Details

The cornerstone of the PKI is the private key used to encrypt or digitally sign information.

If the private key is stolen, this will lead to the compromise of the authentication and non-repudiation gained through PKI because the attacker can use the private key to digitally sign documents and can pretend to be the authorized user.

Both the holders of a digital certificate and the issuing authority must protect the computers, storage devices, or whatever they use to keep the private keys. Java-based application servers utilize the Java keystore, which provides storage for cryptographic keys and certificates. The keystore is usually maintained in a file stored on the file system.

Solution

Configure the application server OS file permissions on the corresponding private key to restrict access to authorized accounts or roles.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_JBoss_EAP_6-3_V2R2_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Identification and Authentication.This control applies to the following type of system Unix.

References

• 800-53|IA-5(2)(b)
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000186
• CSCv6|3.1
• Rule-ID|SV-213534r615939_rule
• STIG-ID|JBOS-AS-000320
• STIG-Legacy|SV-76785
• STIG-Legacy|V-62295
• Vuln-ID|V-213534

Source

• Tenable.com/audits