My guess is that the App Store preferences isn't even meant to have the padlock. iCloud prefs doesn't have it, so I can only assume it's there by mistake.
If you try the same thing with say "Time & date prefs", it pauses with an incorrect password for a few seconds, then visually shakes indicating it's a wrong password. With the App Store prefs, it just instantly closes the authentication dialog, even with a blank password.
I don't really understand the logic as to why some panels in preferences have padlocks and others don't... Why does date/time need admin rights whereas Network (delete/add/reconfigure networking), Internet Accounts (delete/add any accounts?), iCloud (do all manner of things), Time Machine (back a machine up elsewhere?) don't require it?
If you try the same thing with say "Time & date prefs", it pauses with an incorrect password for a few seconds, then visually shakes indicating it's a wrong password. With the App Store prefs, it just instantly closes the authentication dialog, even with a blank password.
I don't really understand the logic as to why some panels in preferences have padlocks and others don't... Why does date/time need admin rights whereas Network (delete/add/reconfigure networking), Internet Accounts (delete/add any accounts?), iCloud (do all manner of things), Time Machine (back a machine up elsewhere?) don't require it?