Post Auth Script: Application Versions on MAC

rsmoorthy

Hello,

On OpenVPN AS, I have successfully configured Post Auth script that can find out the application versions installed on the client.

I have also setup app verification (as specified at the bottom of this post), so I can verify the Applications installed on the client. This works great with Windows.

On Mac OS X, I am unable to get a clear picture. I tried REGEX to match applications like "firefox", "chrome" and others, but it always said "ERR_NOT_FOUND". I was trying to match application names based on About this Mac -> System Report -> Software -> Applications.

Then I tried Regex values like "a", "b", "apple" and it says "ERR_MANY_FOUND". That was interesting, but I could not really make out further.

Then I tried the regex value "dev" and it found one application and returned its version as "7.2.0.0.1.1447826929" -- but I am unable to figure out where is this application and what it is actually matching.

In short, how do I find the list of applications on Mac -- that OpenVPN Client actually reads?

rsmoorthy

OK, I was able to figure this out. I was relatively new to Mac OS X, so it took some time...

I did a dtruss on OpenVPN connect software on Mac and figured that it was opening files in /private/var/db/receipts/*.bom and *.plist files. From there, I realized that they are managed by pkgutil - for all software installed via packages (.pkg file).

So, that helps and I am now creating new packages for Mac OS X using http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html that allows me to list my application in the OpenVPN logs.