Ensure Bluetooth Sharing Is Disabled

MediumLevel 1Automatedmacos

Description

Bluetooth Sharing allows files to be exchanged with Bluetooth-enabled devices. This setting only disables the receiving of files and requires both devices to be paired through Bluetooth as well as accepted by the receiver. This setting does not disable the ability to send files from the device to another paired Bluetooth device. Audit: Checks PrefKeyServicesEnabled for every local user (UID > 500); an unset key is the off-by-default state.

How it is checked

Audit method: Shell command

shell

ul=$(/usr/bin/dscl . -list /Users UniqueID 2>/dev/null) || exit 1
bad=""
for u in $(printf '%s\n' "$ul" | /usr/bin/awk '$2 > 500 {print $1}'); do
  v=$(/usr/bin/sudo -u "$u" /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost read com.apple.Bluetooth PrefKeyServicesEnabled 2>/dev/null)
  [ -n "$v" ] && [ "$v" != 0 ] && bad="$bad $u"
done
if [ -z "$bad" ]; then echo compliant; else echo "Bluetooth Sharing enabled for:$bad"; fi

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Terminal: sudo -u <username> /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.Bluetooth PrefKeyServicesEnabled -bool false ; sudo -u firstuser /usr/bin/defaults -currentHost write com.apple.Bluetooth PrefKeyServicesEnabled -bool false. GUI: System Settings > General > Sharing > Set Bluetooth Sharing to disabled.

Properties

Operating systems: macos-15
Tags: macossystem-settings
Reference: CIS Apple macOS 15.0 Sequoia Benchmark v2.1.0 - 2.3.3.10 Ensure Bluetooth Sharing 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