Why does the Mac OS X installer require a password?

[Michael_Wilde]

If all of the files are owned by me, the user... why does splunk's installer need to elevate privileges?

[araitz · Accepted solution]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2558?viewlocale=en_US

Installing software in Mac OS X requires an administrator account name and password. 
When installing software that uses the Installer included with Mac OS X, Installer displays 
a dialog with an authorization message (even if you're the only person using the computer):

"You need an Administrator password to install the software. Click the lock to make changes."

[araitz]

perhaps, or perhaps

[Michael_Wilde]

But Alex is correct. All users must authenticate to install apps, even with the "drag/drop" method. If you don't get prompted, its because you are admin--and really should be running as a "normal" user as its a better security protocol

[Michael_Wilde]

Often, Mac users run as "admin". They are used to just drag/dropping from a DMG in to their Applications folder without a prompt for applications that don't have "installers"--like Skype.

Apps that do have installers usually do make you do secondary authentication when the run--hence the password prompt when you install Splunk.

However, Splunk's installer doesn't appear to do anything other than move its files in the "/Applications/splunk" folder so it would seem Splunk really doesn't need an an installer per se, and should probably follow the conventions of a typical OS X app.