[redleader55]

> This program patches Explorer in order to accomplish its enhancements, and apparently one of its patches went awry

The fact this is possible is the clowniest thing! Why would a major system component allow "extensions" to run without a sandbox and modify its code?

[kmeisthax]

Caught the Apple employee.

When most of this code was written, sandboxes didn't exist. Existing security concepts were built around protecting users from hacking each other on a shared multi-user system. Of course a user is allowed to patch their own processes, how else are they going to debug them and why should we stop them from doing so?

[arcfour]

If you have Administrator access, you can patch the memory of anything...a normal user wouldn't be permitted to patch Explorer.

Trying to prevent patching in userland code sounds like a nightmare.

[Spivak]

Because you're admin and you can do anything you want with that power good or bad.