2.10 Enable Secure Keyboard Entry in terminal.app

Information

Secure Keyboard Entry prevents other applications on the system and/or network from detecting and recording what is typed into Terminal.

Rationale:

Enabling Secure Keyboard Entry minimizes the risk of a key logger from detecting what is entered in Terminal.

Solution

Perform the following to enable secure keyboard entries in Terminal:
Graphical Method:

Open Terminal

Select Terminal

Select Secure Keyboard Entry

Terminal Method:

$ sudo -u <username> defaults write -app Terminal SecureKeyboardEntry -bool true

example:

$ sudo -u firstuser defaults write -app Terminal SecureKeyboardEntry -bool true

Additional Information:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Terminal/2.1/en/5386.html

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3013

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-6b.

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: d5414830ba6b1beaa1879f754a0f3013017574a71e0a6b580d76c23d41061551