Detections
Analytics

2.6.2 Ensure Sending Diagnostic and Usage Data to Apple Is Disabled - AutoSubmit

Warning! Audit Deprecated

This audit has been deprecated and will be removed in a future update.

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Information

Apple provides a mechanism to send diagnostic and analytics data back to Apple to help them improve the platform. Information sent to Apple may contain internal organizational information that should be controlled and not available for processing by Apple. Turn off all Analytics and Improvements sharing.

 Share Mac Analytics (Share with App Developers dependent on Mac Analytic sharing)

 Includes diagnostics, usage and location data

 Share iCloud Analytics

 Includes iCloud data and usage information

 Rationale:

 Organizations should have knowledge of what is shared with the vendor and that this setting automatically forwards information to Apple.

Solution

Graphical Method:
 Perform the following steps to disable diagnostic data being sent to Apple:

 Open System Settings

 Select Privacy & Security

 Select Analytics & Improvements

 Select Analytics & Improvements

 Set Share Mac Analytics to disabled

 Set Share with App Developers to disabled

 Set Improve Siri & Dictation to disabled

 Terminal Method:
 Run the following commands to disable the sending of diagnostic data to Apple:

 $ /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/DiagnosticMessagesHistory.plist AutoSubmit -bool false

 /usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/defaults write /Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/DiagnosticMessagesHistory.plist ThirdPartyDataSubmit -bool false

 $ /usr/bin/sudo /bin/chmod 644 /Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/DiagnosticMessagesHistory.plist

 $ /usr/bin/sudo /usr/sbin/chgrp admin /Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/DiagnosticMessagesHistory.plist

 $ /usr/bin/sudo -u <username> /usr/bin/defaults write /Users/<username>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.assistant.support 'Siri Data Sharing Opt-In Status' -int 2

 example:

 $ /usr/bin/sudo -u seconduser /usr/bin/defaults write /Users/seconduser/Library/Preferences/com.apple.assistant.support 'Siri Data Sharing Opt-In Status' -int 2

 Profile Method:
 Create or edit a configuration profile with the following information:

 The PayloadType string is com.apple.applicationaccess

 The key to include is allowDiagnosticSubmission

 The key must be set to <false/>

 The key to also include is Siri Data Sharing Opt-In Status

 The key must be set to <integer>2<integer/>

 There must also be a second PayloadType string of com.apple.SubmitDiagInfo

 The key to include is AutoSubmit

 The key must be set to <false/>

 Note: Since the profile method sets a system-wide setting and not a user-level one, the profile method is the preferred method. It is always better to set system-wide than per user.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/4159

Item Details

References: CSCv7|5.1, CSCv7|9.2

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 076bc0c0b70121c1137a90f9bd33566988f5acffc67cefef864810ad898545f3