What is the process (if any) to develop to iOS Mach (kernel) is there is something similar to Windows when you develop a driver and Microsoft Sign your driver?
can it be distributed via the app Store?
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Thanks, and in osx ? – Sonje Backala Jan 12 '16 at 11:38
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entirely possible, except the app store bit – trojanfoe Jan 12 '16 at 11:38
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Thanks can you point me to some reference regards the bureaucracy of developing a driver to osx? – Sonje Backala Jan 12 '16 at 11:41
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no, i would have to google for that, so you may as well do that yourself – trojanfoe Jan 12 '16 at 11:50
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The iOS kernel does not directly support loadable modules even from Apple as far as I'm aware. Jailbreakers have at various points found ways to modify the kernel, but I don't know what the current status of this is. In any case, even if you figure out how to do it, Apple will not allow you to distribute iOS apps that hack the kernel.
On OS X, there is an official way of distributing kernel modifications: kernel extensions (kexts). From OS X 10.10 on they must be codesigned (10.9 issued a warning if not, so highly recommended even there). To sign a kext, you need a special version of the "Developer Id" (gatekeeper) certificate: you need to be a member of the developer programme, apply for the kext signing certificate (you need to provide a valid reason), and wait for approval. If and when you are approved, you need to request a new Developer ID certificate from Apple's certificate provisioning portal, and finally use that to sign your kexts.
Note that the Mac App Store rules specifically forbid distribution of kexts, so you cannot offer kexts or apps that install/load kexts in the App store. There's a possible loophole in apps that offer a plugin interface. If a user downloads a plugin for a Mac App Store app from outside the App Store, then that plugin can load kexts, as far as I'm aware.
Note that there is a kext tag on StackOverflow which is specifically about OSX kernel development.
