4.2.7 Ensure Hostname verification for TLS communication is enabled

Information

Hostname verification is a server identity check that is used to ensure that a client is talking to the correct server. The check is performed on the client side of an SSL communication and involves looking at the server's certificate Subject Alternative Name (or the SubjectDN) to see if it matches the host part of the URL that was used to make the outbound request.

Hostname verification mitigates man-in-the-middle security vulnerability attacks.

NOTE: Nessus has provided the target output to assist in reviewing the benchmark to ensure target compliance.

Solution

Enable hostname verification in the SSL configuration by adding the verifyHostname attribute to the ssl configuration element in ${server.config.dir}/configDropins/overrides/<any file name>.xml

<ssl ... verifyHostname="true" />

For JAX-RS client, enable hostname verification in the webTarget element by adding the disableCNCheck attribute in ${server.config.dir}/configDropins/overrides/<any file name>.xml

<webTarget ... disableCNCheck="false" />

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/7724

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-23

Plugin: Unix

Control ID: 2184c9e435b6fc4ee3a8ea87f70f2d19aab6944057fa5ff53d926781ccf1eee9