The macOS system must prevent nonprivileged users from executing privileged functions to include disabling, circumventing, or altering implemented security safeguards/countermeasures.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-257776	APPL-13-002069	SV-257776r922883_rule		Medium

Description
Preventing nonprivileged users from executing privileged functions mitigates the risk that unauthorized individuals or processes may gain unnecessary access to information or privileges. Privileged functions include, for example, establishing accounts, performing system integrity checks, or administering cryptographic key management activities. Nonprivileged users are individuals that do not possess appropriate authorizations. Circumventing intrusion detection and prevention mechanisms or malicious code protection mechanisms are examples of privileged functions that require protection from nonprivileged users.

Description

Preventing nonprivileged users from executing privileged functions mitigates the risk that unauthorized individuals or processes may gain unnecessary access to information or privileges. Privileged functions include, for example, establishing accounts, performing system integrity checks, or administering cryptographic key management activities. Nonprivileged users are individuals that do not possess appropriate authorizations. Circumventing intrusion detection and prevention mechanisms or malicious code protection mechanisms are examples of privileged functions that require protection from nonprivileged users.

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

Details

Check Text ( C-61517r922881_chk )
Verify the macOS system is configured to require authentication to access all system-level preference panes with the following commands: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb read system.preferences \| /usr/bin/grep -A1 shared shared If the "shared" key is not set to "false", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-61441r922882_fix)
Configure the macOS system to require authentication to access all system-level preference panes with the following actions: Copy the authorization database to a file: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb read system.preferences > ~/Desktop/authdb.txt Edit the "shared" section of the file: shared Reload the authorization database: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb write system.preferences < ~/Desktop/authdb.txt

Fix Text (F-61441r922882_fix)

Configure the macOS system to require authentication to access all system-level preference panes with the following actions:

Copy the authorization database to a file:
/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb read system.preferences > ~/Desktop/authdb.txt

Edit the "shared" section of the file:
shared

Reload the authorization database:
/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb write system.preferences < ~/Desktop/authdb.txt