You can probably edit a key in this file to allow everyone to add a new network interface

/private/etc/authorization

There may be an easier way to do this, but here is how I would do it:

cp -pr /etc/authorization /private/tmp/authorization

#Make all network users a part of the lpadmin group
dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -a Domain Users -t group lpadmin

# Unlock the Network Settings preference pane for the lpadmin group
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Set :rights:system.preferences.network:group lpadmin' /private/tmp/authorization

#Change network settings to allow lpadmin to make network changes
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Set :rights:system.services.systemconfiguration.network:rule root-or-lpadmin' /private/tmp/authorization
/bin/mv /private/tmp/authorization /etc/authorization
chown root /etc/authorization
chown :wheel /etc/authorization

Thanks for the help.
I've seen a lot of scripts that use PlistBuddy around here, but I don't think any of our machines have it installed. Is that something that I could install remotely?

...making a long list of things to accomplish at imaging next summer :)

PlistBuddy is/should be installed by default unless your Macs are running a very old version of OS X.
But it has to be specified with the full path because its in /usr/libexec, so as long as you call it in the script like

/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy

you should be fine

that just changed my life. Now off to testing.

humm no success with Mavericks 10.9.2 any idea?

I was struggling with 10.9 as well - apparently Apple removed the /etc/authorization file and replaced with a new SQLite3 database located at /var/db/auth.d. I came across this reading for solutions:

– http://www.afp548.com/2013/10/22/modifying-the-os-x-mavericks-authorization-database/
– https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=8900

I've also got a post on modifying the authorization database in Mavericks. It's available from here:

http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/managing-the-authorization-database-in-os-x-mavericks/

Hi @[rtrouton](rtrouton),
Thanks for the genius post!
I, however am facing another issue. I have the following command in my post install script, still after installation of OS and this script, when I click on Network Preferences I get prompt - 'A new network interface has been detected'. Unfortunately I can't find any post anywhere to fix this.
#First I have the following line:
networksetup -setnetworkserviceenabled "Thunderbolt Bridge" "off"
#and then I have done following lines as well to give access to users on Network Preferences, which seems working well.
security authorizationdb write system.preferences.network allow
security authorizationdb write system.services.systemconfiguration.network allow