macOS
TMA-MACOS14-5.7
Ensure an Administrator Account Cannot Login to Another User's Active and Locked Session
Description
macOS has a privilege that can be granted to any user that will allow that user to unlock active users' sessions. Disabling the administrator's and/or user's ability to log into another user's active and locked session prevents unauthorized persons from viewing potentially sensitive and/or personal information.
How it is checked
Audit method: Shell command
out=$(/usr/bin/security authorizationdb read system.login.screensaver 2>&1) || exit 1
printf '%s\n' "$out" | /usr/bin/awk -F "[<>]" '$3=="authenticate-session-owner" { ++x } END { print x+0 }'- Expected output
1
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
Terminal Method: Run the following command to disable a user logging into another user's active and/or locked session: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/security authorizationdb write system.login.screensaver authenticate-session-owner YES (0) Running this command will disable Touch ID to unlock the screen saver. To re-enable Touch ID for users, run the following command: % /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow screenUnlockMode -int 1
Properties
- Operating systems
- macos-14
- Tags
- loggingmacossonoma
- Reference
- CIS Apple macOS 14.0 Sonoma Benchmark v3.1.0 - 5.7 Ensure an Administrator Account Cannot Login to Another User's Active and Locked Session
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
tmaegis scan --target macos