MacPeek RemotePermissions
Why MacPeek utilities can't kill or read some things: it runs as your user, never elevates privileges, and marks protected or permission-restricted processes.
MacPeek runs as your user and never asks for administrator rights, not even to display ports or processes. Each utility lists the access it needs on its page and in Manage utilities; most need none.
What each utility needs
| Utility | Permission needed | Limits you may notice |
|---|---|---|
| PortPeek | None | Other users’ and root sockets are not listed |
| FileLockPeek | None | Other users’ processes are not listed |
| ProcessPeek | None | Other users’ processes are hidden by default; some details of protected processes are unavailable |
| MemoryPeek | None | Other users’ and protected processes, including some macOS services, cannot be read, so they are not listed |
| CPUPeek | None | Other users’ and protected processes cannot be read, so they are not listed; overall and per-core use include them |
| DiskPeek | None | Other users’ and protected processes cannot be read, so they are not shown |
| EnvPeek | None | A process’s environment can be read only for your own, non-protected processes |
| NetPeek | None | The Wi-Fi network name is hidden by macOS (MacPeek does not request Location access) |
| DNSPeek | None | None |
| DisplayPeek, USBPeek, SleepPeek | None | Serial numbers are never read |
| SoundPeek | None | Never opens an audio stream, so macOS never asks for Microphone access. The slider and mute button appear only on the default output device, and only if it exposes volume or mute |
| UpdatePeek | None | Reports only what macOS, Homebrew and npm say. Check now, the npm check and an npm update use the network, only when you press the button. npm is never run with administrator rights |
No utility asks for Full Disk Access, Accessibility, Screen Recording or Location.
Indicators (utilities that can end a process)
- ✓ Can terminate — owned by your user.
- ⚠ Permission required — owned by another user; the kernel will refuse the signal.
- 🔒 Protected/system process — root-owned, PID 1 or MacPeek itself; the Kill button is disabled.
Why a kill can fail
macOS only lets a process signal processes with the same user ID (unless root). If termination fails you’ll see:
Permission denied. postgres (PID 921) cannot be terminated by the current user.MacPeek will not silently elevate. If you really need to stop a root-owned process, use Terminal deliberately: sudo kill <pid>.
Notifications and login item
Notifications are optional (off with one toggle). Launch at login uses Apple’s SMAppService and can be revoked in System Settings → General → Login Items.