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audit_flags_fm_failed_configure Configure System to Audit All Failed Change of Object Attributes

NIST macOS Security Compliance Project Sequoia Guidance, Revision 4.0 (be5491f)
All changes in this version
first version loaded Auditing

Title

Configure System to Audit All Failed Change of Object Attributes

Control

/usr/bin/awk -F':' '/^flags/ { print $NF }' /etc/security/audit_control | /usr/bin/tr ',' '\n' | /usr/bin/grep -Ec '\-fm'

Discussion

The audit system _MUST_ be configured to record enforcement actions of failed attempts to modify file attributes (-fm).

Enforcement actions are the methods or mechanisms used to prevent unauthorized changes to configuration settings. One common and effective enforcement action method is using access restrictions (i.e., denying modifications to a file by applying file permissions).

This configuration ensures that audit lists include events in which enforcement actions prevent attempts to modify a file.

Without auditing the enforcement of access restrictions, it is difficult to identify attempted attacks, as there is no audit trail available for forensic investigation.

Related controls

ac-2.12, au-12, au-2, au-9, cm-5.1, ma-4.1

Fix

[source,bash]
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/usr/bin/grep -qE "^flags.*-fm" /etc/security/audit_control || /usr/bin/sed -i.bak '/^flags/ s/$/,-fm/' /etc/security/audit_control;/usr/sbin/audit -s
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