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APPL-15-001100 - The macOS system must disable root login for SSH.

Information

If SSH is enabled to ensure individual accountability and prevent unauthorized access, logging in as root via SSH must be disabled.

The macOS system MUST require individuals to be authenticated with an individual authenticator prior to using a group authenticator, and administrator users must never log in directly as root.

NOTE: /etc/ssh/sshd_config will be automatically modified to its original state following any update or major upgrade to the operating system.

Satisfies: SRG-OS-000109-GPOS-00056, SRG-OS-000364-GPOS-00151

Solution

Configure the macOS system to disable root login for SSH with the following command:

include_dir=$(/usr/bin/awk '/^Include/ {print $2}' /etc/ssh/sshd_config | /usr/bin/tr -d '*')

if [[ -z $include_dir ]]; then
 /usr/bin/sed -i.bk '1s/.*/Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
fi

/usr/bin/grep -qxF 'permitrootlogin no' '${include_dir}01-mscp-sshd.conf' 2>/dev/null || echo 'permitrootlogin no' >> '${include_dir}01-mscp-sshd.conf'

for file in $(ls ${include_dir}); do
 if [[ '$file' == '100-macos.conf' ]]; then
 continue
 fi
 if [[ '$file' == '01-mscp-sshd.conf' ]]; then
 break
 fi
 /bin/mv ${include_dir}${file} ${include_dir}20-${file}
done

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Apple_macOS_15_V1R1_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-5(1), CAT|II, CCI|CCI-001813, CCI|CCI-004045, Rule-ID|SV-268472r1034356_rule, STIG-ID|APPL-15-001100, Vuln-ID|V-268472

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 539cde19578da5c7f7fc05671e2970635770d9540091069869336df6fee8b419