Details

The audit system _MUST_ be configured to record enforcement actions of access restrictions, including failed program execute (-ex) attempts.

Enforcement actions are the methods or mechanisms used to prevent unauthorized access and/or changes to configuration settings. One common and effective enforcement action method is using program execution restrictions (e.g., denying users access to execute certain processes).

This configuration ensures that audit lists include events in which program execution has failed.

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

Solution

Run the following bash code

/usr/bin/grep -qE "^flags.*-ex" /etc/security/audit_control || /usr/bin/sed -i.bak '/^flags/ s/$/,-ex/' /etc/security/audit_control; /usr/sbin/audit -s
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Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://github.com/usnistgov/macos_security

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Access Control, Audit and Accountability, Configuration Management.This control applies to the following type of system Unix.

References

• 800-53|AC-2(12)
• 800-53|AU-2
• 800-53|AU-12
• 800-53|CM-5(1)
• CCE|CCE-85263-2

Source

• Tenable.com/audits