The macOS system must require administrator privileges to modify systemwide settings.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-259515 | APPL-14-002069 | SV-259515r958726_rule | CCI-002235 | high |
| Description | ||||
| The system must be configured to require an administrator password in order to modify the systemwide preferences in System Settings. Some Preference Panes in System Settings contain settings that affect the entire system. Requiring a password to unlock these systemwide settings reduces the risk of a nonauthorized user modifying system configurations. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Apple macOS 14 (Sonoma) Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2024-12-04 | |||
Related Frameworks
3 paths across 3 frameworks
Related Frameworks
NIST 800-531 mapping
AC-6(10)
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
NIST 800-1711 mapping
3.1.7
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
- DISA · 2025-01-23 · disa_cci_list · equivalent
- NIST · Rev 2 (Feb 2020, errata Jan 2021) · nist_800_171_app_d · equivalent
CCI1 mapping
CCI-002235
1.00
- DISA · 2 · disa_xccdf · related
Details
Check Text (C-259515r958726_chk)
Verify the macOS system is configured to require administrator privileges to modify systemwide settings with the following command:
authDBs=("system.preferences" "system.preferences.energysaver" "system.preferences.network" "system.preferences.printing" "system.preferences.sharing" "system.preferences.softwareupdate" "system.preferences.startupdisk" "system.preferences.timemachine")
result="1"
for section in ${authDBs[@]}; do
if [[ $(/usr/bin/security -q authorizationdb read "$section" | /usr/bin/xmllint -xpath 'name(//*[contains(text(), "shared")]/following-sibling::*[1])' -) != "false" ]]; then
result="0"
fi
done
echo $result
If the result is not "1", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-63162r941166_fix)
Configure the macOS system to require administrator privileges to modify systemwide settings with the following command:
authDBs=("system.preferences" "system.preferences.energysaver" "system.preferences.network" "system.preferences.printing" "system.preferences.sharing" "system.preferences.softwareupdate" "system.preferences.startupdisk" "system.preferences.timemachine")
for section in ${authDBs[@]}; do
/usr/bin/security -q authorizationdb read "$section" > "/tmp/$section.plist"
key_value=$(/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :shared" "/tmp/$section.plist" 2>&1)
if [[ "$key_value" == *"Does Not Exist"* ]]; then
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Add :shared bool false" "/tmp/$section.plist"
else
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :shared false" "/tmp/$section.plist"
fi
/usr/bin/security -q authorizationdb write "$section" < "/tmp/$section.plist"
done