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kOSKextReturnValidation
A validation category, not one fixed defect
kOSKextReturnValidation means that a loader check failed, but the return value intentionally does not identify the exact rule. The useful evidence is the first related loader diagnostic: later messages can be consequences of the initial failed check. Validation is distinct from kOSKextReturnSystemPolicy, which says that macOS policy blocked a kext that reached the policy decision.
Apple's open-source kext loading tool performs validation and access checks before attempting a load. A failure can concern the target bundle itself or a bundle the loader resolves while preparing the dependency set, so examining only the top-level bundle may miss the actual cause.
Collect evidence before changing configuration
- Keep the first diagnostic together with the bundle identifier, executable path, macOS version, and boot architecture.
- Check that the bundle actually being evaluated is the intended build and has not been altered after packaging or signing.
- Inspect the complete resolved dependency set; a validation failure in one dependency can make the requested extension unavailable.
- Do not treat this as a generic approval problem until the diagnostics show that policy, rather than validation, was decisive.
References
- XNU: OSKextLib.h
- Apple kext_tools: kextload_main.c
- Apple Technical Note TN2206: macOS Code Signing In Depth
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