TMA-MACOS-2.13.1

Ensure Guest Account Is Disabled

HighLevel 1Automatedmacos

Description

The guest account allows users access to the system without having to create an account or password. Guest users are unable to make setting changes and cannot remotely login to the system. All files, caches, and passwords created by the guest user are deleted upon logging out.

How it is checked

Audit method: Shell command

shell

/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript <<'EOS'
function run() {
  let pref1 = ObjC.unwrap($.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.MCX').objectForKey('DisableGuestAccount'))
  let pref2 = ObjC.unwrap($.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.MCX').objectForKey('EnableGuestAccount'))
  let pref3 = ObjC.unwrap($.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.loginwindow').objectForKey('GuestEnabled'))
  if ( ( pref1 == 1 && pref2 == 0 ) || ( pref3 == 0 ) ) {
    return("true")
  } else {
    return("false")
  }
}
EOS

Expected output: true

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Profile (preferred): com.apple.MCX DisableGuestAccount = <true/>; com.apple.MCX EnableGuestAccount = <false/>. Terminal: sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow GuestEnabled -bool false. GUI: System Settings > Users & Groups > i next to the Guest User > Set Allow guests to log in to this computer to disabled.

Properties

Operating systems: macos-26
Tags: macossystem-settings
Reference: CIS Apple macOS 26 Tahoe Benchmark v1.1.0 - 2.13.1 Ensure Guest Account Is Disabled

Check this host

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

shell

tmaegis scan --target macos