Details

A web server is used to deliver content on the request of a client. The content delivered to a client must be controlled, allowing only hosted application files to be accessed and delivered. To allow a client access to system files of any type is a major security risk that is entirely avoidable. Obtaining such access is the goal of directory traversal and URL manipulation vulnerabilities. To facilitate such access by misconfiguring the web document (home) directory is a serious error. In addition, having the path on the same drive as the system folder compounds potential attacks such as drive space exhaustion.

NOTE: Nessus has provided the target output to assist in reviewing the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Move the web document (normally ‘htdocs’) directory to a separate partition other than the operating system root partition and the web server’s system files.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Apache_Server_2-4_UNIX_Y22M01_STIG.zip

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

References

• 800-53|SC-3
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-001084
• Rule-ID|SV-214290r612241_rule
• STIG-ID|AS24-U2-000580
• STIG-Legacy|SV-102887
• STIG-Legacy|V-92799
• Vuln-ID|V-214290

Source

• Tenable.com/audits