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Cookies exchanged between the Apache web server and the client, such as session cookies, must have cookie properties set to force the encryption of cookies.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-214303 AS24-U2-000890 SV-214303r612241_rule Medium
Description
Cookies can be sent to a client using TLS/SSL to encrypt the cookies, but TLS/SSL is not used by every hosted application since the data being displayed does not require the encryption of the transmission. To safeguard against cookies, especially session cookies, being sent in plaintext, a cookie can be encrypted before transmission. To force a cookie to be encrypted before transmission, the cookie "Secure" property can be set.
STIG Date
Apache Server 2.4 UNIX Site Security Technical Implementation Guide 2021-12-17

Details

Check Text ( C-15516r277250_chk )
In a command line, run "httpd -M | grep -i session_cookie_module".

If "session_cookie_module" is not listed, this is a finding.

Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file:

# httpd -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file'
-D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd"
-D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf"

Search for the "Session" and "SessionCookieName" directives:

# cat //httpd.conf | grep -i "Session"
# cat //httpd.conf | grep -i "SessionCookieName"

If "Session" is not "on" and "SessionCookieName" does not contain "httpOnly" and "secure", this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-15514r277251_fix)
Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file:

# httpd -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file'
-D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd"
-D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf"

Set "Session" to "on".

Ensure the "SessionCookieName" directive includes "httpOnly" and "secure".