Tomcat must be configured to limit data exposure between applications.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-222973	TCAT-AS-000820	SV-222973r961116_rule		Low

Description
If RECYCLE_FACADES is true or if a security manager is in use, a new facade object will be created for each request. This reduces the chances that a bug in an application might expose data from one request to another. This setting is configured using environment variable settings. For Linux OS flavors other than Ubuntu, use the relevant OS commands. For Ubuntu, this setting can be managed in the /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service file via the CATALINA_OPTS variable. This setting is defined in the file and referenced during tomcat startup in order to load tomcat environment variables. Technically, the tomcat.service referenced in the check and fix could be called a different name; but for STIG purposes and to provide a standard setting that can be referred to and obviously is used for Tomcat, tomcat.service was chosen.

Description

If RECYCLE_FACADES is true or if a security manager is in use, a new facade object will be created for each request. This reduces the chances that a bug in an application might expose data from one request to another. This setting is configured using environment variable settings. For Linux OS flavors other than Ubuntu, use the relevant OS commands. For Ubuntu, this setting can be managed in the /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service file via the CATALINA_OPTS variable. This setting is defined in the file and referenced during tomcat startup in order to load tomcat environment variables. Technically, the tomcat.service referenced in the check and fix could be called a different name; but for STIG purposes and to provide a standard setting that can be referred to and obviously is used for Tomcat, tomcat.service was chosen.

STIG	Date
Apache Tomcat Application Server 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-05-23

Details

Check Text ( C-24645r426363_chk )
From the Tomcat server as a privileged user, run the following command: sudo grep -i recycle_facades /etc/systemd/system/tomcat.service If there are no results, or if the org.apache.catalina.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES is not ="true", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-24634r426364_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.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES setting. Set the org.apache.catalina.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES=true. EXAMPLE: Environment='CATALINA_OPTS -Dorg.apache.catalina.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES=true' Restart the Tomcat server: sudo systemctl restart tomcat sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Fix Text (F-24634r426364_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.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES setting.

Set the org.apache.catalina.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES=true.

EXAMPLE:
Environment='CATALINA_OPTS -Dorg.apache.catalina.connector. RECYCLE_FACADES=true'

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