Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified

“Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified”

“Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” is a Mac error that users who have updated their macOS to Catalina tend to experience. According to researchers, the Mac “Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” error is caused by the stricter security standards macOS Catalina has, which may detect malware.

If you have recently started experiencing this error, there are two possible scenarios. The first, and the more preferable one, is that the error appears on your screen when you try to run a given app that doesn’t meet the security standards of the new macOS version. However, the other possible scenario is that there’s indeed hidden malware in your Mac that is somehow related to the app that can’t be opened.

For example, users commonly get the “Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” Mac error when they try to run the Terraform tool. Terraform is an open-source coding tool that is used by many customers and is not harmful in and of itself. However, it isn’t excluded that some malware program may have hijacked it or may be trying to mimic it in order to trick the user. Therefore, it is important to not ignore this error and check your system for any potential threats if you are getting the Mac “Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” error. In the malware removal guide right below this article, you will find some helpful instructions that will show you the way you can check your Mac for any harmful programs and remove them in a safe manner. If the instructions are confusing or if you like things done automatically, you can also make use of the suggested removal app that has been tested against different types of malware and should be able to help you against most potential threats.

“Mac cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” Fix

There is a way to make your Mac ignore the discrepancy between its security standards and the security levels of the app you are trying to run. This will prevent the “Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” error from showing up again for the specific app but be warned: opening the application that’s giving the error may result in exposing your computer to different hazards, so proceed at your own discretion. Here is how you can override the warning:

1. Open Finder and search for the app that’s giving you the error.
2. Control-click on the selected application and then, from the Shortcut menu, select Open.
3. Now click on Open and your app should now start and be saved as an exception.

Now, if you want to check if there is any hidden malware in your computer (which we advise you to do), proceed to the following guide and carefully execute the steps listed there. 

SUMMARY:

Name	Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified
Type	Browser Hijacker (potentially)
Danger Level	Medium (nowhere near threats like Ransomware, but still a security risk)
Symptoms	An error message that prevents you from running the chosen app.
Distribution Method	Malware that may be related to this error could be distributed via low-reputation sites, spam letters, and misleading ads.
Detection Tool	Some threats of this type try to reinstall themselves multiple times if you don't delete their core files. We recommend downloading ComboCleaner to scan for malicious programs. This may save you hours and cut down your time to about 15 minutes. Download ComboCleaner (Free Remover)* OFFER *Free Remover allows you limited scan and removal features, subject to a 3-day free trial evaluation request.ComboCleaner's EULA, Privacy Policy and more details about Free Remover.

Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified Uninstall

For a quick way to remove the Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified pop-up (when caused by a browser hijacker) try to do this inside your Mac browser:

1. Open your Mac browser.
2. Go to Preferences.
3. Now navigate to the extensions sub-menu.
4. Look for any unfamiliar entries that may be the cause of  Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified pop up.
   
5. Remove Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified from your Mac as well as any other suspicious-looking items by clicking on the trash bin icon.

If this does not help then continue reading this article for more detailed instructions on how to get rid of Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified!

The first thing you need to do is to Quit Safari (if it is opened). If you have trouble closing it normally, you may need to Force Quit Safari:

You can choose the Apple menu and click on Force Quit.

Alternatively, you can simultaneously press ⌘ (the Command key situated next to the space bar), Option (the key right next to it) and Escape (the key located at the upper left corner of your keyboard).

If you have done it right a dialog box titled Force Quit Applications will open up.

In this new dialog window select Safari, then press the Force Quit button, then confirm with Force Quit again.

Close the dialog box/window.

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Start Activity Monitor by opening up Finder, then proceed to

Once there, look at all the processes: if you believe any of them are hijacking your results, or are part of the problem, highlight the process with your mouse, then click the “i” button at the top. This will open up the following box:

Now click on Sample at the bottom:

Do this for all processes you believe are part of the threat, and run any suspicious files in our online virus scanner, then delete the malicious files:

The next step is to safely launch Safari again. Press and hold the Shift key while relaunching Safari. This will prevent Safari’s previously opened pages from loading again. Once Safari is opened up, you can release the Shift key.

On the off chance that you are still having trouble with scripts interrupting the closing of unwanted pages in Safari, you may need to take some additional measures.

First, Force Quit Safari again.

Now if you are using a Wi-Fi connection turn it off by selecting Wi-Fi off in you Mac’s Menu. If you are using a cable internet (Ethernet connection), disconnect the Ethernet cable.

Re-Launch Safari but don’t forget to press and hold the Shift button while doing it, so no previous pages can be opened up. Now, Click on Preferences in the Safari menu,

and then again on the Extensions tab,

Select and Uninstall any extensions that you don’t recognize by clicking on the Uninstall button. If you are not sure and don’t want to take any risks you can safely uninstall all extensions, none are required for normal system operation.

The threat has likely infected all of your browsers. The instructions below need to be applied for all browsers you are using.

Again select Preferences in the Safari Menu, but this time click on the Privacy tab,

Now click on Remove All Website Data, confirm with Remove Now. Keep in mind that after you do this all stored website data will be deleted. You will need to sign-in again for all websites that require any form of authentication.

Still in the Preferences menu, hit the General tab

Check if your Homepage is the one you have selected, if not change it to whatever you prefer.

Select the History menu this time, and click on Clear History. This way you will prevent accidentally opening a problematic web page again.

 How to Remove Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified From Firefox in OSX:

Open Firefox, click on  (top right) ——-> Add-ons. Hit Extensions next.

The problem should be lurking somewhere around here –  Remove it. Then Refresh Your Firefox Settings.

How to Remove Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified From Chrome in OSX:

 Start Chrome, click  —–>More Tools —–> Extensions. There,  find the malware and  select  .

 Click  again, and proceed to Settings —> Search, the fourth tab, select Manage Search Engines.  Delete everything but the search engines you normally use. After that Reset Your Chrome Settings.

If the guide doesn’t help, download the anti-virus program we recommended or try our free online virus scanner. Also, you can always ask us in the comments for help!