macOS
TMA-MACOS-5.1.6
Ensure No World Writable Folders Exist in the System Folder
Description
Software sometimes insists on being installed in the /System/Volumes/Data/System Directory and has inappropriate world-writable permissions. Macs with writable files in System should be investigated forensically. A file with open writable permissions is a sign of at best a rogue application. It could also be a sign of a computer compromise and a persistent presence on the system.
How it is checked
Audit method: Shell command
[ -d /System/Volumes/Data/System ] || exit 1
/usr/bin/find /System/Volumes/Data/System -type d -perm -2 -ls 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/grep -vE "downloadDir|locks" | /usr/bin/wc -l | /usr/bin/xargs- Expected output
0
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
Terminal: IFS=$'\n' for sysPermissions in $( sudo /usr/bin/find /System/Volumes/Data/System -type d -perm -2 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/grep -vE "downloadDir|locks" ); do /bin/chmod -R o-w "$sysPermissions" done.
Properties
- Operating systems
- macos-26
- Tags
- macossystem-access
- Reference
- CIS Apple macOS 26 Tahoe Benchmark v1.1.0 - 5.1.6 Ensure No World Writable Folders Exist in the System Folder
Check this host
Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.
tmaegis scan --target macos