6.3.9 Audit Pop-up Windows

Information

Browser pop-up windows have long been one of the most annoying delivery mechanisms of unwanted web content. The content can be unwanted content, including Not Safe For Work, or malicious content relying on a user interacting with the pop-up. Safari has a built-in capability to disable pop-ups that should be enabled.

Pop-up windows are almost always unwanted content and should be blocked.

NOTE: Nessus has not performed this check. Please review the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Graphical Method:

Perform the following to configure pop-ups in Safari:

- Open Safari
- Select Safari from the menu bar
- Select Settings
- Select Websites
- Select Pop-up Windows
- Set all websites to Block and Notify or Block listed in Allow pop-up windows on the website below: or select Remove to remove a website
- Set that When visiting other websites is set to Block and Notify or Block

Impact:

Obsolete web content delivery systems may still rely on pop-ups on internal web portals.

Specific domains can be set to be allowed

if absolutely necessary. Web Developers should update content to reduce risk in the environment so that no pop-ups are allowed.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/15551

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|CM-10, 800-53|SC-18, CSCv7|7.1

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: aa340f807c9ed07d07e3d4ca8ee083eb7973c8d3c2fc3b15a7b2b991ea0cabf9