top of page
Search
fohugmisanbi

Center For Internet Security (cis) Benchmark For Mac Os: A Comprehensive Guide for Cybersecurity Pro



CIS has worked with the Apple community since 2009 to publish a benchmark for each version of Apple's desktop OS, known as macOS (fka OS X). Their latest release contains specific configuration recommendations for Apple macOS 10.13 High Sierra, while their Apple macOS 10.14 Mojave benchmark is currently in the works. These are exhaustive documents that cover a wide range of security compliance policies and best practices. Here are a few examples of recommended settings from the latest CIS benchmark for macOS:




Center For Internet Security (cis) Benchmark For Mac Os



CIS maintains documentation and a short instruction video on using the CIS-CAT Benchmark Assessment Tool, so if you have difficult with the tool, review these documents first. For other questions, use the CIS member forums or contact security@berkeley.edu for help using the CIS benchmarks for system hardening.


The CIS Microsoft Azure Foundations Benchmark is the security guidance provided by Center for Internet Security for establishing a secure baseline configuration for Azure. The scope of the benchmark is to establish the foundation level of security while adopting Azure Cloud. This benchmark is in alignment with the Azure Security Benchmark v2.


CIS benchmarks will help optimize your security based on the types of risks faced by each asset type. With the help of CIS benchmarks, you will develop enhanced protections for endpoints, networks, and cloud-based applications and services.


CIS benchmark profiles are the configuration levels for each CIS recommendation. Each profile addresses some aspect of CIS security to help organizations implement robust and up-to-date cybersecurity controls.


In order to perform audit scans with Tenable.sc, CIS Apple Benchmark audit files must be uploaded first. Next, the appropriate credentials must be added, after which a scan policy can be created. Finally, a scan can be scheduled. As part of the post scan jobs, the 'Auto-Run Reports' can be enabled automatically, running this report on the data collected using the appropriate audit file. Using these benchmarks will help to assess the effectiveness of existing security controls for both Apple macOS and Apple Safari browser for macOS, and provide the critical context needed to strengthen an organization's security posture.


CIS Apple OSX 10.10 Benchmark v1.2.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.10. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from file and directory permissions, security and privacy permissions, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 10.11 Benchmark v1.1.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.11. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 10.12 Benchmark v1.2.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.12. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 10.13 Benchmark v1.1.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.12. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 10.14 Benchmark v1.4.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.12. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 10.15 Benchmark v1.4.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.12. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


CIS Apple OSX 11 Benchmark v1.2.0 - This benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for systems running Apple OSX 10.12. This report includes a high-level overview of results gathered from security and privacy permissions, iCloud settings, network configuration, password management settings, and more. The audit files required to support this report template are:


Application updates often address security vulnerabilities in addition to bug fixes and adding new features. It is recommended that applications, especially those used to interact with The internet and web-based services (e.g. Internet browsers) be updated frequently. This feature will automatically download and install application updates when they become available.


This benchmark offers security configuration options for common desktop applications such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Office in your business. The settings aim at protecting the server from third parties.


Cybersecurity challenges are quite diversified, and organizations cannot always independently develop effective standards. The Center for Internet Security benchmarks offer guidelines or standards for configuring operating systems and important cloud infrastructure. Arguably, the invention of standardized criteria enables a seamless process of reducing cyber attacks in most organizations.


Organizations have the capability of adapting safe security practices that are compliant with industry practices. Since the guidelines are well-defined, the possibilities of incorporating insecure settings are mitigated. The benchmarks act as an intermediary in security configurations in all organizations.


In the implementation, you can either opt for the manual or automated procedure. The manual approach is free but will require intense labor for installation and implementation. Also, since the center for internet security benchmarks are regularly updated, it can be challenging to adopt those changes.


For robust cybersecurity in an organization, the adoption of CIS benchmarks is inevitable. The adoption requires a seamless process of proper implementation and conformance. Arguably, not every benchmark option is suitable for your business infrastructure; thus, a diligent selection is critical.


At Magnataur, we have a comprehensive understanding of the various benchmark options and how to implement them at your business. Safeguard the authenticity of your business by hiring us to implement operational and robust security practices.


You may notice a lot of repetition in reading these recipes. This is for two main reasons. First, each individual platform and version is different; they have their own separate benchmarks published by CIS. Second, auditing, in a security and compliance perspective, is very prescriptive, and requires careful wording, language, and serves as documentation that must be clear. While it may mean more work for ongoing maintenance, we feel that it will result in higher quality audit mode controls that will be more clear to read and understand.


Simply put, base OS image/installations are not compliant with the CIS benchmarks by default. For example, the CentOS 7 benchmark calls for mounting specific partitions for filesystems that are not part of the base CentOS 7 kickstart from installation media, such as /var, /var/log, or /var/log/audit. Some sites accept the risk of having certain failures for business reasons, such as running services that are recommended to be disabled. This is where Chef Analytics is useful, users can filter with rules against the controls that are relevant for their individual security policies.


The IRS Office of Safeguards utilizes Tenable's industry standard compliance and vulnerability assessment tool, Nessus, to evaluate the security of systems (e.g., Windows, *NIX, Cisco) that store, process, transmit or receive federal tax information. We use Nessus to conduct configuration compliance checks using Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks supplemented with some IRS-specific requirements. This process has been developed to provide agencies with enhanced information regarding the security controls in place to protect FTI.


CIS foundation benchmark for M365 and Azure provide prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure baseline configuration. Blackpoint has reviewed every control on your behalf and made recommendations on several to harden your customer environments. Now you can compare your security measures to Center of Internet Security Benchmarks directly in the Blackpoint portal. Assess your standing against these internationally recognized security standards and implement the recommended changes to reduce the attack surface in cloud tenants.


If you experience issues or have comments after you implement the CIS benchmark settings, contact CIS by sending an email message to win2k-feedback@cisecurity.org.Note CIS's guidance has changed since we originally published this article (November 3, 2004). CIS's current guidance resembles the guidance that Microsoft provides. For more information about the guidance that Microsoft provides, read the "Microsoft Corporation" section earlier in this article.


Additionally, some organizations require security standards far stricter than those of the CIS, and Jamf Protect doesn't allow organizations to add their own benchmarks or customize the CIS benchmarks. 2ff7e9595c


1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

コメント


bottom of page