The application server must identify potentially security-relevant error conditions.
Overview
Finding ID
Version
Rule ID
IA Controls
Severity
V-204773
SRG-APP-000266-AS-000168
SV-204773r961167_rule
Medium
Description
The structure and content of error messages need to be carefully considered by the organization and development team. Any application providing too much information in error logs and in administrative messages to the screen risks compromising the data and security of the application and system. The extent to which the application server is able to identify and handle error conditions is guided by organizational policy and operational requirements. Adequate logging levels and system performance capabilities need to be balanced with data protection requirements.
The structure and content of error messages needs to be carefully considered by the organization and development team.
Application servers must have the capability to log at various levels which can provide log entries for potential security-related error events.
An example is the capability for the application server to assign a criticality level to a failed logon attempt error message, a security-related error message being of a higher criticality.