The macOS system must be configured to disable Location Services.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-214862	AOSX-13-000535	SV-214862r507075_rule		Medium

Description
To prevent unauthorized connection of devices, unauthorized transfer of information, or unauthorized tunneling (i.e., embedding of data types within data types), organizations must disable or restrict unused or unnecessary physical and logical ports/protocols on information systems. 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. Additionally, it is sometimes convenient to provide multiple services from a single component (e.g., VPN and IPS); however, doing so increases risk over limiting the services provided by any one component. To support the requirements and principles of least functionality, the operating system must support the organizational requirements, providing only essential capabilities and limiting the use of ports, protocols, and/or services to only those required, authorized, and approved to conduct official business or to address authorized quality-of-life issues. Location Services must be disabled.

Description

To prevent unauthorized connection of devices, unauthorized transfer of information, or unauthorized tunneling (i.e., embedding of data types within data types), organizations must disable or restrict unused or unnecessary physical and logical ports/protocols on information systems. 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. Additionally, it is sometimes convenient to provide multiple services from a single component (e.g., VPN and IPS); however, doing so increases risk over limiting the services provided by any one component. To support the requirements and principles of least functionality, the operating system must support the organizational requirements, providing only essential capabilities and limiting the use of ports, protocols, and/or services to only those required, authorized, and approved to conduct official business or to address authorized quality-of-life issues. Location Services must be disabled.

STIG	Date
Apple OS X 10.13 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-09-11

Details

Check Text ( C-16062r397158_chk )
Location Services must be disabled. To check if a configuration profile is configured to enforce this setting, run the following command: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType \| /usr/bin/grep DisableLocationServices If the return is null or not “DisableLocationServices = 1”, this is a finding. The setting is found in System Preferences >> Security & Privacy >> Privacy >> Location Services. If the box that says "Enable Location Services" is checked, this is a finding. To check if the setting was applied on the command line, run the following command: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults read /private/var/db/locationd/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.locationd.`/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPHardwareDataType \| /usr/bin/grep "Hardware UUID" \| /usr/bin/cut -c22-57` LocationServicesEnabled If the result is "1" this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-16062r397158_chk )

Location Services must be disabled. To check if a configuration profile is configured to enforce this setting, run the following command:

/usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/system_profiler SPConfigurationProfileDataType | /usr/bin/grep DisableLocationServices

If the return is null or not “DisableLocationServices = 1”, this is a finding.

The setting is found in System Preferences >> Security & Privacy >> Privacy >> Location Services.

If the box that says "Enable Location Services" is checked, this is a finding.

To check if the setting was applied on the command line, run the following command:

/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults read /private/var/db/locationd/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.locationd.`/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPHardwareDataType | /usr/bin/grep "Hardware UUID" | /usr/bin/cut -c22-57` LocationServicesEnabled

If the result is "1" this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-16060r397159_fix)
This setting is enforced using the "Custom Policy" configuration profile. The setting "Enable Location Services" can be found in System Preferences >> Security & Privacy >> Privacy >> Location Services. Uncheck the box that says "Enable Location Services". It can also be set with the following command: /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /private/var/db/locationd/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.locationd.`/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPHardwareDataType \| /usr/bin/grep "Hardware UUID" \| /usr/bin/cut -c22-57` LocationServicesEnabled -bool false

Fix Text (F-16060r397159_fix)

This setting is enforced using the "Custom Policy" configuration profile.

The setting "Enable Location Services" can be found in System Preferences >> Security & Privacy >> Privacy >> Location Services. Uncheck the box that says "Enable Location Services".

It can also be set with the following command:

/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /private/var/db/locationd/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.locationd.`/usr/sbin/system_profiler SPHardwareDataType | /usr/bin/grep "Hardware UUID" | /usr/bin/cut -c22-57` LocationServicesEnabled -bool false