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The macOS system must not use unencrypted FTP.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-214883 AOSX-13-000606 SV-214883r609363_rule High
Description
The "ftp" service must be disabled as it sends all data in a clear-text form that can be easily intercepted and read. The data needs to be protected at all times during transmission, and encryption is the standard method for protecting data in transit. If the data is not encrypted during transmission, it can be plainly read (i.e., clear text) and easily compromised. Disabling ftp is one way to mitigate this risk. Administrators should be instructed to use an alternate service for data transmission that uses encryption, such as SFTP.
STIG Date
Apple OS X 10.13 Security Technical Implementation Guide 2021-11-19

Details

Check Text ( C-16083r397221_chk )
To check if the "ftp" service is disabled, use the following command:

/usr/bin/sudo /bin/launchctl print-disabled system | /usr/bin/grep com.apple.ftpd

If the results do not show the following, this is a finding:

"com.apple.ftpd" => true
Fix Text (F-16081r397222_fix)
To disable the "ftp" service, run the following command:

/usr/bin/sudo /bin/launchctl disable system/com.apple.ftpd

The system may need to be restarted for the update to take effect.