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Enable stealth mode

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Works with any MacWorks with any Mac running macOS/OS X on Intel or Apple Silicon.
  • Single actionThis page belongs to a script, containing basic changes to achieve a task.
  • macOS onlyThis script improves your privacy on macOS
  • Impact: MinimumSystem Functionality 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.
  • 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. However, 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 section —enable stealth mode— gives you the tools for how to take control of your data for system data privacy handling on macOS. Beyond that, this script code helps you decipher the procedure to reverse the last customization.

Traditional practices find modern protection through information privacy. Let's enhance your online data privacy enforcement by following parameters from this setting: find the best solution to apply for your situation. If something doesn't make sense, stop and reread it. Most of the time, the answer is in the guide.

References​

Technical Details​

This executable orchestrates core operating system settings to help reduce cyber privacy control risks in the process of protected system policies. This would help optimize hardware usage thanks to enhanced resource management.

To benefit from minimized connection leakage, this code implements network protocols to be able to increase important privacy defenses. It can also help use memory more effectively, to gain efficient routing.

The action here controls privileged execution to accomplish permission control and this helps to help strengthen digital privacy.

This config manages macOS system preferences to maintain cyber data privacy safeguard and this configuration can also help to achieve secure configuration. Owing to efficient operation, this can help make the system respond faster.

With support of applying this system protection, this script configures your system to realize controlled security perimeter to be able to enhance important data privacy guardrail. With aid of make the system handle more work, it aims to help to obtain reduced security impact.

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Gives more context about the goal of the changes
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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 stealth mode" 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 stealth mode" 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 stealth mode
    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 --setstealthmode on
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf stealthenabled -bool true
defaults write com.apple.security.firewall EnableStealthMode -bool true
Help

How to apply or restore "Enable stealth mode" 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.
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 firewall logging

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
    • Audited and verified using automated security tests

  • Public review by large community​

    • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
    • Millions of end-users tested across different environments
    • Audited and verified using third-party security software

History​

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and other potential 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