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os_sshd_permit_root_login_configure Disable Root Login for SSH

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

Title

Disable Root Login for SSH

Control

/usr/sbin/sshd -G | /usr/bin/awk '/permitrootlogin/{print $2}'

Discussion

If SSH is enabled to assure 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: On macOS 15.2 and higher the SSH configuration can be reset to the macOS default by running /usr/libexec/reset-ssh-configuration.

Related controls

ia-2.5

Fix

[source,bash]
----
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
----