Weird uninformative error message: "ServiceExtension differs from previously opened versions."

[CalMin]

Just got the message:

"ServiceExtension" differs from previously opened versions. Are you sure you want to open it? Opening "ServiceExtension" will allow it to access data from previously used versions of "ServiceExtension"

.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[kirsch]

I just got the same exact message.

I don't know what is causing it but I did upgrade WhatsApp (deleted the old version 2.2343.55 and installed from Mac App Store version 23.23.78) a few hours ago and I wonder if it's related.

Do you recall upgrading anything before getting the alert?

 

[CalMin]

I just got the same exact message.

I don't know what is causing it but I did upgrade WhatsApp (deleted the old version 2.2343.55 and installed from Mac App Store version 23.23.78) a few hours ago and I wonder if it's related.

Do you recall upgrading anything before getting the alert?

Bingo. I did the same thing with WhatsApp - that must be the cause. I used AppCleaner - although I don't think it successfully removed all of the cruft from the non-App Store version before I installed the App Store version. I'll try a reboot and reinstall and see if that sorts things out.

 

[Frixos]

I also did that with Whatsapp.
Do I "Open Anyway?"

 

[galad]

Sonoma shows that alert when opening a different version of an app that was signed with a different certificate. It could be caused by the fact that WhatsApp on the App Store is signed with a different certificate than the standalone version.

In this case it's safe to click "Open Anyway".

 

[kirsch]

I didn't click Open Anyway and all was fine.

 

[CalMin]

In this case it's safe to click "Open Anyway".

I didn't have time to reboot as I said above - I had too many things open. Any how, I clicked "Open Anyway" and my MacBook immediately spun up its fans, smoke started pouring out and the chassis started to melt. A portal to the underworld opened up from the MagSafe port and then I got a kernel panic and peace was restored.

Actually that was all lies. I clicked Open Anyway and went about my day. Thanks for the response.

Joking aside - this is among the most uninformative error messages I have seen for a while. I had no clue which app it was coming from and assumed that it was possible malware. I mean, WhatsApp, kind of is, but I'm generally pretty diligent about installing stuff and paying attention to GateKeeper prompts. That's why I felt safer migrating WhatsApp to the AppStore version versus the non AppStore version.

Thanks all for the input here!

 

[AstonFox]

I also got that message a couple of days after updating WhatsApp.

I had manually installed the first AS native version and then when I installed the App Store version, it completely replaced the previous version. I didn't knew it was possible for the App Store apps to replace side loaded versions.
Nice surprise, I guess.

 

[rotorb]

Same, after uninstalling Whatsapp standalone and installing App Store version.

 

[jasto]

It maybe connected to WhatsApp. Have a look at this article it maybe useful: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210999

 

[ilovemym1mba]

Wow. I had the same exact case, clicked "Open Anyway".

And since, we here are a bunch of very specific folk (who replaced downloaded whatsapp from app store's one).
How are you? How has been your experience with both the versions? What was your rationale behind this move?

I'll tell you about mine.
I upgraded because I felt that the app store version would be able to keep itself better updated.
and
I wanted whatever thin/thick guardrails App Store might put on apps regarding sandboxing and data access.

 

[KALLT]

And since, we here are a bunch of very specific folk (who replaced downloaded whatsapp from app store's one).
How are you? How has been your experience with both the versions? What was your rationale behind this move?

I'll tell you about mine.
I upgraded because I felt that the app store version would be able to keep itself better updated.
and
I wanted whatever thin/thick guardrails App Store might put on apps regarding sandboxing and data access.

I actually had problems with the Sparkle updater that the non-MAS version of WhatsApp uses to update itself. Several times it showed a dialog to notify me of an available update, but then hide the dialog behind the main window, so that I did not immediately see it (I think sometimes I did not see it for several days). Sometimes, upon trying a manual update, I also got the error that the "updater" was already running. Automatic updates via the MAS hopefully resolves these problems and makes the app less of a hassle, notwithstanding the "ServiceExtension differs from previously opened versions" dialog that I also received (and which lead me here).