Install alienator88-sentinel with Homebrew Cask

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

No executable aliases were found in the local package database.

Project history

Alin Lupascu developed Sentinel in Swift as a graphical interface for controlling Gatekeeper, removing quarantine status, and ad-hoc self-signing macOS applications. The project also added Finder integration and a GitHub Releases-based updater.

Adoption history

Sentinel attracted a substantial GitHub following as a focused graphical utility for macOS users handling quarantined or unsigned applications. It is available as a precompiled release and through Homebrew Cask.

The maintainer placed development on indefinite hold after the end of 2025, citing lack of time and access to a personal Mac development system.

How it is used

Users can drop an application onto Sentinel to remove quarantine or replace its signature with an ad-hoc signature. A Finder extension provides contextual unquarantine actions. Because these operations weaken or alter macOS trust checks, users should apply them only to software they independently trust.

Why package nerds care

Sentinel wraps sensitive macOS security operations that otherwise involve Gatekeeper controls, quarantine extended attributes, and code-signing commands. Its packaging highlights the trust tradeoffs involved in distributing utilities that deliberately alter application security metadata.

Timeline

• Before 2026: Sentinel gained Finder integration, self-signing, quarantine removal, and GitHub-based updates.
• End of 2025: Active development effectively stopped.
• 2026: The maintainer documented the project as on hold indefinitely.

Related projects

• macOS Gatekeeper
• codesign
• xattr
• Pearcleaner

Sources

• https://github.com/alienator88/Sentinel
• https://itsalin.com/appInfo?id=sentinel