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← Back to IBM WebSphere Traditional V9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-255856

CAT II (Medium)

The WebSphere Application Server process must not be started from the command line with the -password option.

Rule ID

SV-255856r960963_rule

STIG

IBM WebSphere Traditional V9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R1

CCIs

CCI-000381

Discussion

The use of the -password option to launch a WebSphere process from the command line can result in a security exposure. Password information may become visible to any user with the ability to view system processes. For example, on a Linux system the "ps" command will display all running processes, which would include all of the command line flags used to start a WebSphere process.

Check Content

Review System Security Plan documentation.

Interview the system administrator.

Access operating system to list commands currently running.

For UNIX: run "ps -ef | grep -i wsadmin.sh"

For windows: from a DOS prompt as admin user run "WMIC path win32_process where "caption='wsadmin.exe'" get CommandLine"

If the results show "wsadmin.sh(exe) -user <username> -password <password>", this is a finding.

Fix Text

When starting WebSphere commands, such as wsadmin, stopManager, stopNode, stopServer, or syncNode; do not use the "-password <password>" option.

Use the interactive mode instead; you will be prompted for user id and password.

For scripts, you may configure user id and password in the "connector properties" files. These files are under "Profile_Root/Properties" folder.

- soap.client.props: for default SOAP
- sas.client.props : for RMI and JSR160RMI connectors
- ipc.client.props: for IPC connector