[tightsocks]

Is it normal for an app to make changes to itself?

This cloud back-up app seems to store its log files within its application bundle.

http://www.cx.com/home/logs

Is this normal?

I though most apps run as the current user and since I typically log-in as a standard user don't see how an app in the /Applications folder can make changes to itself...

Any opinions on this (or the associated cloud service)?

[Laurence]

It's certainly not normal and really a bad practice in general.

Even so, there's no reason that a standard user couldn't write to some location inside of the Applications folder even if they don't have write access to /Applications itself. The installer could have easily made a folder inside the application bundle that everyone has full read/write control of.

I wouldn't use any software that does this. There's a Logs folder inside each users' Library folder for this exact purpose. If they don't follow this rule, what others are they ignoring as well?

[CharlesS]

Additionally, once developers start moving more towards code-signed apps (or once Apple starts forcing it), they won't be able to pull this sort of thing anymore.