Title

The Tomcat server must ensure authentication of both client and server during the entire session. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

This control focuses on communications protection at the session, versus packet level. At the application layer, session IDs are tokens generated by web applications to uniquely identify an application user's session. Web applications utilize session tokens or session IDs in order to establish application user identity. Proper use of session IDs addresses man-in-the-middle attacks, including session hijacking or insertion of false information into a session. Application servers must provide the capability to perform mutual authentication. Mutual authentication is when both the client and the server authenticate each other.

Check Content

The Tomcat server must use SSL in order to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of information during preperation for transmission. Review the server.xml configuration file and check if the “SSL HTTP/1.1 Connector” entry is uncommented. If the “SSL HTTP/1.1 Connector” entry is commented out or does not exist., this is a finding.

Fix Text

Configure the application server to mutually authenticate during the entire session as required by application design and policy.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-46668r3_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-35381

Group Title:

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.