from my mac. I just got another one:

Now it wants access to system events. It seems to want access to something else each time I open it.

[ZolaLa9]

That is odd. What macOS are you on?

I am running High Sierra and have never gotten any warnings like that. I'm wondering if this is related to tightened security on Mojave or Catalina.

Also, which DeDRM app are you running? The standalone 6.6.3? Calibre plug-in? And you downloaded it directly from this GitHub, not a 3rd-party site?

ETA: Even if you're running Mojave or Catalina (beta), I don't see why it would need access to your contacts or calendar. However, it may need access to other applications like Kindle for Mac or Adobe Digital Editions to get the key.

[gershomtripp]

@ZolaLa9 I'm running Mojave. I've deleted the app because it was a little too creepy, but it was the newest version of the standalone app, downloaded from GitHub. I also use the Calibre plug-in with no issues.

[ZolaLa9]

That is creepy, indeed. I wonder if this has been the case with the standalone app all along, but we're only seeing it now because of tightened security in Mojave?

I also wonder if the difference between the standalone app and Calibre plug-in is the standalone draws on system resources (e.g., python, pycrypto, etc.) whereas the plug-in uses resources bundled in Calibre? But I am just guessing.

[m-hofmann]

I too encountered these permission requests for contacts and calendar when attempting to use the Calibre plugin on Mac OS Mojave.

After some digging around it seems like they might be caused by the directory scanning behavior employed by Calibre's import routine. Apparently, other projects have encountered Mac OS issuing these warnings when recursively listing directories, see for example atom/atom#17687

Additionally I glanced over the python files/libalfredo.dylib in the release zip if I could see any attempts that'd obviously read the address book and found none - not that this means anything :)

[numbchicken]

Hi Im running version 10.14.6 of Mojave with the dedrm stand alone app, and I also received this request for dedrm to access my calendar, contacts, and was wondering if anyone knows whether this is normal or if this is a security threat

[gershomtripp]

@numbchicken I suspect it has something to do with the more rigorous security in the Apple OSs' more recent versions. Still, it's weird that it needs access to so MANY things. I'm sticking to the Calibre plugin myself.