The application Messages must be disabled.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-67571	AOSX-11-000490	SV-82061r1_rule		Low

Description
It is detrimental for operating systems to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. These unnecessary capabilities or services are often overlooked and therefore may remain unsecured. They increase the risk to the platform by providing additional attack vectors. Operating systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). Examples of non-essential capabilities include, but are not limited to, games, software packages, tools, and demonstration software, not related to requirements or providing a wide array of functionality not required for every mission, but cannot be disabled. The application Messages establishes connections to Apple's iCloud, despite using security controls to disable iCloud access.

Description

It is detrimental for operating systems to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. These unnecessary capabilities or services are often overlooked and therefore may remain unsecured. They increase the risk to the platform by providing additional attack vectors. Operating systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). Examples of non-essential capabilities include, but are not limited to, games, software packages, tools, and demonstration software, not related to requirements or providing a wide array of functionality not required for every mission, but cannot be disabled. The application Messages establishes connections to Apple's iCloud, despite using security controls to disable iCloud access.

STIG	Date
Apple OS X 10.11 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2017-01-05

Details

Check Text ( C-68137r1_chk )
To check if there is a configuration policy defined for "Application Restrictions", run the following command: /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType \| /usr/bin/grep "familyControlsEnabled = 1;" If nothing is returned, this is a finding. To check if "Messages" is disabled, run the following command: /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType \| /usr/bin/grep "displayName = Messages;" If anything is returned, this is a finding. Built-in applications such as "Messages" should be evaluated against mission needs and should only appear in the list of allowed applications if specifically required.

Check Text ( C-68137r1_chk )

To check if there is a configuration policy defined for "Application Restrictions", run the following command:

/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType | /usr/bin/grep "familyControlsEnabled = 1;"

If nothing is returned, this is a finding.

To check if "Messages" is disabled, run the following command:

/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType | /usr/bin/grep "displayName = Messages;"

If anything is returned, this is a finding.

Built-in applications such as "Messages" should be evaluated against mission needs and should only appear in the list of allowed applications if specifically required.

Fix Text (F-73685r1_fix)
This setting is enforced using the "Applications Restrictions Policy" configuration profile.