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XCCDF
Apache Tomcat Application Server 9 Security Technical Implementation Guide
SRG-APP-000380-AS-000088
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/ folder must be owned by root, group tomcat.
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/ folder must be owned by root, group tomcat.
An XCCDF Rule
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$CATALINA_BASE/conf/ folder must be owned by root, group tomcat.
Medium Severity
<VulnDiscussion>Tomcat file permissions must be restricted. The standard configuration is to have Tomcat files contained in the conf/ folder as members of the "tomcat" group. While root has read/write privileges, group only has read permissions, and world has no permissions. The exceptions are the logs, temp, and work directories that are owned by the Tomcat user rather than root. This means that even if an attacker compromises the Tomcat process, they cannot change the Tomcat configuration, deploy new web applications, or modify existing web applications. The Tomcat process runs with a umask of 0027 to maintain these permissions. Note that running Tomcat in a Docker environment can impact how file permissions and user ownership settings are applied. Due to associated Docker configuration complexities, the STIG is scoped for standalone rather than virtual Docker deployments. If the ISSM determines the operational need to allow application admins access to change the Tomcat configuration outweighs the risk of limiting that access, then they can change the group membership to accommodate. Ownership must not be changed. The ISSM should take the exposure of the system to high risk networks into account.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>