Ensure Set Time and Date Automatically Is Enabled

MediumLevel 1Automatedmacos

Description

Correct date and time settings are required for authentication protocols, file creation, modification dates, and log entries. Note: If your organization has internal time servers, enter them here. Enterprise mobile devices may need to use a mix of internal and external time servers. If multiple servers are required, use the Date & Time System Preference with each server separated by a space. Additional Note: The default Apple time server is time.apple.com. Variations include time.euro.apple.com. While it is certainly more efficient to use internal time servers, there is no reason to block access to global Apple time servers or to add a time.apple.com alias to internal DNS records. There are no reports that Apple gathers any information from NTP synchronization, as the computers already phone home to Apple for Apple services including iCloud use and software updates. Best practice is t...

How it is checked

Audit method: Shell command

shell

/usr/sbin/systemsetup -getusingnetworktime 2>/dev/null

Expected output: Network Time: On

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Graphical Method: Perform the following to enable the date and time to be set automatically: 1. Open System Settings 2. Select General 3. Select Date & Time 4. Set Set time and date automatically to enabled Note: By default, the operating system will use time.apple.com as the time server. You can change to any time server that meets your organization's requirements. Terminal Method: Run the following commands to enable the date and time setting automatically: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -setnetworktimeserver <your.time.server> setNetworkTimeServer: <your.time.server> % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -setusingnetworktime on setUsingNetworkTime: On example: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -setnetworktimeserver time.apple.com setNetworkTimeServer: time.apple.com % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -setusingnetworktime on setUsingNetworkTime: On Run the following commands if you have not set, or need to set, a new time zone: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -listtimezones % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -settimezone <selected time zone> example: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -listtimezones Time Zones: Africa/Abidjan Africa/Accra Africa/Addis...

Properties

Operating systems: macos-14
Tags: macossonoma
Reference: CIS Apple macOS 14.0 Sonoma Benchmark v3.1.0 - 2.3.2.1 Ensure Set Time and Date Automatically Is Enabled

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target macos