Only authenticated system administrators or the designated PKI Sponsor for the Apache web server must have access to the Apache web servers private key.

From Apache Server 2.4 UNIX Site Security Technical Implementation Guide

Associated with: CCI-000186

AS24-U2-000390_rule Only authenticated system administrators or the designated PKI Sponsor for the Apache web server must have access to the Apache web servers private key.

Vulnerability discussion

The web server's private key is used to prove the identity of the server to clients and securely exchange the shared secret key used to encrypt communications between the web server and clients. By gaining access to the private key, an attacker can pretend to be an authorized server and decrypt the SSL traffic between a client and the web server.

Check content

In a command line, run "httpd -M | grep -i ssl_module". If the "ssl_module" is not enabled, this is a finding. Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file: # httpd -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file' -D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd" -D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf" Review the private key path in the "SSLCertificateFile" directive. Verify only authenticated system administrators and the designated PKI Sponsor for the web server can access the web server private key. If the private key is accessible by unauthenticated or unauthorized users, this is a finding.

Fix text

Determine the location of the "HTTPD_ROOT" directory and the "httpd.conf" file: # httpd -V | egrep -i 'httpd_root|server_config_file' -D HTTPD_ROOT="/etc/httpd" -D SERVER_CONFIG_FILE="conf/httpd.conf" Based on the "SSLCertificateFile" directive path, configure the Apache web server to ensure only authenticated and authorized users can access the web server's private key.

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