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When an application hangs, and I force-quit it, my system typically generates a long report, and invites me to send that report to Apple.

My question is this: Does this report contain any confidential information, especially information that could be used to compromise the security of my system, were it to fall into non-trustworthy hands?

I ask because this happened recently with one of my programs, and I offered to forward this report to the developer. However, it occurred to me I don't know the company well enough to trust them with confidential information. Thus I'd like to know if it is completely "safe" to forward them the complete report.

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Here's Apple's policy regarding info shared in crash reports. See the part in bold text:

Analytics information may be sent to Apple when you report a problem; you can opt in or out of sharing the information.

About analytics and privacy

Apple would like your help improving the quality of its products and services, > including Siri and other intelligent features, by allowing analytics of usage data from your device and your iCloud account.

With your permission, macOS can automatically collect analytics information from your Mac and send it to Apple to help improve the quality and performance of its products. This information is sent only with your consent and is submitted anonymously to Apple.

You can also allow analytics of usage and data from your iCloud account to help Apple develop and improve Siri and other intelligent features. Analysis of data from your iCloud account including text snippets from email messages or other similar data in your account is undertaken only after the data has undergone privacy preserving techniques such as differential privacy so that it is not associated with you or your account.

Further details

If you agree to send Mac Analytics information to Apple, it may include the following:

  • Details about app or system crashes, freezes, or kernel panics

  • Information about events on your Mac (for example, whether a certain function such as waking your Mac was successful or not)

  • Usage information (for example, data about how you use Apple and third-party software, hardware, and services)

Analytics data contains your computer’s hardware and software specifications, including information about devices connected to your Mac and the versions of the operating system and apps you’re using on your Mac. Personal data is either not logged at all in the reports generated by your Mac, is subject to privacy preserving techniques such as differential privacy, or is removed from any reports before they’re sent to Apple. If you want to add a description of your actions when the problem occurred, click the disclosure triangle and enter your comments. Please do not provide personal information.

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    So it would seem that, according to this, the reports could contain confidential info., and thus I should not share them with developers. Specifically, it seems to say the report could contain confidential info. but, if it does, it is either removed from the report before it's sent to Apple, or my privacy is protected using differential privacy (the latter, as I understand it, means that my privacy is protected b/c Apple engineers only see aggregated data from many reports).....
    – theorist
    Commented May 15, 2018 at 22:55
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    ...And while those tactics could shield confidential information if I used the report as designed, and sent it to Apple, neither of them would shield confidential info. if I sent an unedited report directly to a developer.
    – theorist
    Commented May 15, 2018 at 22:58

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