A design company is editing a new campaign video on a MacBook Pro. A creative director opens a collaboration app that quietly requests microphone and camera permissions. MacOS is supposed to flag this, but the checks are lax in this case. The app gets access anyway.
Another Mac in the same office has file sharing enabled over an older protocol called SMB version 1. It’s fast and convenient, but outdated and vulnerable. If the endpoint is exposed to the internet, an attacker can exploit this in minutes.
Configuration oversights like this occur every day, even in organizations that take security seriously. This is not a hardware or antivirus software failure. These are configuration gaps that open the door to attackers, but often go unnoticed because no one is looking for them.
That’s where Defense Against Configurations (DAC) comes into play.
Misconfigurations, such as default settings left open, remote access that needs to be turned off (such as older network protocols like SMB v1), or encryption that was never enabled, are gifts to attackers.
The goal of the latest release of ThreatLocker is simple. These weaknesses are visible on macOS so you can fix them before they cause problems. Following the August 2025 release of DAC for Windows, ThreatLocker has launched DAC for macOS. This is currently in beta.
The built-in ThreatLocker feature uses your existing ThreatLocker agent to scan your Mac up to four times a day, uncovering risky or noncompliant settings in the same dashboard you already use in Windows.
High value controls in beta
The agent performs a configuration scan and reports the results to the console. On macOS, the first beta focuses on high-value controls.
Disk encryption status with FileVault Built-in firewall status Configuring sharing and remote access (including remote login) Checking local administrator accounts and membership Configuring automatic updates Gatekeeper and app source control Selected security and privacy settings to reduce attack surface
Findings are grouped by endpoint and category. Each item includes clear remediation guidance and mapping to major frameworks such as CIS, NIST, ISO 27001, and HIPAA. The goal is to shorten the path from detection to remediation, not add another queue of alerts.
Why is DAC important?
Design agencies, media studios, and production teams often build their workflows around Macs for good reason. M-series processors are powerful, quiet, and efficient for video and design software. However, security visibility is not always maintained.
By extending configuration scanning to macOS, these teams can find weaknesses such as unencrypted drives, disabled firewalls, lingering administrator accounts, or permissive sharing settings before they are exploited. This fills the gap that attackers are looking for and gives administrators the same level of insight they already rely on when it comes to Windows.
This beta doesn’t just cover macOS. It’s about giving IT and security teams real insight into where they stand. Even if DAC indicates your Mac is out of compliance, the problem doesn’t end there. Associate these findings with ThreatLocker policies that can remediate the issue. This visibility allows organizations to align with security frameworks, meet insurance requirements, and take the guesswork out of hardening their environments. Some users come to ThreatLocker specifically for DAC and stay because other ThreatLocker controls make sense. Configuration visibility is the gateway to real control.
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