OpenBSM (Basic Security Module) is an open-source implementation of Sun's Basic Security Module (BSM) API and audit log file format. It is used for security auditing and monitoring, providing detailed logs of system activities. While OpenBSM is more commonly associated with BSD systems, it is also integrated into macOS, making it a valuable tool for system administrators and security professionals working in Apple environments. This article will guide you through the process of using OpenBSM on macOS, including configuration, usage, and practical examples.

Examples:

1. Installing OpenBSM on macOS:

   OpenBSM is pre-installed on macOS, so you don't need to install it manually. However, you may need to enable and configure it.

2. Configuring OpenBSM:

   Configuration files for OpenBSM are located in /etc/security. The main configuration file is audit_control.

   Example of audit_control file:

   dir:/var/audit
   flags:lo,ad
   minfree:20
   naflags:lo
   policy:cnt,argv
   filesz:2M

   • dir specifies the directory where audit logs will be stored.
   • flags sets the audit flags for events you want to track.
   • minfree is the minimum free space required in the audit directory.
   • naflags are the non-attributable flags.
   • policy sets the audit policies.
   • filesz is the maximum size of each audit log file.

3. Starting and Stopping the Audit Daemon:

   To start the audit daemon, use the following command:

   sudo audit -s

   To stop the audit daemon, use:

   sudo audit -t

4. Viewing Audit Logs:

   Audit logs are stored in the directory specified in the audit_control file. You can view these logs using the praudit command.

   Example of viewing audit logs:

   sudo praudit /var/audit/current

   This will output the audit logs in a human-readable format.

5. Generating Audit Reports:

   You can use the auditreduce command to generate reports from the audit logs.

   Example of generating a report:

   sudo auditreduce -c lo /var/audit/current | praudit

   This command filters the logs for login events (-c lo) and then formats them using praudit.