What is the function of Replicatord in macOS Sequoia 15?

rotorblades wrote:

How will a screenshot help in understanding what replicatord does?

It will tell us where those messages are coming from. If they are coming from a 3rd party app, then we can tell you what app you need to delete. If they are coming from an Apple app, then we can tell you what's wrong with that. Otherwise, we just have to guess.

I understand it is a system process - but what does that process do?

Apple doesn't document those details.

The message I am getting is saying to either allow or block the attempt to use the process.

You shouldn't be seeing messages like that. It's an Apple process. If you need to manually approve each Apple process every time it runs, then your life is over. You will spend the rest of your days trying to decide which of thousands of processes you need to approve and under which circumstances. That doesn't make any sense.

How much did you spend for this computer? Do you really want to have to deal with this forever? You want to manually approve each low-level operation? Where does that end?

SONAR3 wrote:

Same error here.

Screenshot indicates it is a Norton 360 alert.

Any further help on this etresoft?

You don't need any antivirus on a Mac. Plus, these kinds of firewalls and networking tools are not working very well with Sequoia.

SONAR3 wrote:

Pardon my ignorance, but why would I not need/use NORTON AV on my. iMac? i.e. email scanning and download scanning for virus etc

You aren't going to get any virus on a Mac. The only way people get malware on a Mac is by purposefully bypassing multiple levels of Apple security. Sometimes they do this to run pirated versions of expensive apps for free, or watch some paid streaming movie or sporting events for free. But you do have to install it on purpose. And you have to try really hard to do so.

danyochim wrote:

Please, has anybody found out what "replicatord" is yet?

Read above! There are plenty of answers relating this to Norton.

As HWTech wrote, having this third party software is part of the problem.

I strongly recommend that you read the document that HWTech linked to in his post, and uninstall Norton.

Receiving popups asking for access to rep… - Apple Community

In their case, the issue was Third Party Security Software and specifically " Norton360 "

Third Party Firewall, any special reason for the need to use it ?

Any worthwhile Access Point / Router would be the IP Address any Hacker from a State Sponsors Group would be seeing

The IP address of the computer is not exposed outside of your Network

If and only if you might be a Worthly Target for such attacks, Apple does offer some protections

About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spyware - Apple Support

Lock down your Mac if you’re targeted by a cyberattack

Once this type of software is installed Norton AV Software

You can spend hours or days hunting down all the bits and pieces of this software and never really get it all off the computer 

Start Over from Scratch 

For Apple Silicon computer >> Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

For Apple Intel computers >>   Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac followed by How to reinstall macOS

Always make a Time Machine Backup  before  proceeding 

If going this route - I suggest Not using Startup Assist to migrate everything back.

This will probably Re-Introduce (Norton AV Software ) back into the Operating System 

https://xyproblem.info/ is not going to solve the issue of using a Third Party Security Software

There are no known Windows-like Viruses in the wild that self replicate and affect macOS, because of the underling UNIX  Foundation and Permission Limitation. 

The Operating System resides in a Sealed and Read Only Volume that cannot be opened by the User nor by Third Party Applications.

The Only thing this Antivirus software is protecting is the Bank Account of the Developers and for zero return to the User aside from the problems this software creates.

AntiVirus Developers purposefully Market their product to create a “ Fear Factor “. In so doing, creating a False Need for their Product.

Security. Built right in

Mac app security enhancements

 The Built in Security  is all that is required to protect the computer.

Protecting against malware in macOS

Yes, there is Adware & Malware which will affect the computer and is generally downloaded from “ Shady “ Websites or Developers who Inject this software into the download.

From a well written User Tip from @Kurt Lang

What is malware? - Apple Community

danyochim wrote:

Please, has anybody found out what "replicatord" is yet?

Very much agree with @Luis S and remove Norton AV Software

Though, Yes a caveat and hopefully not necessary.

Once this type of software is installed >> Norton AV Software

You can spend hours or days hunting down all the bits and pieces of this software and never really get it all off the computer 

Start Over from Scratch 

For Apple Silicon computer >> Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

For Apple Intel computers >>   Use Disk Utility to erase an Intel-based Mac followed by How to reinstall macOS

Always make a Time Machine Backup  before  proceeding 

If going this route - I suggest Not using Startup Assist to migrate everything back.

This will probably Re-Introduce (Norton AV Software ) back into the Operating System 

Thereby, negating all the hard work of reinstalling a Fresh Copy of macOS 15.0 Sequoia

Pardon my ignorance, but why would I not need/use NORTON AV on my. iMac? i.e. email scanning and download scanning for virus etc

True, but the question what replicatord is and does, still remains open.

The firewall is garbage, too.

I don't have Norton installed but my Little Snitch firewall gives me the warning to be seen in my screenshot below.

I'm on an Intel MacBook Air running Mac OS 15.0.1 (24A348).

The problem I'm having is not that much about the process but WHICH thrid party is trying to make the connection to my MacBook. Up until a few years ago we would just copy the IP address from the notification and would know right away WHO is trying to connect or to which outside address one of our apps whants to connect to.

BUT HOW are we going to find out since those new addresses were introduced? How will I know WHO 2001:9e8:1fc:6700:c1dc:6171:c1c0:f50b is that wants to connect via UDP-Port 59609 to my Mac?

Look under System Settings > Network > Ethernet. I'd be a bit surprised if the IPv6 address or DNS server shown isn't yourself.

rotorblades wrote:

I am receiving messages regarding a process or app, "replicatord". What is this in macOS Sequoia 15?

System Process

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ReplicatorCore.framework/Support/replicatord