The application pool for each IIS 8.5 website must have a recycle time explicitly set.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-214488	IISW-SI-000255	SV-214488r814372_rule		Medium

Description
Application pools can be periodically recycled to avoid unstable states possibly leading to application crashes, hangs, or memory leaks.

STIG	Date
Microsoft IIS 8.5 Site Security Technical Implementation Guide	2021-12-28

Details

Check Text ( C-15697r814360_chk )
Note: Recycling Application Pools can create an unstable environment in a 64-bit SharePoint environment. If operational issues arise, with supporting documentation from the ISSO this check can be downgraded to a CAT III. Note: If the IIS Application Pool is hosting Microsoft SharePoint, this is Not Applicable. Note: If the IIS Application Pool is hosting Microsoft Exchange and not otherwise hosting any content, this is Not Applicable. Open the IIS 8.5 Manager. Click the “Application Pools”. Perform the following for each Application Pool: Highlight an Application Pool and click "Recycling" in the “Actions” pane. In the Recycling Conditions window, verify at least one condition is checked as desired by the organization. If no conditions are checked, this is a finding. Click Next. In the Recycling Events to Log window, verify both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" boxes are selected. If both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" options are not selected, this is a finding. Click Cancel.

Check Text ( C-15697r814360_chk )

Note: Recycling Application Pools can create an unstable environment in a 64-bit SharePoint environment. If operational issues arise, with supporting documentation from the ISSO this check can be downgraded to a CAT III.

Note: If the IIS Application Pool is hosting Microsoft SharePoint, this is Not Applicable.

Note: If the IIS Application Pool is hosting Microsoft Exchange and not otherwise hosting any content, this is Not Applicable.

Open the IIS 8.5 Manager.

Click the “Application Pools”.

Perform the following for each Application Pool:

Highlight an Application Pool and click "Recycling" in the “Actions” pane.

In the Recycling Conditions window, verify at least one condition is checked as desired by the organization.

If no conditions are checked, this is a finding.

Click Next.

In the Recycling Events to Log window, verify both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" boxes are selected.

If both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" options are not selected, this is a finding.

Click Cancel.

Fix Text (F-15695r814371_fix)
Open the IIS 8.5 Manager. Click the “Application Pools”. Perform the following for each Application Pool: Highlight an Application Pool and click "Recycling" in the “Actions” pane. In the Recycling Conditions window, select at least one means to recycle the Application Pool. Click Next. In the Recycling Events to Log windows, select both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" boxes. Click Finish.

Fix Text (F-15695r814371_fix)

Open the IIS 8.5 Manager.

Click the “Application Pools”.

Perform the following for each Application Pool:

Highlight an Application Pool and click "Recycling" in the “Actions” pane.

In the Recycling Conditions window, select at least one means to recycle the Application Pool.

Click Next.

In the Recycling Events to Log windows, select both the "Regular time interval" and "Specific time" boxes.

Click Finish.