STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE must be set to true.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-223002	TCAT-AS-001660	SV-223002r879887_rule		Low

Description
Strict Servlet Compliance forces Tomcat to adhere to standards specifications including but not limited to RFC2109. RFC2109 sets the standard for HTTP session management. This setting affects several settings which primarily pertain to cookie headers, cookie values, and sessions. Cookies will be parsed for strict adherence to specifications. Note that changing a number of these default settings may break some systems, as some browsers are unable to correctly handle the cookie headers that result from a strict adherence to the specifications. This one setting changes the default values for the following settings: org.apache.catalina.core. ApplicationContext.GET_RESOURCE_REQUIRE_SLASH org.apache.catalina.core. ApplicationDispatcher.WRAP_SAME_OBJECT org.apache.catalina.core. StandardHostValve.ACCESS_SESSION org.apache.catalina.session. StandardSession.ACTIVITY_CHECK org.apache.catalina.session. StandardSession.LAST_ACCESS_AT_START org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.ALWAYS_ADD_EXPIRES org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.FWD_SLASH_IS_SEPARATOR org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.PRESERVE_COOKIE_HEADER org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.STRICT_NAMING The resourceOnlyServlets attribute of any Context element. The tldValidation attribute of any Context element. The useRelativeRedirects attribute of any Context element. The xmlNamespaceAware attribute of any Context element. The xmlValidation attribute of any Context element.

Description

Strict Servlet Compliance forces Tomcat to adhere to standards specifications including but not limited to RFC2109. RFC2109 sets the standard for HTTP session management. This setting affects several settings which primarily pertain to cookie headers, cookie values, and sessions. Cookies will be parsed for strict adherence to specifications. Note that changing a number of these default settings may break some systems, as some browsers are unable to correctly handle the cookie headers that result from a strict adherence to the specifications. This one setting changes the default values for the following settings: org.apache.catalina.core. ApplicationContext.GET_RESOURCE_REQUIRE_SLASH org.apache.catalina.core. ApplicationDispatcher.WRAP_SAME_OBJECT org.apache.catalina.core. StandardHostValve.ACCESS_SESSION org.apache.catalina.session. StandardSession.ACTIVITY_CHECK org.apache.catalina.session. StandardSession.LAST_ACCESS_AT_START org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.ALWAYS_ADD_EXPIRES org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.FWD_SLASH_IS_SEPARATOR org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.PRESERVE_COOKIE_HEADER org.apache.tomcat.util.http. ServerCookie.STRICT_NAMING The resourceOnlyServlets attribute of any Context element. The tldValidation attribute of any Context element. The useRelativeRedirects attribute of any Context element. The xmlNamespaceAware attribute of any Context element. The xmlValidation attribute of any Context element.

STIG	Date
Apache Tomcat Application Server 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2023-12-18

Details

Check Text ( C-24674r426450_chk )
If the system has an ISSM risk acceptance for operational issues that arise due to this setting, this is not a finding. From the Tomcat server as a privileged user, run the following command: sudo grep -i strict_servlet /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service If there are no results, or if the -Dorg.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE is not set to true, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-24663r426451_fix)
From the Tomcat server as a privileged user: Edit the /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service file and either add or edit the org.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE setting. Set the org.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE=true EXAMPLE: CATALINA_OPTS='-Dorg.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE=true' Restart the Tomcat server: sudo systemctl restart tomcat sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Fix Text (F-24663r426451_fix)

From the Tomcat server as a privileged user:

Edit the /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service file and either add or edit the org.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE setting.

Set the org.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE=true

EXAMPLE:

CATALINA_OPTS='-Dorg.apache.catalina.STRICT_SERVLET_COMPLIANCE=true'

Restart the Tomcat server:
sudo systemctl restart tomcat
sudo systemctl daemon-reload