The macOS system must enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user before the user account is locked.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-257154	APPL-13-000022	SV-257154r905095_rule		Medium

Description
By limiting the number of failed logon attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account.

STIG	Date
Apple macOS 13 (Ventura) Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-02-06

Details

Check Text ( C-60839r905093_chk )
Verify the macOS system is configured to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user before the user account is locked with the following command: /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType \| /usr/bin/grep "maxFailedAttempts\\|minutesUntilFailedLoginReset" maxFailedAttempts = 3; minutesUntilFailedLoginReset = 15; If "maxFailedAttempts" is not set to "3" and "minutesUntilFailedLoginReset" is not set to "15", this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-60839r905093_chk )

Verify the macOS system is configured to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user before the user account is locked with the following command:

/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType | /usr/bin/grep "maxFailedAttempts\|minutesUntilFailedLoginReset"

maxFailedAttempts = 3;
minutesUntilFailedLoginReset = 15;

If "maxFailedAttempts" is not set to "3" and "minutesUntilFailedLoginReset" is not set to "15", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-60780r905094_fix)
Configure the macOS system to enforce the limit of three consecutive invalid logon attempts by a user before the user account is locked by installing the "Passcode Policy" configuration profile or by a directory service.