The WebSphere Application Server must provide security extensions to extend the SOAP protocol and provide secure authentication when accessing sensitive data.

From IBM WebSphere Traditional V9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

Part of SRG-APP-000156-AS-000106

Associated with: CCI-001941

SV-96043r1_rule The WebSphere Application Server must provide security extensions to extend the SOAP protocol and provide secure authentication when accessing sensitive data.

Vulnerability discussion

Application servers may provide a web services capability that could be leveraged to allow remote access to sensitive application data. A web service, which is a repeatable process used to make data available to remote clients, should not be confused with a web server. Many web services utilize SOAP, which in turn utilizes XML and HTTP as a transport. Natively, SOAP does not provide security protections. As such, the application server must provide security extensions to enhance SOAP capabilities to ensure that secure authentication mechanisms are employed to protect sensitive data. The WS_Security suite is a widely used and acceptable SOAP security extension.

Check content

Review System Security Plan documentation. Interview the system administrator. Identify any application web service clients. Identify the secure authentication requirements for each client. From admin console, navigate to Applications >> All applications. Click on each application that is a web service client where the security plan specifies security extensions are to be applied. Navigate to "Service client policy sets and bindings". Verify that any web service clients that are required to have security extensions applied as per the security plan have a policy attached. If "Attached policy set" column displays none, but the System Security Plan specifies security extensions as required, this is a finding.

Fix text

To attach policy sets for your service clients: From admin console, navigate to Applications >> All applications >> [application]. For each application that is a web service client and requires secure authentication, click on "Service client policy sets and bindings." Click button on the "Select" column to select a resource. Click on "Attach Client Policy Set" drop down. Select policy set that best matches the environment. Click button on the "Select" column to select the same resource. Click on the "Assign binding" drop down. Select a binding that best matches the environment. Click "Save". Restart DMGR and resync the JVMs.

Pro Tips

Lavender hyperlinks in small type off to the right (of CSS class id, if you view the page source) point to globally unique URIs for each document and item. Copy the link location and paste anywhere you need to talk unambiguously about these things.

You can obtain data about documents and items in other formats. Simply provide an HTTP header Accept: text/turtle or Accept: application/rdf+xml.

Powered by sagemincer