Read the NSA's OS X Security Guide

Nov 01, '04 09:23:00AM

Contributed by: CJLinst

This flew across slashdot a couple days ago, but I don't see it here. NSA (the USA's National Security Agency) has posted the 'Apple Mac OS X v10.3.x "Panther" Security Configuration Guide' [3.1MB PDF] on their site. Here's the introductory blurb:

The purpose of this guide is to provide an overview of Mac OS X v10.3.x "Panther" operating system security and recommendations for configuring the security features. This guide provides recommended settings to secure systems using this operating system, and points out problems that could cause security concerns in systems using this operating system.

This document is intended for anyone managing a locally-administered Apple Mac OS X v10.3.x system. It is assumed that anyone using this guidance will have some experience using Mac OS X, and understands the basics of the Mac OS X user interface.
I'm about halfway through it (it's almost 100 pages long), and have already found some of its insights interesting.

[robg adds: I also mention this guide at the end of the Opener malware report today, but felt it was worth mentioning separately. I'm almost done reading the guide, and there are some nice tidbits in there. It's also overkill for most users to implement everything they recommend, but it will get you thinking about security, which is a good thing.]

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