VSPDriver - Virtual Serial Port Driver

This is a macOS DriverKit driver implementation including a user interface App.

Current development status

• Without a port link, the data is sent back to the sender
• With a port link, the data is written from sender 1 to receiver 2 and vice versa
• The client app provide installation, deinstallation and management

Release

• All releases

Log Files and Tester

A look at this log shows how the driver ticks with the IOUserClient. This picture shows the VSP driver in action.

Notes for DIY

To build this project you have to do:

• Install QT5 latest for Intel based macOS from archive

• Install QT6 latest for M chip based macOS

• Install the QT framework like

~/Qt

Build the VSPDriver project with all frameworks inside

• run bootstrap.sh first to create dependecies to your QT frameworks

# Type a script or drag a script file from your workspace to insert its path.
# This scriptlet is only for Xcode custom build script in Build Phase
if [ "x${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}" == "x" ] ; then
    echo "Paste the script into Xcode Build Phase - custom build script, or"
    echo "set QTDIR=<where your QT arch root>"
    echo "set PROJECT_ROOT=`pwd`"
    echo 'set BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR=${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/xcode/<Debug|Release>'
    echo 'set PLUGINS_FOLDER_PATH=DRFXBuilder.app/Contents/PlugIns'
    exit 1
fi
echo "--- INSTALL QT-PLUGINS ---"
mkdir -p ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PLUGINS_FOLDER_PATH}
cp -vR ${QTDIR}/PlugIns/* ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PLUGINS_FOLDER_PATH}/
rm -fR ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PLUGINS_FOLDER_PATH}/permissions
rm -fR ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PLUGINS_FOLDER_PATH}/*/*.dSYM

Entitlements, signing and security checks

You should use your own bundle IDs in targets VSPDriver and VSPClient.

Replace bundle ID "org.eof.tools.VSPDriver" in the Xcode VSPDriver target and replace bundle ID "org.eof.tools.VSPClient" in the Xcode VSPClient target

After that you must replace the Dext bundle ID "org.eof.tools.VSPDriver" in VSPClient.entitlements file.

Update source code to install the Dext

Change the the bundle ID in "VSPClientUI/vscmainwindow.cpp" in method "createVspController()".

VSPDriver without any signing and security checks.

The macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP)

Turning off SIP is only possible in the Recovery OS. To do this for your hardware, follow the instructions in Apple's documentation.

In the Recovery OS, open the terminal window from the main menu and enter following command:

Disable the protection on the machine.

$> csrutil disable

Enable the protection on the machine.

$> csrutil enable

Clear the existing configuration.

$> csrutil clear

Setup NVRAM to disable signing checks

$> sudo nvram boot-args="dk=0x8001"

Delete NVRAM boot-args

$> sudo nvram -d boot-args

Enable developer mode for system extensions

$> systemextensionsctl developer on

Disable developer mode for system extensions

$> systemextensionsctl developer off

Donation

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Thank you very much.