STIGUI
V-214342CAT II — Medium severitySV-214342r1043182_rule

The Apache web server must set an inactive timeout for completing the TLS handshake

Rule version AS24-W1-000650 · STIG v3 · 2026-02-25

Discussion

Leaving sessions open indefinitely is a major security risk. An attacker can easily use an already authenticated session to access the hosted application as the previously authenticated user.

Timeouts for completing the TLS handshake, receiving the request headers and/or the request body from the client. If the client fails to complete each of these stages within the configured time, a 408 REQUEST TIME OUT error is sent.

For SSL virtual hosts, the handshake timeout values is the time needed to do the initial SSL handshake. If the user's browser is configured to query certificate revocation lists and the CRL server is not reachable, the initial SSL handshake may take a significant time until the browser gives up waiting for the CRL. Therefore the handshake timeout should take this possible overhead into consideration for SSL virtual hosts (if necessary). The body timeout values include the time needed for SSL renegotiation (if necessary).

Check

Review the <'INSTALL PATH'>\conf\httpd.conf file.

Verify the "mod_reqtimeout" is loaded.

If it does not exist, this is a finding.

If the "mod_reqtimeout" module is loaded and the "RequestReadTimeout" directive is not configured, this is a finding.

Note: The "RequestReadTimeout" directive must be explicitly configured (i.e., not left to a default value) to a value compatible with the organization's operations.

Fix

Edit the <'INSTALL PATH'>\conf\httpd.conf file and load the "mod_reqtimeout" module.

Set the "RequestReadTimeout" directive to a value compatible with the organization's operations.

Restart the Apache service.

Identifiers

Group ID
V-214342
Group title
SRG-APP-000295-WSR-000134
Rule ID
SV-214342r1043182_rule
Check ID
C-15554r505092_chk
Fix ID
F-15552r505093_fix