Apple today seeded the Release Candidate (RC) version of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.2 update to developers for testing purposes.
macOS Big Sur 11.2 beta 2 eliminates a feature that allowed Apple apps bypass third-party firewalls, security tools, and VPN apps. macOS Big Sur 11 included a ContentFilterExclusionList that let Apple’s apps like the App Store, Maps, iCloud, and more to avoid firewall and VPN apps that users had installed. These apps were not able to filter or inspect traffic for some built-in Apple apps. That functionality has been removed in macOS Big Sur 11.2.
When macOS Big Sur 11.2 sees a release, Apple apps will be compatible with VPN apps and will no longer be able to bypass firewalls and other security tools.
According to Apple’s release notes, the update also improves Bluetooth reliability and includes multiple bug fixes.
MacDailyNews Take: With the Release Candidate now here, we’d expect the public release of macOS Big Sur 11.2 to be along shortly!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
I will update enthusiastically.
Keeping my fingers crossed that the “fix” the new Messages feature that stops you from deleting text messages with a single click. Considering how many text messages you get (at least half of which are ads or spam), having to click once or twice, then use the mouse to confirm the delete (!), is a giant pain.
I hope TextEdit’s ultra annoying crash bugs are fixed.