Endpoint Security authorization guarantees after client failure or disconnection

I’m reviewing a hypothetical macOS worker controlled through Endpoint Security authorization events. The design uses synthetic fixtures only; no Endpoint Security client has been created for this candidate.

The worker’s prohibited operations must be denied before access occurs and remain denied throughout its lifetime.

The documentation for es_set_deadline_miss_mode describes missed authorization deadlines and queue overflow. I need clarification on the separate case where the authorization client disappears.

For both es_new_client and es_new_descendants_client:

What verdict applies to an outstanding AUTH request if the client crashes, disconnects or is deleted before responding?

What governs subsequent operations after the last matching client disappears or unsubscribes?

Does ES_DEADLINE_MISS_MODE_FAIL_CLOSED cover any of those situations, or only missed deadlines and queue overflow?

Is there a supported mechanism that preserves the required denials for an already-running worker throughout client loss and recovery?

Which guarantees differ between the two client types or across released macOS versions?

Please distinguish pending requests from later requests. A watchdog that eventually terminates the worker would not establish denial during the intervening period.

I’m seeking a public, versioned contract or clarification of the specific limitation requiring another independent enforcement mechanism.

Relevant references:

Deadline miss policy

Client deletion

Descendant-scoped client

No real credentials, backups or customer data are involved. This request does not seek entitlement grants, permission changes or access to private APIs.

FAIL_CLOSED covers missed deadlines and queue-full drops. Docs don't specify pending AUTH on client deletion or later denial after disconnect; es_delete_client only destroys/disconnects. For strict denial, use separate enforcement during ES loss and ask DTS for a version-specific guarantee.

Docs

What verdict applies to an outstanding AUTH request if the client
crashes, disconnects or is deleted before responding?

No restrictions are applied to the client, so they'd (presumably) be approved.

What governs subsequent operations after the last matching client
disappears or unsubscribes?

I'm not sure how this question is differen than the previous one.

Does ES_DEADLINE_MISS_MODE_FAIL_CLOSED cover any of those situations,

No.

or only missed deadlines and queue overflow?

Yes.

Is there a supported mechanism that preserves the required denials for
an already-running worker throughout client loss and recovery?

No, not within our APIs.

Which guarantees differ between the two client types or across
released macOS versions?

None? es_new_client and es_new_descendants_client differ in the scope of what process they monitor and the degree of deadline configurability. Other than that, their behavior is the same.

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Kevin Elliott
DTS Engineer, CoreOS/Hardware