This week’s update to XProtect, bringing it to version 5354, came with a surprise: a brand new file that sets new security protection policies for eight widely used third-party apps. Most recently, XProtect’s main focus has been on providing extensive sets of rules used to perform static detection of malware, but in the past it has been more versatile. In the days when most relied heavily on third-party Java support and used Adobe’s Flash Player, it was XProtect that blocked the use of vulnerable versions of those, in addition to checking for malware signatures. They form two groups, some for Native Messaging Hosts, and others to support Chrome’s Progressive Web Apps. “XProtect may now restrict access to app data that is commonly targeted by malicious software.