Re: Disabling screen capture
Re: Disabling screen capture
- Subject: Re: Disabling screen capture
- From: "Bradley O'Hearne" <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 10:55:42 -0700
On Feb 21, 2014, at 10:08 AM, Uli Kusterer <email@hidden> wrote:
> On 21 Feb 2014, at 17:54, Bradley O'Hearne <email@hidden> wrote:
>> - A kiosk-type environment isn’t some kind of wacky edge use-case. The question really distills down to whether or not OS X provides APIs that allow an app to facilitate a secure kiosk-type environment. Maybe the design philosophy behind OS X is opposed to this scenario / use-case. I hope that isn’t the case, but if it is, that’s an answer, and while not the desired answer, we can move forward with the knowledge that OS X kiosks aren’t an option.
>
>
> Wait, this is a controlled Kiosk situation? In that case, registering a global hotkey that overrides Cmd-Shift-3 and Cmd-Shift-4 should probably work … ? Though I'm confused, if you're in Kiosk mode, the user couldn't even copy a screenshot made.
Uli — thanks for the reply. Few things:
- I’ve tried registering a global hotkey — it doesn’t override Cmd-Shift-3 or -4, it just adds a new function to it. Apparently global hotkeys can “hook” (if that’s the right word) at multiple levels. I’ve actually found a way to deal with those keystroke commands, though a pain and less than elegant (and annoying for the user). It involves some Carbon calls and (on Mavericks) having to open System Preferences - > Security & Privacy -> Accessibility settings. But that doesn’t solve the problem of remote desktop, screen recording, Airplay, etc.
- I apologize if I confused things by mentioning kiosks. I used that term because it is a common reference point that might quickly explain the idea. In reality, this isn’t a physical kiosk, like one you’d find in a mall, that belongs to no user, and is dedicated to the purpose. This is rather an app running on users’ Macs, its just that when the app runs, it has to temporarily take control of their machines, deliver a test such that the user doesn’t cheat (by having other apps like a web browser available), and the test content isn’t copied, and as soon as the app is exited, things return to normal. While the user is taking the test, they are proctored by a live person via an internal / external video camera, which streams video to a proctoring center full of proctors.
Perhaps I can rephrase the design requirement here in terms (this specific example is is fictional for example) which illustrate better the scenario:
A potential high-profile organization approaches your company and says, “If you can deliver our very expensive certification tests to users’ Macs, prevent users from cheating, and prevent them from using their Macs (via screenshots, screen scraping, remote desktop, screen recording, etc.) to copy the test content being delivered, we will pay your organization $250K per year. If you can’t secure our test content being delivered, we will not use your product at all.”
So, can OS X handle this use-case?
Brad
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