2.10.1 Ensure an Inactivity Interval of 20 Minutes Or Less for the Screen Saver Is Enabled

Information

A locking screen saver is one of the standard security controls to limit access to a computer and the current user's session when the computer is temporarily unused or unattended. In macOS, the screen saver starts after a value is selected in the drop-down menu. 20 minutes or less is an acceptable value. Any value can be selected through the command line or script, but a number that is not reflected in the GUI can be problematic. 20 minutes is the default for new accounts.

Setting an inactivity interval for the screen saver prevents unauthorized persons from viewing a system left unattended for an extensive period of time.

Solution

Profile Method:

- The PayloadType string is com.apple.screensaver
- The key to include is idleTime
- The key must be set to <integer><<=1200></integer>

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.

Impact:

If the screen saver is not set, users may leave the computer available for an unauthorized person to access information.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/15550