The /etc/authorization file in Mac OS X can be used to control access to the various panes of the System Preferences amongst other things. It's used by some of us Mac Sys Admin's to give Standard Users access to System Prefs panes that only admins could otherwise unlock. It can also be used in the reverse to lock down panes you don't want users messing with. An example by Apple was about allowing non-admin users to change the time zone setting. Often the panes can't be controlled to the exact level you may want via MCX (Local or Managed) or defaults write/plists. Nor do you want to give users admin rights in a large business/university setting.
With 10.6 and now 10.7 the following Preference Panes are locked by default. Meaning you need an admin username and password to unlock them: Security & Privacy, Print & Scan, Network, Sharing, Users & Groups, Parental Controls, Date & Time, Software Update, Time Machine and Startup Disk. As a 'Standard User' you can't unlock these panes.
In 10.6 we could do the following to the /etc/authorization file, to give a standard user semi-admin access to the Preference Panes.
This unlocks the majority of the preference panes above, the downside being you probably don't want them all unlocked. (i.e Startup Disk) For some this was acceptable and used. Some of us however just wanted a few unlocked, i.e. Date & Time for laptop users who travel a lot. Time Machine, so staff could connect to a Time Capsule or USB Hard Drive at home. Energy Saver so they could adjust the settings to their liking. etc…
With Lion the /etc/authorization has undergone some changes and has much more granular control available in it. Which makes locking or unlocking individual Preference Panes possible.
Before you start make a copy of the authorization file. If you make a wrong edit your machine will get stuck and the spinning cog on boot. You can restore from your backup by booting into Single User mode (Command + S on boot) and trashing the messed file and renaming your backup. You can also edit the file from this mode, use sudo mount -auw then, cd etc, sudo pico authorization at the command line. Find the bit you messed up fix it and save and reboot.
So open up the /etc/authorization file (Finder, Go to Folder, /etc), I'd recommend using TextWrangler to edit it. In general you are going to be searching for a <key> key-name </key> and then editing the very end section of the key/dict entry. From this, to this:
Standard Users when created are automatically put into the 'staff' group. 'Admin' users are in the 'staff' and 'admin' groups
Save the file and reboot your Mac.
To unlock the Systems Preferences in General so all changes below will actually work you first need to edit this top level key, system.preferences, and adjust it as above changing it to a local group, i.e. staff. Save and reboot.
I certainly don't recommend unlocking all the Prefs panes, as it may give users more access than you want or have unintended side effects. But I will document them all in case needed.
To Unlock the Security & Privacy Pane, search for the following key: system.preferences.security and adjust it as above, then save and reboot. This alone will unlock the pane, but you still won't be able to get into it. Try logging in as a Standard user and unlocking it, it will work the first time but you'll be prompted again at which point it won't accept your password. This is because it's actually trying to unlock the FileVault tab, if you cancel out of the second credential prompt and go back in you'll get this slightly different prompt second time round.
First time round it was 'is trying to unlock Sharing preferences', second time its 'modify an encrypted disk.' So go back to the etc/authorization file and search for this key: com.apple.DiskManagement.reserveKEK.
Save and reboot. Login as your standard user, you can now get into the Security & Privacy pane.
Here is the link to the original article, including some illustrations.
[crarko adds: There's a lot to absorb here. I hope I didn't mess anything up in the editing process, but if there is any confusion please also cross-check with the original article (the link is provided above).]
With 10.6 and now 10.7 the following Preference Panes are locked by default. Meaning you need an admin username and password to unlock them: Security & Privacy, Print & Scan, Network, Sharing, Users & Groups, Parental Controls, Date & Time, Software Update, Time Machine and Startup Disk. As a 'Standard User' you can't unlock these panes.
In 10.6 we could do the following to the /etc/authorization file, to give a standard user semi-admin access to the Preference Panes.
<key>system.preferences</key> <dict> <key>allow-root</key> <true/> <key>class</key> <string>user</string> <key>comment</key> <string>Checked by the Admin framework when making changes to certain System Preferences.</string> <key>group</key> <string>everyone</string> * Changing this from 'admin', to another local group. i.e. staff, everyone, or a custom group you created yourself. <key>shared</key> <true/> </dict>
With Lion the /etc/authorization has undergone some changes and has much more granular control available in it. Which makes locking or unlocking individual Preference Panes possible.
Before you start make a copy of the authorization file. If you make a wrong edit your machine will get stuck and the spinning cog on boot. You can restore from your backup by booting into Single User mode (Command + S on boot) and trashing the messed file and renaming your backup. You can also edit the file from this mode, use sudo mount -auw then, cd etc, sudo pico authorization at the command line. Find the bit you messed up fix it and save and reboot.
So open up the /etc/authorization file (Finder, Go to Folder, /etc), I'd recommend using TextWrangler to edit it. In general you are going to be searching for a <key> key-name </key> and then editing the very end section of the key/dict entry. From this, to this:
<string>__APPNAME__ 正在嘗試解鎖"安全性與隱私"偏好設定。</string> </dict> <key>group</key> <string>admin</string> ** Change admin to another local group that your user is in. i.e. staff, everyone etc... <key>shared</key> <false/>
Save the file and reboot your Mac.
To unlock the Systems Preferences in General so all changes below will actually work you first need to edit this top level key, system.preferences, and adjust it as above changing it to a local group, i.e. staff. Save and reboot.
I certainly don't recommend unlocking all the Prefs panes, as it may give users more access than you want or have unintended side effects. But I will document them all in case needed.
To Unlock the Security & Privacy Pane, search for the following key: system.preferences.security and adjust it as above, then save and reboot. This alone will unlock the pane, but you still won't be able to get into it. Try logging in as a Standard user and unlocking it, it will work the first time but you'll be prompted again at which point it won't accept your password. This is because it's actually trying to unlock the FileVault tab, if you cancel out of the second credential prompt and go back in you'll get this slightly different prompt second time round.
First time round it was 'is trying to unlock Sharing preferences', second time its 'modify an encrypted disk.' So go back to the etc/authorization file and search for this key: com.apple.DiskManagement.reserveKEK.
<dict> <key>en</key> <string>__APPNAME__ is trying to modify an encrypted disk.</string> </dict> <key>group</key> <string>admin</string> *Change this to another local group: staff, everyone <key>shared</key>
- Energy Saver -- Unlockable by editing system.preferences.energysaver (as above).
- Print & Scan – Unlockable by editing system.preferences.printing. Note this unlocks the pane but you need to be in the lpadmin group to add a printer.
- Network -- Unlockable by editing system.preferences.network.
- Sharing -- Unlockable by editing system.preferences.sharing. This alone won't unlock sharing as the 'File Sharing' component is still blocking your access. You need to adjust system.sharepoints. as well.
</dict> <key>rule</key> <string>root-or-admin-or-authenticate-admin</string> *Change it to authenticate-session- owner-or-admin </dict>
- Parental Controls -- Unlockable by editing system.preferences.parental-controls.
- Date & Time – Unlockable by editing system.preferences.datetime.
- Software Update – Unlockable by editing system.preferences.softwareupdate.
- Time Machine – Unlockable by editing system.preferences.timemachine.
- Startup Disk – Unlockable by editing system.preferences.startupdisk .
- system.install.app-store-software
- com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.scan
Here is the link to the original article, including some illustrations.
[crarko adds: There's a lot to absorb here. I hope I didn't mess anything up in the editing process, but if there is any confusion please also cross-check with the original article (the link is provided above).]
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