Audit Full Disk Access for Applications

LowLevel 2Manual reviewmacos

Description

Starting with macOS 10.14 Mojave, Apple introduced Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) to enhance user privacy by requiring apps to get explicit permission before accessing sensitive data or system features. Full Disk Access (FDA) is a privacy category managed by the TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) framework.

How it is checked

Audit method: Manual review

This recommendation cannot be checked automatically. A scan lists it with these instructions when you pass --include-manual.

GUI: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > Verify that the applications are set to your organization's requirements. Terminal: sudo /usr/bin/sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db 'select client from access where auth_value and service = "kTCCServiceSystemPolicyAllFiles"' The output will be what applications have full disk access enabled.

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

GUI: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > Set any listed applications to your organization's requirements > (Optional) Select the + to add applications to the list, or - to remove them.

Properties

Operating systems: macos-26
Tags: macossystem-settings
Reference: CIS Apple macOS 26 Tahoe Benchmark v1.1.0 - 2.6.2.1 Audit Full Disk Access for Applications