The account used to run the Apache web server must not have a valid login shell and password defined.
An XCCDF Rule
Description
<VulnDiscussion>During installation of the Apache web server software, accounts are created for the Apache web server to operate properly. The accounts installed can have either no password installed or a default password, which will be known and documented by the vendor and the user community. The first things an attacker will try when presented with a logon screen are the default user identifiers with default passwords. Installed applications may also install accounts with no password, making the logon even easier. Once the Apache web server is installed, the passwords for any created accounts should be changed and documented. The new passwords must meet the requirements for all passwords, i.e., uppercase/lowercase characters, numbers, special characters, time until change, reuse policy, etc. Service accounts or system accounts that have no logon capability do not need to have passwords set or changed.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>
- ID
- SV-214271r879887_rule
- Severity
- High
- References
- Updated
Remediation - Manual Procedure
Update the /etc/passwd file to assign the account used to run the "httpd" process an invalid login shell such as "/sbin/nologin".
Lock the account used to run the "httpd" process:
# passwd -l <account>
Locking password for user <account>