"Profiles/MDM wants to make changes"

[Connor Shannon]

I've been getting this popup on my MacBook today. I found some info on the net that said its about wifi profiles so I tried to remove the Xfinity profile in System Preferences but then the window pops up again and I don't know if its safe to put in my system password. Can anyone tell me?

[Jolly Roger]

I'm not sure why anyone would want to allow their internet service
provider to install a Mobile Device Management profile on their devices.
Seems extremely risky in terms of the inherent security and privacy
implications to me.

I've used Xfinity for years with no such thing installed on my systems.
It's definitely not needed.

I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[Connor Shannon]

Thank you for responding JR but I don't remember telling Xfinity to do that I don't use Xfinity wi fi at home. But anyway like I said I can't remove the profile I get that popup when I try. I click the "-" and then Remove but then the same window pops up again. is it safe to put in my password so i can remove it? This isn't the "unlock" window I usually see with System PReferences this is the "profiles/MDM" window that wants my password.

[Connor Shannon]

p.s. I just ran Malwarebytes and it didn't find anything bad.

[David Brooks]

That was a good move!

Try starting in Safe Boot mode:- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Once restarted in normal mode, does your 'problem' persist?

Please advise.

[b...@ripco.com]

Jolly Roger <jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:

> I've used Xfinity for years with no such thing installed on my systems.
> It's definitely not needed.
>
> I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.

I don't think it's malicious but then again, it's Comcast/Infinity.

I beleive it's for the "free" public wifi they provide by tapping into
customers routers. Installing it avoids you having to log into them manually
went you are in range of one.

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/about-xfinity-wifi-internet

If you never plan on using them, no point installing it.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[Jolly Roger]

On 2022-07-23, Connor Shannon <cshann...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:11:21 PM UTC-7, Jolly Roger wrote:
>> On 2022-07-23, Connor Shannon <cshann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I've been getting this popup on my MacBook today. I found some info
>> > on the net that said its about wifi profiles so I tried to remove
>> > the Xfinity profile in System Preferences but then the window pops
>> > up again and I don't know if its safe to put in my system password.
>> > Can anyone tell me?
>>
>> I'm not sure why anyone would want to allow their internet service
>> provider to install a Mobile Device Management profile on their
>> devices. Seems extremely risky in terms of the inherent security and
>> privacy implications to me.
>>
>> I've used Xfinity for years with no such thing installed on my
>> systems. It's definitely not needed.
>>
>> I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.
>>
>> -- E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM
>> filter. I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client
>> instead.
>>
>> JR
>
> Thank you for responding JR but I don't remember telling Xfinity to do
> that I don't use Xfinity wi fi at home.

You ran an installer from Xfinity at some point in the past, and entered
your administrator account credentials when prompted. This allowed the
installer to add the profile to your computer.

> But anyway like I said I can't remove the profile I get that popup
> when I try. I click the "-" and then Remove but then the same window
> pops up again. is it safe to put in my password so i can remove it?

Yes, the password prompt is from the operating system and is asking for
the credentials of your administrator account so that the system can
remove it.

> This isn't the "unlock" window I usually see with System PReferences
> this is the "profiles/MDM" window that wants my password.

It's still part of the operating system (System Preferences).

[Jolly Roger]

On 2022-07-23, Connor Shannon <cshann...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:19:33 PM UTC-7, Connor Shannon wrote:
>> On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:11:21 PM UTC-7, Jolly Roger wrote:
>> > On 2022-07-23, Connor Shannon <cshann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > > I've been getting this popup on my MacBook today. I found some
>> > > info on the net that said its about wifi profiles so I tried to
>> > > remove the Xfinity profile in System Preferences but then the
>> > > window pops up again and I don't know if its safe to put in my
>> > > system password. Can anyone tell me?
>> >
>> > I'm not sure why anyone would want to allow their internet service
>> > provider to install a Mobile Device Management profile on their
>> > devices. Seems extremely risky in terms of the inherent security
>> > and privacy implications to me.
>> >
>> > I've used Xfinity for years with no such thing installed on my
>> > systems. It's definitely not needed.
>> >
>> > I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.
>> >

>> Thank you for responding JR but I don't remember telling Xfinity to
>> do that I don't use Xfinity wi fi at home. But anyway like I said I
>> can't remove the profile I get that popup when I try. I click the "-"
>> and then Remove but then the same window pops up again. is it safe to
>> put in my password so i can remove it? This isn't the "unlock" window
>> I usually see with System PReferences this is the "profiles/MDM"
>> window that wants my password.
>
> p.s. I just ran Malwarebytes and it didn't find anything bad.

That's good, but I wasn't suggesting it's malware. This is something you
installed. : )

[nospam]

In article <tbglnj$j3$1...@remote6hme0.ripco.com>, <b...@ripco.com> wrote:

> I beleive it's for the "free" public wifi they provide by tapping into
> customers routers. Installing it avoids you having to log into them manually
> went you are in range of one.

for xfinity wifi, you only need to log in once. after that, it
remembers.

