The WebSphere Application Server plug-in is not specified in accordance with the proper security requirements.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-225622	SRG-OS-000033	ZWAS0050	SV-225622r1146196_rule	2025-09-28	7

Description
Requests processed by the WebSphere Application Server (WAS) are dependent on directives configured in the HTTP server httpd.conf file. These directives specify critical files containing the WAS plug-in and WAS configuration. These files provide the operational and security characteristics of WAS. Failure to properly configure WAS-related directives could lead to undesirable operations and degraded security. This exposure may compromise the availability and integrity of applications and customer data.

Description

Requests processed by the WebSphere Application Server (WAS) are dependent on directives configured in the HTTP server httpd.conf file. These directives specify critical files containing the WAS plug-in and WAS configuration. These files provide the operational and security characteristics of WAS. Failure to properly configure WAS-related directives could lead to undesirable operations and degraded security. This exposure may compromise the availability and integrity of applications and customer data.

ℹ️ Check
Refer to the following report produced by the z/OS Data Collection: - USSCMDS.RPT(AHTTPD). Collect the following information for each IBM HTTP server: - The JCL procedure library and member name used to start each IBM HTTP server. DOC(IHSPROCS). For each IBM HTTP server, supply the following information: - Web server ID defined to the ACP. - Web server administration group defined to the ACP. - Web server standard HFS directory. Review the HTTP server JCL procedure to determine the httpd.conf file to review. Ensure that all WAS-related directives are configured using the ServerInit, Service, and ServerTerm statements as outlined below. The following path entries were added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 3.5: ServerInit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:init_exit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/etc/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/was.conf Service /webapp/examples/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /.jhtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /.shtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /servlet/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jsp /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:term_exit The following path entries are added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 4.0.1: ServerInit - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:init_exit Service - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:term_exit Note: The /etc/WebSphere clause for ServerInit matches the directory name above where the site customization was.conf file was established. Specific items to review include proper path, was.conf, and plug-in settings. If all WAS-related directives are configured properly, this is not a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Refer to the following report produced by the z/OS Data Collection: - USSCMDS.RPT(AHTTPD). Collect the following information for each IBM HTTP server: - The JCL procedure library and member name used to start each IBM HTTP server. DOC(IHSPROCS). For each IBM HTTP server, supply the following information: - Web server ID defined to the ACP. - Web server administration group defined to the ACP. - Web server standard HFS directory. Review the HTTP server JCL procedure to determine the httpd.conf file to review. Ensure that all WAS-related directives are configured using the ServerInit, Service, and ServerTerm statements as outlined below. The following path entries were added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 3.5: ServerInit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:init_exit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/etc/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/was.conf Service /webapp/examples/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jhtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.shtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /servlet/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jsp /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:term_exit The following path entries are added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 4.0.1: ServerInit - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:init_exit Service - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:term_exit Note: The /etc/WebSphere clause for ServerInit matches the directory name above where the site customization was.conf file was established. Specific items to review include proper path, was.conf, and plug-in settings. If all WAS-related directives are configured properly, this is not a finding.

✔️ Fix
The ISSO will ensure that the WebSphere Application Server directives in the httpd.conf file are configured as outlined below. Ensure that all WAS-related directives are configured using the ServerInit, Service, and ServerTerm statements as outlined below. The following path entries were added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 3.5: ServerInit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:init_exit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/etc/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/was.conf Service /webapp/examples/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /.jhtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /.shtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /servlet/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jsp /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:term_exit The following path entries are added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 4.0.1: ServerInit -/usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:init_exit Service - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:term_exit Note: The /etc/WebSphere clause for ServerInit matches the directory name above where the site customization was.conf file was established. Specific items to review include proper path, was.conf, and plug-in settings.

✔️ Fix

The ISSO will ensure that the WebSphere Application Server directives in the httpd.conf file are configured as outlined below. Ensure that all WAS-related directives are configured using the ServerInit, Service, and ServerTerm statements as outlined below. The following path entries were added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 3.5: ServerInit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:init_exit /usr/lpp/WebSphere/etc/WebSphere/AppServer/properties/was.conf Service /webapp/examples/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jhtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.shtml /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /servlet/* /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit Service /*.jsp /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm /usr/lpp/WebSphere/AppServer/bin/was350plugin.so:term_exit The following path entries are added to the /etc/httpd.conf file for WebSphere 4.0.1: ServerInit -/usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:init_exit Service - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:service_exit ServerTerm - /usr/lpp/WebSphere401/WebServerPlugIn/bin/was400plugin.so:term_exit Note: The /etc/WebSphere clause for ServerInit matches the directory name above where the site customization was.conf file was established. Specific items to review include proper path, was.conf, and plug-in settings.