TickYouOff
Sign in
Back
🔒

Sequoia macOS 15 Security Checklist

Medium 16 items · 2 hours
testuser's avatar
testuser Published 1 month ago
Security

A practical checklist to help IT pros secure macOS Sequoia (15.0) using the NIST Sequoia Guidance. It guides administrators through validation, testing, encryption, patching, and deployment best practices for managed and standalone systems.

Source: https://ncp.nist.gov/checklist/1248

Progress
0 / 16
  1. Review checklist scope and target environment — Confirm managed vs standalone applicability and target macOS Sequoia 15.0.
  2. Download Sequoia Guidance release files — Obtain HTML, PDF, XLS, and SCAP files from the NIST macOS Security GitHub.
  3. Read known issues and warnings — Note SCAP limitations, Smartcard impacts, and testing caveats before changes.
  4. Test settings in a non-production environment — Validate impact and usability before rolling out to production.
  5. Backup systems before applying changes — Create full backups or snapshots and verify recovery procedures.
  6. Validate SCAP content with the NIST SCAP Validation Tool — Confirm SCAP files are intact and compatible with tooling.
  7. Map relevant security baselines to your environment — Identify applicable controls (NIST SP 800-53, CIS, CMMC, DISA) for systems.
  8. Configure password and account policies — Enforce complexity, expiration, lockout, and idle timeout settings.
  9. Enable FileVault full-disk encryption — Turn on FileVault and escrow recovery keys per organizational policy.
  10. Enable System Integrity Protection and Secure Boot settings — Ensure SIP and secure boot are enabled where supported.
  11. Configure macOS Firewall and network protections — Enable app firewall, stealth mode, and restrict inbound services.
  12. Disable unnecessary services and applications — Remove or disable unused daemons, login items, and network services.
  13. Install macOS updates and security patches — Apply the latest Sequoia updates and security fixes before baseline changes.
  14. Enable auditing and centralized logging — Configure system auditing and forward logs to your SIEM or log server.
  15. Apply configuration profiles via MDM or local tools — Deploy recommended profiles through your MDM or local management where possible.
  16. Document changes and create a rollback plan — Record applied settings, timestamps, and steps to revert changes if needed.
Sign in to save
📝 My Notes