macOS users around the world recently discovered that Logitech Options+ and Logitech G Hub suddenly stopped launching, stripping Logitech peripherals of custom profiles, macros, and advanced settings. The root cause was not malware or a system update, but something far more mundane and revealing: an expired code signing certificate that Logitech did not renew in time.
Why Logitech Options+ and G Hub Stopped Working on macOS
Logitech Options+ and G Hub are companion utilities that unlock advanced functionality for Logitech keyboards, mice, and gaming devices. They control button remapping, DPI sensitivity, gesture behavior, RGB lighting, and per‑application profiles. On macOS these tools integrate deeply with the operating system, requiring access to input handling, accessibility features, and system events.
macOS enforces strict trust controls through code signing and, for many apps, notarization. A developer signs an application with a digital certificate issued by Apple or a trusted authority. This certificate allows the system to verify that the app is from a known publisher and that its code has not been modified. When the certificate’s validity period expires, the operating system may treat the signature as untrusted and block the application from running.
In this incident, the certificate used to sign Logitech Options+ and G Hub on macOS expired. Because the built‑in update mechanisms also relied on the same trust chain, they failed to operate correctly. As a result, many users found that the applications would not start at all, effectively losing access to their customized profiles, while the basic “plug‑and‑play” functions of the devices continued to work.
Official Logitech Fix: Manual Installation of Updated Versions
After a surge of user reports, Logitech acknowledged that the outage was caused by an expired certificate required for the applications to run on macOS. The company released new builds of Logitech Options+ and G Hub, signed with a valid certificate, and instructed users to install the updates manually from the official Logitech website.
Logitech explicitly warned users not to uninstall the existing applications before applying the update. Profiles, macros, and device‑specific settings are stored in local configuration files that may be removed during a full uninstall. To avoid data loss, the vendor recommends downloading the new installer, running it over the existing installation, and allowing the tool to complete its patching process.
For Logitech Options+, the process is straightforward: download the latest installer, double‑click it, and wait for the patch to complete. The application should then launch normally, restoring access to all previously configured devices and profiles.
For Logitech G Hub, Logitech advises a similar approach. Users should manually download the updated installer and run it. If macOS reports that G Hub is already installed, the user should simply close the installer. Under the hood, the necessary components are refreshed, while existing user profiles and settings remain intact.
Risky Workarounds Users Are Sharing — And Why They Are Dangerous
Changing the System Date to “Revive” the Certificate
One widely circulated workaround suggests setting the macOS system date to 5 January 2026 or earlier so that the operating system treats the expired certificate as valid. From a technical perspective, this can make the obsolete certificate appear current and allow the apps to run.
However, altering system time can disrupt many core functions: software updates, TLS/HTTPS validation, license checks, and security logging all rely on accurate timestamps. It also undermines the trusted time hierarchy that cryptographic protocols and forensic investigations depend on. This approach should be considered, at best, a short‑term emergency measure, not a permanent solution.
Rolling Back to Older Builds and Disabling Auto‑Updates
Another suggestion is to install an older version of Logitech Options+ or G Hub and disable automatic updates. While an earlier build may be signed with a still‑valid certificate, it introduces a more serious issue: known vulnerabilities remain unpatched. Outdated software is one of the most common entry points for attackers, and security advisories consistently stress the importance of timely updates.
Blocking Internet Access for Logitech Applications
Some users recommend firewall rules that completely block Logitech software from accessing the internet, hoping to bypass online checks related to certificates or updates. While this can reduce certain exposure risks, it also disables features such as cloud profile synchronization, automatic delivery of security fixes, and telemetry that helps vendors detect and address bugs. It does not solve the underlying certificate problem.
In all these cases, the safer and more sustainable approach is to move to the officially updated, properly signed version of the software as soon as possible, obtained directly from Logitech or another trusted source.
Certificate Lifecycle Management as a Core Security Control
The Logitech case illustrates that even large, experienced vendors are vulnerable to disruptions caused by lapses in certificate lifecycle management. Similar oversights have previously triggered outages in major cloud services and collaboration tools—Microsoft Teams, for example, suffered a global disruption in 2020 due to an expired TLS certificate.
Industry research from vendors such as Venafi and DigiCert shows that large organizations may operate tens of thousands of certificates across web servers, VPNs, clients, and code signing. Many report at least one outage or incident linked to an expired or mismanaged certificate. This makes certificate management a core element of operational resilience, not a mere administrative task.
To reduce the risk of similar failures, organizations should:
1. Maintain a complete inventory of certificates. Track all TLS, code‑signing, and client certificates with owners, locations, and expiry dates.
2. Implement automated monitoring and alerts. Tools that continuously scan for approaching expirations and send early warnings significantly reduce reliance on manual tracking.
3. Automate renewal and deployment where possible. Modern certificate management platforms and ACME‑based solutions help ensure that new certificates are issued and deployed before old ones expire.
4. Test certificate rotation processes. Regularly validate that renewing or revoking certificates does not break critical applications, update channels, or user access.
For end users and IT teams alike, the key lesson is clear: when faced with issues involving code signing or certificates, prioritize vendor‑supplied updates from trusted sources and treat ad‑hoc workarounds as temporary, high‑risk measures. Keeping software current, respecting system integrity checks, and building mature certificate management processes directly strengthens both day‑to‑day usability and overall cyber resilience.
