The macOS system must only allow applications with a valid digital signature to run.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-257217	APPL-13-002060	SV-257217r905284_rule		Medium

Description
Gatekeeper settings must be configured correctly to only allow the system to run applications signed with a valid Apple Developer ID code. Administrator users will still have the option to override these settings on a per-app basis. Gatekeeper is a security feature that ensures that applications must be digitally signed by an Apple-issued certificate to run. Digital signatures allow the macOS host to verify that the application has not been modified by a malicious third party.

Description

Gatekeeper settings must be configured correctly to only allow the system to run applications signed with a valid Apple Developer ID code. Administrator users will still have the option to override these settings on a per-app basis. Gatekeeper is a security feature that ensures that applications must be digitally signed by an Apple-issued certificate to run. Digital signatures allow the macOS host to verify that the application has not been modified by a malicious third party.

STIG	Date
Apple macOS 13 (Ventura) Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-08-28

Details

Check Text ( C-60902r905282_chk )
Verify the macOS system is configured to only allow applications with a valid digital signature with the following commands: /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPApplicationsDataType \| /usr/bin/grep -B 3 -A 4 -e "Obtained from: Unknown" \| /usr/bin/grep -v -e "Location: /Library/Application Support/Script Editor/Templates" -e "Location: /System/Library/" \| /usr/bin/awk -F "Location: " '{print $2}' \| /usr/bin/sort -u If any results are returned and is not documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO) as an operational requirement, this is a finding. Verify only applications with a valid digital signature are allowed to run: /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType \| /usr/bin/grep -E "(EnableAssessment \| AllowIdentifiedDevelopers)" If the result is not as follows, this is a finding. "AllowIdentifiedDevelopers = 1; EnableAssessment = 1;"

Check Text ( C-60902r905282_chk )

Verify the macOS system is configured to only allow applications with a valid digital signature with the following commands:

/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPApplicationsDataType | /usr/bin/grep -B 3 -A 4 -e "Obtained from: Unknown" | /usr/bin/grep -v -e "Location: /Library/Application Support/Script Editor/Templates" -e "Location: /System/Library/" | /usr/bin/awk -F "Location: " '{print $2}' | /usr/bin/sort -u

If any results are returned and is not documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO) as an operational requirement, this is a finding.

Verify only applications with a valid digital signature are allowed to run:

/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType | /usr/bin/grep -E "(EnableAssessment | AllowIdentifiedDevelopers)"

If the result is not as follows, this is a finding.

"AllowIdentifiedDevelopers = 1;
EnableAssessment = 1;"

Fix Text (F-60843r905283_fix)
Configure the macOS system to only allow applications with a valid digital signature by installing the "Restrictions Policy" configuration profile.