STIGQter: STIG Summary: Apple macOS 15 (Sequoia) Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 1 Release: 7 Benchmark Date: 01 Apr 2026:

The macOS system must disable password authentication for SSH.

DISA Rule

SV-268477r1034371_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-268477

Group Title

SRG-OS-000067-GPOS-00035

Rule Version

APPL-15-001150

Severity

CAT I

CCI(s)

• CCI-000186 - For public key-based authentication, enforce authorized access to the corresponding private key.
• CCI-000765 - Implement multifactor authentication for network access to privileged accounts.
• CCI-000766 - Implement multifactor authentication for network access to non-privileged accounts.
• CCI-001941 - Implement replay-resistant authentication mechanisms for access to privileged accounts and/or non-privileged accounts.
• CCI-000877 - Employ strong authentication in the establishment of nonlocal maintenance and diagnostic sessions.
• CCI-004046 - Implement multi-factor authentication for local; network; and/or remote access to privileged accounts; and/or non-privileged accounts such that one of the factors is provided by a device separate from the system gaining access.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure the macOS system to disable password authentication for SSH with the following command:

include_dir=$(/usr/bin/awk '/^Include/ {print $2}' /etc/ssh/sshd_config | /usr/bin/tr -d '*')
if [[ -z $include_dir ]]; then
/usr/bin/sed -i.bk "1s/.*/Include \/etc\/ssh\/sshd_config.d\/\*/" /etc/ssh/sshd_config
fi
echo "passwordauthentication no" >> "${include_dir}01-mscp-sshd.conf"
echo "kbdinteractiveauthentication 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

Check Contents

Verify the macOS system is configured to disable password authentication for SSH with the following command:

/usr/sbin/sshd -G | /usr/bin/grep -Ec '^(passwordauthentication\s+no|kbdinteractiveauthentication\s+no)'

If the result is not "2", this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-268477

Documentable

False

Rule Version

APPL-15-001150

Severity Override Guidance

Verify the macOS system is configured to disable password authentication for SSH with the following command:

/usr/sbin/sshd -G | /usr/bin/grep -Ec '^(passwordauthentication\s+no|kbdinteractiveauthentication\s+no)'

If the result is not "2", this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5661