id: system_settings_content_caching_disable
title: Disable Content Caching Service
discussion: |
  Content caching _MUST_ be disabled.

  Content caching is a macOS service that helps reduce Internet data usage and speed up software installation on Mac computers. It is not recommended for devices furnished to employees to act as a caching server.
references:
  nist:
    cce:
      macos_27:
        - CCE-XXXXX-X
      macos_26:
        - CCE-95362-0
      macos_15:
        - CCE-94357-1
      macos_14:
        - CCE-92954-7
    800-53r5:
      - CM-7
      - CM-7(1)
    800-171r3:
      - 03.04.06
  disa:
    cci:
      - CCI-000381
    srg:
      - SRG-OS-000095-GPOS-00049
    disa_stig:
      macos_26:
        - APPL-26-002140
      macos_15:
        - APPL-15-002140
      macos_14:
        - APPL-14-002140
    cmmc:
      - CM.L2-3.4.6
      - CM.L2-3.4.7
  hhs:
    hicp:
      - 2.L.A
  cis:
    benchmark:
      macos_26:
        - 2.3.3.8 (level 2)
      macos_15:
        - 2.3.3.8 (level 2)
      macos_14:
        - 2.3.3.8 (level 2)
    controls_v8:
      - 4.8
platforms:
  macOS:
    '27.0': {}
    '26.0':
      benchmarks:
        - name: cis_lvl2
        - name: disa_stig
          severity: medium
    '15.0':
      benchmarks:
        - name: cis_lvl2
        - name: disa_stig
          severity: medium
    enforcement_info:
      check:
        shell: |-
          /usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript << EOS
          $.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.applicationaccess')\
          .objectForKey('allowContentCaching').js
          EOS
        result:
          string: 'false'
    introduced: '10.13'
tags:
  - 800-53r5_low
  - 800-53r5_moderate
  - 800-53r5_high
  - 800-171
  - cisv8
  - cnssi-1253_low
  - cnssi-1253_high
  - cmmc_lvl2
  - cnssi-1253_moderate
  - hicp_lp
mobileconfig_info:
  - PayloadType: com.apple.applicationaccess
    PayloadContent:
      - allowContentCaching: false
