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The macOS system must enable the application firewall.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-259562 APPL-14-005050 SV-259562r941308_rule Medium
Description
The macOS Application Firewall is the built-in firewall that comes with macOS, and it must be enabled. When the macOS Application Firewall is enabled, the flow of information within the information system and between interconnected systems will be controlled by approved authorizations.
STIG Date
Apple macOS 14 (Sonoma) Security Technical Implementation Guide 2024-01-10

Details

Check Text ( C-63301r941306_chk )
Verify the macOS system is configured to enable the application firewall with the following command:

profile="$(/usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript << EOS
$.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.security.firewall')\
.objectForKey('EnableFirewall').js
EOS
)"

plist="$(/usr/bin/defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf globalstate 2>/dev/null)"

if [[ "$profile" == "true" ]] && [[ "$plist" =~ [1,2] ]]; then
echo "true"
else
echo "false"
fi

If the result is not "true", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-63209r941307_fix)
Configure the macOS system to enable the application firewall with the following command:

/usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf globalstate -int 1