Details

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is optional for a public web server. However, if authentication is being performed, then the use of the TLS protocol is required.

Without the use of TLS, the authentication data would be transmitted unencrypted and would become vulnerable to disclosure. Using TLS along with DoD PKI certificates for encryption of the authentication data protects the information from being accessed by all parties on the network. To further protect the authentication data, the web server must use a FIPS 140-2 approved TLS version and all non-FIPS-approved SSL versions must be disabled.

FIPS 140-2 approved TLS versions include TLS V1.0 or greater. NIST SP 800-52 specifies the preferred configurations for government systems.

Solution

Edit the httpd.conf file to load the ssl_module; set the SSLProtocol to ‘ALL -SSLv2 -SSLv3’ and set the SSLEngine to On.

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://iasecontent.disa.mil/stigs/zip/U_Apache_2-2_WIN_V1R13_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 Windows.

References

• 800-53|SC-8.
• CAT|II
• Rule-ID|SV-28565r2_rule
• STIG-ID|WG342_W22
• Vuln-ID|V-13694

Source

• Tenable.com/audits