The Apache web server must perform server-side session management.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-214307	AS24-W1-000020	SV-214307r505936_rule		Medium

Description
Session management is the practice of protecting the bulk of the user authorization and identity information. Storing of this data can occur on the client system or on the server. When the session information is stored on the client, the session ID, along with the user authorization and identity information, is sent along with each client request and is stored in a cookie, embedded in the uniform resource locator (URL), or placed in a hidden field on the displayed form. Each of these offers advantages and disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage to all three is the possibility of the hijacking of a session along with all of the user's credentials. When the user authorization and identity information is stored on the server in a protected and encrypted database, the communication between the client and Apache web server will only send the session identifier, and the server can then retrieve user credentials for the session when needed. If, during transmission, the session were to be hijacked, the user's credentials would not be compromised.

Description

Session management is the practice of protecting the bulk of the user authorization and identity information. Storing of this data can occur on the client system or on the server. When the session information is stored on the client, the session ID, along with the user authorization and identity information, is sent along with each client request and is stored in a cookie, embedded in the uniform resource locator (URL), or placed in a hidden field on the displayed form. Each of these offers advantages and disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage to all three is the possibility of the hijacking of a session along with all of the user's credentials. When the user authorization and identity information is stored on the server in a protected and encrypted database, the communication between the client and Apache web server will only send the session identifier, and the server can then retrieve user credentials for the session when needed. If, during transmission, the session were to be hijacked, the user's credentials would not be compromised.

STIG	Date
Apache Server 2.4 Windows Server Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-09-25

Details

Check Text ( C-15519r277424_chk )
In a command line, navigate to "<'INSTALLED PATH'>\bin". Run "httpd -M" to view a list of installed modules. If "mod_session" module and "mod_usertrack" are not enabled, this is a finding. session_module (shared) usertrack_module (shared)

Fix Text (F-15517r277425_fix)
Uncomment the "usertrack_module" module line and the "session_module" module in the <'INSTALL PATH'>\conf\httpd.conf file. Restart the Apache service. Additional documentation can be found at: https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_usertrack.html https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_session.html