Skip to main content

Enable firewall logging

Apply Now
Works with any MacWorks with any Mac running macOS/OS X on Intel or Apple Silicon.
  • macOS onlyThis script improves your privacy on macOS
  • Single actionThis page belongs to a script, containing basic changes to achieve a task.
  • Impact: Minimum

    System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Low

    This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

  • Bash (Shell script)These changes use macOS system commands to update your settings.
  • Administrative (sudo) access requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
  • Fully reversible

    You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.

    The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

Overview​

Missing Good Quality Documentation

This page does not yet meet PrivacyLearn's documentation standards. The script/action is stable and verified by community. Here are some options for you to understand its functionality:

Computer-generated docs (PREVIEW)

This documentation may be low quality but still useful.
Read computer-generated explanation

This documentation is automatically extracted from the code implementation.

This inventory —enable firewall logging— helps decode how to prevent unauthorized data changes for system data privacy on macOS. On the same track, process to revert to the saved state is detailed below.

Preventing overreach in digital surveillance depends on secure data privacy security. Adopt information privacy maintenance preferences now by following this improvement and read this guide to apply the tweak. Every instruction has a purpose, so follow them carefully.

References​

Technical Details​

  1. By this system behavior, this config orchestrates your system to achieve secured system settings to strengthen digital data privacy enforcement. This helps balanced configurations to be able to help the system work smarter.
  2. This action manages sudo controls to improve personal data guardrail and this code can also to benefit from permission control.
  3. The tweak here adjusts network parameters to gain reduced network activity tracking risks and It aims to help enhance system privacy safeguard. Owing to enhanced bandwidth usage, this can make things happen faster.
  4. To be able to minimize online privacy safeguard risks, this adjustment applies macOS preferences on system level to reach preference control. Amid streamlined settings, this configuration helps make the system run smoother.
  5. To realize controlled security perimeter, this executable configures defense configurations to be able to optimize system privacy integration. With make the system handle more work, it helps to obtain efficient threat scanning.

Explore similar guides

Gives more context about the goal of the changes
Scroll to guide list

Review code

Requires technical knowledge about Bash (Shell script)
Scroll to code

Edit this page to improve

Requires technical knowledge about YAML and Git
Edit this page
Safe for General Use
All actions in this script is recommended for all users. This is recommended for all users to improve without any noticeable impact on the system functionality.

Apply Now​

Choose one of three ways to apply:

Download script​

Download and run the script directly
  • No app needed
  • Offline usage
  • Free
  • Open-source
Help

How to apply or restore "Enable firewall logging" using script​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: Web Browser
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • ≈ 5 instructions
  1. 1

    Download

    Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
    Use   Undo protection button above to restore changes.
  2. 2

    Keep the file

    If warned by your browser, keep the file.
  3. 3

    Open

    Open the downloaded file.
  4. 4

    Exit

    Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
  5. 5

    Restart

    Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.

Apply with privacy.sexy​

Guided, automated application with safety checks
  • Recommended for most users
  • Includes safety checks
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Popular
  • Offline/Online usage
Open privacy.sexy
Help

How to apply or restore "Enable firewall logging" using privacy.sexy​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: privacy.sexy
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 4 instructions
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.
  1. 1

    Open or download

    Open or download the desktop application
  2. 2

    Choose script

    1. Search for the script name: Enable firewall logging
    2. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  3. 3

    Run

    Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.

    This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.

Run commands​

Copy and run commands manually Requires technical knowledge
Apply changes
/usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --setloggingmode on
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf loggingenabled -bool true
Help

How to apply or restore "Enable firewall logging" using commands​

  • ≈ 2 min to complete
  • Tools: Terminal app
  • Difficulty: undefined
  • ≈ 3 instructions
  1. 1

    Open terminal

    Open Terminal app.
  2. 2

    Copy code

    Copy the code:
    Copy Apply Code Copy Revert Code
  3. 3

    Paste & run

    Paste the code into Terminal and press Enter to run.

    Some changes require a system restart to take effect

Similar Guides​

Wider Goal​

Guides below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.

See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.

These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.

MacOS sensitive data privacy control: configure macOS Application Firewall in a few steps on this collection that streamlines the process of how to take control of...
Visit category page

Same Goal​

Other guides in Configure macOS Application Firewall 

See settings that are in the same category as this guide.

Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.

Disable automatic permission for incoming traffic in applications
Enable application firewall
Enable stealth mode

About the Creators​

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

  • Avatar of undergroundwires. The creator of PrivacyLearn and privacy.sexy. Black and white portrait showing a person wearing a polka dot tie and suit jacket, reflecting the professional expertise behind the privacy protection tools.
    • Certified security professional
    • 7+ years experience securing banks
    • Open-source developer since 2005
    • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
    • Hundreds across the globe
    • Testers, reviewers, developers
    • Companies, military agencies
    • Community since 2017
About Us

Reviewed By​

This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:

  • Expert review by undergroundwires​

    • Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
    • Assessed system impact and user privacy risks

  • Public review by large community​

    • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
    • Millions of end-users tested across different environments

History​

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.

Review Change History Our Change Process