Cookies exchanged between the Apache web server and the client, such as session cookies, must have cookie properties set to prohibit client-side scripts from reading the cookie data.
Severity | Group ID | Group Title | Version | Rule ID | Date | STIG Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium | V-214268 | SRG-APP-000439-WSR-000154 | AS24-U1-000870 | SV-214268r961632_rule | 2024-12-04 | 3 |
Description
A cookie can be read by client-side scripts easily if cookie properties are not set properly. By allowing cookies to be read by the client-side scripts, information such as session identifiers could be compromised and used by an attacker who intercepts the cookie. Setting cookie properties (i.e., HttpOnly property) to disallow client-side scripts from reading cookies better protects the information inside the cookie.
Satisfies: SRG-APP-000439-WSR-000154, SRG-APP-000439-WSR-000155
ℹ️ Check
Verify the session cookie module is loaded
# httpd -M | grep -i session_cookie_module
Output should look similar to: session_cookie_module (shared)
Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file:
# apachectl -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file'
-D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd"
-D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf"
Note: The apachectl front end is the preferred method for locating the Apache httpd file. For some Linux distributions, "apache2ctl -V" or "httpd -V" can also be used.
Search for the directive "Session" in the "httpd.conf" file:
# cat httpd.conf | grep -i "Session"
Output should be similar to:
Session on
SessionCookieName httpOnly Secure
SessionCryptoCipher aes256
SessionMaxAge 600
Note: SSL directives can also be located in /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf.
If the "Session" and "SessionCookieName" directives are not present, this is a finding.
If "Session" is not set to "on" and "SessionCookieName" does not contain "httpOnly" and "secure", this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file:
# apachectl -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file'
-D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd"
-D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf"
NOTE: SSL directives may also be located in /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf.
Set "Session" to "on".
Ensure the "SessionCookieName" directive includes "httpOnly" and "secure".