[Jolly Roger]

That's probably the case. I just tried joining a nearby "xfinitywifi"
access point and only got a self-assigned IP address.

[Connor Shannon]

So it must of forgotten after a few years? I don't remember the last time I had my MacBook out of my house. I'm sure JR is right that I let Xfinity put that profile on my MacBook sometime but I don't remember when and I don't know why it suddenly started asking me that it wanted to "make changes". Like I said I don't use Xfinity wifi at home.

And like I said it wasn't the normal system password window so I didn't know if it was from Apple or something else which is why I ran Malwarebytes.

Thank you everyone for your help I went ahead and put in my password and the profile went away so it should be okay now.

[Jolly Roger]

But you still need the profile, right? I wasn't asked for any
credentials when I tried to join the "xfinitywifi" access point near me
on my Mac. It appeared to join, but gave me a self-assigned IP address.

This page seems to indicate the profile is required:
<https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/wifi-for-mac>

[nospam]

In article <jk336k...@mid.individual.net>, Jolly Roger

<jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:

> >> I beleive it's for the "free" public wifi they provide by tapping into
> >> customers routers. Installing it avoids you having to log into them
> >> manually
> >> went you are in range of one.
> >
> > for xfinity wifi, you only need to log in once. after that, it
> > remembers.
>
> But you still need the profile, right?

there are two xfinity hotspot ssids: the open xfinitywifi which has no
password and the secure xfinity which does. the latter is what the
profile is for (although it might be possible to use it without).

> I wasn't asked for any
> credentials when I tried to join the "xfinitywifi" access point near me
> on my Mac. It appeared to join, but gave me a self-assigned IP address.

that's odd. you should be able to join and get a valid ip address, then
see a splash page where xfinity customers can log in and use it as part
of their plan and non-customers can sign up and pay for access.

[Jolly Roger]

On 2022-07-23, nospam <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote:

I didn't go so far as to open a new web tab/window. I just joined then
clicked the WiFi menu extra and saw "self-assigned" there. I also didn't
bother to disconnect my Ethernet connection. I'll have to try again
sometime when I'm really bored.

[YK]

On 7/23/22 8:52 AM, Jolly Roger wrote:
> On 2022-07-23, b...@ripco.com <b...@ripco.com> wrote:
>> Jolly Roger <jolly...@pobox.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I've used Xfinity for years with no such thing installed on my
>>> systems. It's definitely not needed.
>>>
>>> I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.
>>
>> I don't think it's malicious but then again, it's Comcast/Infinity.
>>
>> I beleive it's for the "free" public wifi they provide by tapping into
>> customers routers. Installing it avoids you having to log into them
>> manually went you are in range of one.
>>
>> https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/about-xfinity-wifi-internet
>>
>> If you never plan on using them, no point installing it.
>
> That's probably the case. I just tried joining a nearby "xfinitywifi"
> access point and only got a self-assigned IP address.

I have never had any luck in being able to "xfinitywifi" to connect to
the internet, idevice or computer, at home or while it was offered in
public.

[nospam]

In article <tbn6tp$16bt$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, YK <yourk...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

> I have never had any luck in being able to "xfinitywifi" to connect to
> the internet, idevice or computer, at home or while it was offered in
> public.

keep trying. they work exceptionally well.

[YK]

No reason for me to keep trying.

[nospam]

In article <tbpg6a$vcj$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, YK <yourk...@yahoo.com>

wrote:

> >> I have never had any luck in being able to "xfinitywifi" to connect to
> >> the internet, idevice or computer, at home or while it was offered in
> >> public.
> >
> > keep trying. they work exceptionally well.
>
> No reason for me to keep trying.

then don't claim it doesn't work when it does. they wouldn't have
deployed and advertise it if it didn't.

[Joerg Lorenz]

Am 23.07.22 um 02:27 schrieb Connor Shannon:

> On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:19:33 PM UTC-7, Connor Shannon wrote:
>> On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 5:11:21 PM UTC-7, Jolly Roger wrote:
>>> I recommend removing that MDM profile completely.

>> Thank you for responding JR but I don't remember telling Xfinity to do that I don't use Xfinity wi fi at home. But anyway like I said I can't remove the profile I get that popup when I try. I click the "-" and then Remove but then the same window pops up again. is it safe to put in my password so i can remove it? This isn't the "unlock" window I usually see with System PReferences this is the "profiles/MDM" window that wants my password.
>
> p.s. I just ran Malwarebytes and it didn't find anything bad.

Why are you running malware on your Mac?
"Malwarebytes" is snake oil.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

[Joerg Lorenz]

Am 23.07.22 um 14:49 schrieb Jolly Roger:

Is there malware for the Mac in the wild that does not need active
installation by the user?

[Jolly Roger]

The overwhelming majority of Mac malware requires the user to
interactively download it, interactively open it, and interactively
provide administrator credentials when prompted for infection to be
successful.