What is System Integrity Protection in OS X El Capitan and how to disable it

System Integrity Protection, or SIP - it is one of new features OS X El Capitan, aimed at protecting the integrity of the system. What does it represent and what it will need to disconnect, we will cover in this article.

What is SIP

On OS X, as well as in any Unix-like operating systems, normal users have limited rights to change system files. Nevertheless, most of us uses the administrator account as the primary and, accordingly, knowing the root-password, can "commit follies". With the release of OS X El Capitan Apple further tightened security policy and now, even with full access (on their behalf, and applications), users can not modify system files and settings.

In other words, SIP - is an analogue of the "sandbox". Third-party applications can not interfere with the operation of the system, change the protected files on disk and in memory. Such rights have only Apple applications and installers Sofware Update, which have the appropriate signature.

Why disable it

Since this is such a cool thing, which stands on the safety guard system and cares for the welfare of users, why turn it off, you ask. Theoretically, all that, but there is one "but."

Because of SIP applications and some third-party utilities are losing part of its functionality, and even stop working altogether. We are not talking about applications from the Mac App Store, with them everything is in perfect order, and the programs that are due to Apple app store restrictions apply beyond. As an example, popular among makovodov Bartender and utility iStat Menus. Both do not work correctly because of the inability to rearrange the system icons in the menu bar.

Some developers rewrote their program code, so they can work in OS X El Capitan with SIP, such as application Trim Enabler, which includes support for SSD trim in a third-party, as well as backup tools Super Duper! and Carbon Copy Cloner. However, there are applications that are still not functioning due to System Integrity Protection. If you encounter this problem, the solution is - you can disable the SIP.

How to disable

SIP can only be disabled from the recovery mode (otherwise why such protection is necessary, unless the system is broken?). That is, we have to reboot to get access to the "Terminal" and enter the shutdown command. Here's how.

1. Turning off our Mac and when the stifle ⌘R keys (Command + R).
   
2. After loading we get into the recovery menu. Open the section "Utilities" and launch "Terminal".
   
3. It remains to introduce a small team, but will have to manually dial, so pay attention:

   csrutil disable

4. Reboot the Mac menu , the settings to take effect.

It's all. If any of the applications you do not work for you, it will work once you reboot. For example, I could not hide Bartender Spotlight and "Notification Center" icon - SIP after a trip they immediately disappeared from the menu bar.

For those who are worried about Mac security, there is good news. SIP is not necessary to switch off permanently, you can simply disable it by restarting idle applications, and enable the protection again. To do this, just to boot into recovery mode and trying to drive in the "Terminal" command:

csrutil enable

iStat Menus and Bartender after the SIP switching my working properly. It is possible, however, that if you change the settings in other applications mute / unmute have to repeat the procedure.