HACKER Q&A
📣 throwaway290

macOS Ventura hidden “Regulatory Domain” system service


Some time after Ventura upgrade a new "app" using my location appeared, listed as Regulatory Domain system service. It shows up under location icon in menu bar but is not mentioned anywhere. Maybe someone knows what it's about? Is this related to the mysterious "system customization" checkbox that appeared in settings a few versions back?

  👤 pseufaux Accepted Answer ✓
Doing a quick search on my machine, my assumption is that it has to do with the RegulatoryDomain.framework which is part of both XCode and CommandLineTools. This framework does not appear to exist in macOS 12 SDK.

$ sudo find / -type d -name "RegulatoryDomain.framework" -prune 2>/dev/null /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX13.1.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Volumes/Update/mnt1/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Volumes/Data/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX13.1.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Volumes/Data/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Volumes/Data/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Profiles/Runtimes/iOS.simruntime/Contents/Resources/RuntimeRoot/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /System/Volumes/Data/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Profiles/Runtimes/iOS.simruntime/Contents/Resources/RuntimeRoot/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/RegulatoryDomain.framework

👤 Kenji
As someone who works in Embedded Firmware and integrates WiFi modules: Regulatory Domain or RegDom is usually related to radio emission settings. Each country has certain (subtly different) laws about which radio frequency may or may not be used for WiFi transmissions. The firmware and software has to comply with the regulation. This is why it need to know your location (some devices are also hardcoded to the country they're sold in).