HPE Alletra Storage ArcusOS Web Server Security Technical Implementation Guide

Data at rest is inactive data which is stored physically in any digital form (e.g., databases, data warehouses, spreadsheets, archives, tapes, off-site backups, mobile devices, etc.). Data at rest includes, but is not limited to, archived data, data that is not accessed or changed frequently, files stored on hard drives, USB thumb drives, files stored on backup tape and disks, and files stored off-site or on a storage area network. While data at rest can reside in many places, data at rest for a web server is data on the hosting system storage devices. Data stored as a backup on tape or stored off-site is no longer under the protection measures covered by the web server. There are several pieces of data that the web server uses during operation. The web server must use an accepted encryption method, such as SHA1, to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the information.

Leaving sessions open indefinitely is a major security risk. An attacker can easily use an already authenticated session to access the hosted application as the previously authenticated user. By closing sessions after a set period of inactivity, the web server can make certain those sessions not closed through the user logging out of an application are eventually closed. Acceptable values are 5 minutes for high-value applications, 10 minutes for medium-value applications, and 20 minutes for low-value applications.

Remote access to the web server is any access that communicates through an external, nonorganization-controlled network. Remote access can be used to access hosted applications or to perform management functions. A web server can be accessed remotely and must be able to enforce remote access policy requirements or work in conjunction with enterprise tools designed to enforce policy requirements. Examples of the web server enforcing a remote access policy are implementing IP filtering rules, using https instead of http for communication, implementing secure tokens, and validating users.

Audit information includes all information needed to successfully audit system activity, such as audit records, audit log settings, audit reports, and personally identifiable information. Audit logging tools are those programs and devices used to conduct system audit and logging activities. Protection of audit information focuses on technical protection and limits the ability to access and execute audit logging tools to authorized individuals. Physical protection of audit information is addressed by both media protection controls and physical and environmental protection controls.

Audit information includes all information needed to successfully audit system activity, such as audit records, audit log settings, audit reports, and personally identifiable information. Audit logging tools are those programs and devices used to conduct system audit and logging activities. Protection of audit information focuses on technical protection and limits the ability to access and execute audit logging tools to authorized individuals. Physical protection of audit information is addressed by both media protection controls and physical and environmental protection controls.

Public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates are certificates with visibility external to organizational systems and certificates related to the internal operations of systems, such as application-specific time services. In cryptographic systems with a hierarchical structure, a trust anchor is an authoritative source (e.g., a certificate authority) for which trust is assumed and not derived. A root certificate for a PKI system is an example of a trust anchor. A trust store or certificate store maintains a list of trusted root certificates.