App Store keeps asking for admin password I periodically get the following dialog box on my MacBook, running OS 10.9.5:


  App Store is trying to install Apple-provided software. Type an administrator's name and password to allow this.


I get this dialog even if I don't have the App Store open on my machine. I have turned off all automatic updates in System Preferences.

The problem is that I have no idea what this software is--I don't see any such updates in the App store when I open it.  My administrator account is distinct from my user account (which doesn't have admin privileges).  I can't disable this popup.  It drives me nuts (and I think it's a poor design choice by Apple that this dialog doesn't provide information about what it wants to do, and then expects me to type in an admin password and trust it).  If I press "Cancel," the box goes away until it pops up later -- when, I don't know.  If I press "Install Software," it again provides zero feedback.

Looked at my console log too.  No info.

So, who can tell me what this is, and how to stop it?
Security updates are for your security. Unpatched systems are first to be attacked when a new exploit is discovered.
Of course, if you were running in an admin account, these could all be done silently. As you're not, someone has to authenticate every time.

Switch off all updates… in all accounts…



Sign out of the App Store… in all accounts…