A web server will typically utilize logging mechanisms for maintaining a historical log of activity that occurs within a hosted application. This information can then be used for diagnostic purposes, forensics purposes, or other purposes relevant to ensuring the availability and integrity of the hosted application. While it is important to log events identified as being critical and relevant to security, it is equally important to notify the appropriate personnel in a timely manner so they are able to respond to events as they occur. Manual review of the web server logs may not occur in a timely manner, and each event logged is open to interpretation by a reviewer. By integrating the web server into an overall or organization-wide log review, a larger picture of events can be viewed, and analysis can be done in a timely and reliable manner.
Review the web server documentation and deployed configuration to determine whether the web server is logging security-relevant events. Determine whether there is a security tool in place that allows review and alert capabilities and whether the web server is sending events to this system. If the web server is not, this is a finding.
Configure the web server to send logged events to the organization's security infrastructure tool that offers review and alert capabilities.