A private web server must utilize an approved TLS version.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-2262	WG340 W22	SV-14297r2_rule	ECSC-1	Medium

Description
Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption is a required security setting for a private web server. Encryption of private information is essential to ensuring data confidentiality. If private information is not encrypted, it can be intercepted and easily read by an unauthorized party. A private web server must use a FIPS 140-2 approved TLS version, and all non-FIPS-approved SSL versions must be disabled. FIPS 140-2 approved TLS versions include TLS V1.0 or greater. NIST SP 800-52 specifies the preferred configurations for government systems.

Description

Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption is a required security setting for a private web server. Encryption of private information is essential to ensuring data confidentiality. If private information is not encrypted, it can be intercepted and easily read by an unauthorized party. A private web server must use a FIPS 140-2 approved TLS version, and all non-FIPS-approved SSL versions must be disabled. FIPS 140-2 approved TLS versions include TLS V1.0 or greater. NIST SP 800-52 specifies the preferred configurations for government systems.

STIG	Date
APACHE SITE 2.2 for Windows	2015-08-27

Details

Check Text ( C-35784r2_chk )
Verify that the ssl module is loaded. Open a command prompt and run the following command from the directory where httpd.exe is located: httpd –M This will provide a list of all the loaded modules. Verify that the “ssl_module” is loaded. If this module is not found, this is a finding. After determining that the ssl module is active, locate the Apache httpd.conf file. If unable to locate the file, perform a search of the system to find the location of the file. Open the httpd.conf file with an editor such as Notepad, and search for the following uncommented directives: SSLProtocol & SSLEngine For all enabled SSLProtocol directives ensure they are set to “ALL -SSLv2 -SSLv3”. If the SSLProtocol directive is not set properly, this is a finding. NOTE: For Apache 2.2.22 and older, all enabled SSLProtocol directives must be set to "TLSv1" or this is a finding. For all enabled SSLEngine directives ensure they are set to “on”. Both the SSLProtocol and SSLEngine directives must be set correctly or this is a finding. NOTE: In some cases web servers are configured in an environment to support load balancing. This configuration most likely utilizes a content switch to control traffic to the various web servers. In this situation, the TLS certificate for the web sites may be installed on the content switch vs, the individual web sites. This solution is acceptable as long as the web servers are isolated from the general population LAN. We do not want users to have the ability to bypass the content switch to access the web sites.

Check Text ( C-35784r2_chk )

Verify that the ssl module is loaded. Open a command prompt and run the following command from the directory where httpd.exe is located: httpd –M

This will provide a list of all the loaded modules. Verify that the “ssl_module” is loaded. If this module is not found, this is a finding.

After determining that the ssl module is active, locate the Apache httpd.conf file.

If unable to locate the file, perform a search of the system to find the location of the file.

Open the httpd.conf file with an editor such as Notepad, and search for the following uncommented directives: SSLProtocol & SSLEngine

For all enabled SSLProtocol directives ensure they are set to “ALL -SSLv2 -SSLv3”. If the SSLProtocol directive is not set properly, this is a finding.

NOTE: For Apache 2.2.22 and older, all enabled SSLProtocol directives must be set to "TLSv1" or this is a finding.

For all enabled SSLEngine directives ensure they are set to “on”.

Both the SSLProtocol and SSLEngine directives must be set correctly or this is a finding.

NOTE: In some cases web servers are configured in an environment to support load balancing. This configuration most likely utilizes a content switch to control traffic to the various web servers. In this situation, the TLS certificate for the web sites may be installed on the content switch vs, the individual web sites. This solution is acceptable as long as the web servers are isolated from the general population LAN. We do not want users to have the ability to bypass the content switch to access the web sites.

Fix Text (F-31024r2_fix)
Edit the httpd.conf file and set the SSLProtocol to "ALL -SSLv2 -SSLv3" and the SSLEngine to On. For Apache 2.2.22 and older, set SSLProtocol to "TLSv1".