Comment by spartango

OSX does have 'protected binaries', which refers to binaries that use encrypted pages[1] that require decryption via an anti-piracy kernel extension (Don't Steal Mac OS.kext). This extension can check that you're running on Apple hardware by checking with the System Management Controller(SMC), which is Mac-specific[2].

In the old days (10.4), hackintosh systems would patch the protected binaries to remove the page encryption/decryption. Over time kernel extensions were developed to replace the functionality of Don't Steal Mac OS.kext (dsmos.kext or AppleDecrypt.kext) without the hardware checks.

The reason you no longer need either of these extensions is because a kernel extension called FakeSMC.kext was developed, which emulates as much of the functionality of the SMC as possible. This includes thermal and fan monitoring as well as the decryption key storage.

In a modern hackintosh setup, you make use of EFI emulation (inc. DSDT support) included in the bootloader (a boot-132 derivative, most likely Chameleon) and the pre-boot loading of emulator kernel extensions like FakeSMC.kext.

[1]: http://www.osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter7/binaryprotection/ [2]: http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter7/tpmdrmmyth/