Apple macOS 26 (Tahoe) Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Apple macOS 26 (Tahoe) Security Technical Implementation Guide (V1 R4) has 160 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

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Severity

Version

V1 · R4

CurrentPublished Wed Sep 30 2026

The macOS system must remove password hints from user accounts.

Apple macOS 26 (Tahoe) Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

The macOS system must remove password hints from user accounts.

Description

Discussion Text

User accounts must not contain password hints.

Password hints leak information about passwords in use and can lead to loss of confidentiality.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-277149

Rule

SV-277149r1148899_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

APPL-26-003014

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

Verify the macOS system is configured to remove password hints from user accounts with the following command:

HINT=$(/usr/bin/dscl . -list /Users hint | /usr/bin/awk '{ print $2 }')

if [ -z "$HINT" ]; then
echo "PASS"
else
echo "FAIL"
fi

If the result is not "PASS", this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

Configure the macOS system to remove password hints from user accounts with the following command:

for u in $(/usr/bin/dscl . -list /Users UniqueID | /usr/bin/awk '$2 > 500 {print $1}'); do
/usr/bin/dscl . -delete /Users/$u hint
done

STIG check 122 of 160 in the Apple macOS 26 (Tahoe) STIG checklist

← Previous · V-277148The macOS system must disable password hints.Next · V-277150 →The macOS system must enforce smart card authentication.