Earlier quoted context omitted.
>It also significantly reduces the usefulness of code signing for the vast majority I'd argue that code signing for the average person has zero utility on Windows, and negative utility on macOS. I really don't think anybody understands or even cares what a certificate means, and the only practical outcome is that sometimes they get scary messages when the app they're installing didn't pay MS for a license.
macOS by default doesn't run unsigned or incorrectly signed apps, period. Only Apple can hand out certificates and certificates are at the very least associated with payment info (though sometimes they want more, DUNS number or whatever). Signed application bundles remove many attack vectors. The primary remaining vectors are: 1. A malicious entity can sign up for a developer account. 2. A non-malicious entity's cert…
It kinda depends on what you mean by “default”, but you can always right click an app in Finder and select “open”. When you get the scary “unsigned app” pop-up there will be an extra option there to run it anyway, allowing you to run unsigned binaries without making any settings changes to the os.
That said, I largely agree with the rest of your comment. I do think, as a developer, their stapling stuff is way more onerous than the plain code signing. It basically puts Apple in the position to reject your app in the same way they reject apps in the store, even though there is no store involved.