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-214394 | SRG-APP-000439-WSR-000154 | AS24-W2-000870 | SV-214394r961632_rule | 2026-02-25 | 2 |
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.
ℹ️ Check
Verify the "session_cookie_module" module is installed.
Inspect the httpd.conf file to confirm the "session_cookie_module" is being used.
If the "session_cookie_module" module is not being used, this is a finding.
Search for the "Session" and "SessionCookieName" directives.
If "Session" is not "on" and "SessionCookieName" does not contain "httpOnly" and "secure", this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
Set "Session" to "on".
Ensure the "SessionCookieName" directive includes "httpOnly" and "secure".