312-96 Questions and Answers

 To ensure that Tomcat can be shut down only by the user who owns the Tomcat process, the server.xml file should be configured to disable the shutdown port. This is done by setting the port attribute of the  element to -1. The shutdown attribute should be set to a value (like “SHUTDOWN”) that would be known to the server administrator. This configuration prevents remote or unauthorized shutdowns of the Tomcat server via the shutdown port.

References: The information is consistent with best practices for securing Tomcat servers as per the guidelines found in various resources, including Stack Overflow discussions and Tenable® security configurations123. For official EC-Council Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA documentation and learning resources, please refer to the EC-Council’s official materials and courses45.

The line of code in the scenario creates a session attribute named "user" with a value taken from the variable "uname". This is a common practice in web applications to maintain state across multiple requests from the same user. In this instance, the HttpSession object is retrieved from the request object, and then it's used to store an attribute. By setting this session attribute, the developer ensures that the value stored in the variable uname can be associated with the user's session and retrieved during subsequent requests within the same session.

The image depicts a scenario characteristic of a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack. In this type of attack, an attacker exploits a vulnerability in a web application to send malicious scripts to an unsuspecting user’s browser. The script is then executed by the browser as if it came from a trusted source, which can lead to unauthorized actions being performed on behalf of the user, such as stealing cookies or session tokens.

The steps typically involved in an XSS attack are:

• The user logs into a trusted server using their credentials.
• The server sets a session cookie in the user’s browser.
• The attacker sends a phishing email, tricking the user into sending a request to a malicious site.
• The user requests a page from the malicious server.
• The response page from the malicious server contains the malicious script.
• The malicious script is executed in the context of the trusted server when the user views the response page.

References: While I can provide a general explanation based on my training data, I do not have access to specific EC-Council Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA documents and learning resources to provide direct references. However, the EC-Council offers various courses and study guides on application security that cover XSS and other security threats in detail. These resources would typically include the Certified Application Security Engineer (CASE) Java course, which provides comprehensive coverage of security challenges and best practices for Java applications.

The setHttpOnly(false) method call in the code indicates that the HttpOnly flag is not set for the cookie. This is a security concern because when the HttpOnly flag is not set, it allows client-side scripts, such as JavaScript, to access the cookie. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by using cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks to steal the cookie and potentially hijack the user’s session.

To mitigate this vulnerability, the HttpOnly flag should be set to true, which instructs the browser to prevent client-side scripts from accessing the cookie. The correct code should be:

Java

loginCookie.setHttpOnly(true);

AI-generated code. Review and use carefully. More info on FAQ.

This change ensures that the cookie is protected from being accessed by client-side scripts.

References: For verified answers and comprehensive explanations, it is recommended to refer to the official EC-Council Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA study guides and course materials. These resources provide detailed information on secure coding practices, including the proper use of the HttpOnly flag in cookies to prevent client-side script attacks. Additionally, the EC-Council’s training programs offer in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in secure coding techniques for Java applications.

To mitigate the security risk of users being able to view the website structure and file names, the correct action would be to disable directory listings. This is often accomplished through configuration settings in web server software, where you can specify whether to allow or deny the listing of directory contents. The option <int-param> <param-name>listings <param-value>false</int-param> effectively disables directory listings, preventing users and potential attackers from viewing the website's file and directory structure, thus enhancing security. Ensuring that directory listings are disabled is a common security practice to avoid revealing sensitive information about the web application's structure.References:

• Web Server Security Best Practices documentation
• OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) guidelines on securing web server configurations

To remove the HttpSession object and its values from the client’s system, the developer should use the invalidate() method. This method is called on the HttpSession object itself and marks the session for deletion, removing all its attributes and invalidating the session on the server side. Once a session is invalidated, any new request from the client does not associate with the old session and will typically result in a new session being created if required.

Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how the invalidate() method works:

• The developer retrieves the HttpSession object from the HttpServletRequest object using the getSession() method.
• The developer calls the invalidate() method on the retrieved HttpSession object.
• The server invalidates the session, which means it is no longer recognized and any subsequent requests will not be associated with it.
• All objects bound to the session are removed and available for garbage collection.
• The client’s next request will not have a valid session, and the server will treat it as a new session if necessary.

References:The information provided here is aligned with the EC-Council’s Certified Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA guidelines and best practices for secure session management. For more detailed information, please refer to the EC-Council’s CASE JAVA official study guides and training materials12.

J2EE supports a variety of authentication mechanisms to ensure secure user access and operations. The supported mechanisms include:

• HTTP Basic Authentication: A simple challenge-response mechanism that is part of the HTTP protocol.
• Form-Based Authentication: A more user-friendly approach where users submit their credentials via a web form.
• Client/Server Mutual Authentication: Also known as two-way SSL authentication, where both the client and server authenticate each other.
• Role-Based Authentication: Access control based on user roles, often implemented using declarative security in the deployment descriptor.

These mechanisms are designed to provide a flexible and robust security framework for J2EE applications, allowing developers to choose the most appropriate method for their needs.

References:

• The official J2EE specification, which outlines the security model and supported authentication mechanisms.
• EC-Council’s Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA courses and study guides that align with the J2EE security requirements.
• InformIT’s article on J2EE Security, which details the user authentication requirements for J2EE products1.
• Oracle’s documentation on securing J2EE applications, which includes information on the J2EE security model2.

To ensure that cookies are transmitted securely over an encrypted channel, such as HTTPS, the web.xml file should include the secure attribute set to true within the cookie-config element of the session-config. This is not directly related to the connector element but rather to the session configuration for cookies.

Here’s how it should be configured:

XML

true

true

AI-generated code. Review and use carefully. More info on FAQ.

This configuration ensures that cookies are only sent to the client when a secure channel is used.

References:The information is based on standard practices for securing cookies in Java web applications as per Servlet 3.0 specification and the OWASP guidelines. For more detailed information, you can refer to the EC-Council’s Certified Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA documentation and study guides1234.

Ted is engaged in the activity of depicting abuse cases. Abuse cases are a form of negative use cases that describe how an application can be misused or attacked. They are used to identify potential security vulnerabilities and to design countermeasures that can prevent or mitigate these attacks. By analyzing the interactions of users as depicted in the use cases, Ted is able to envision scenarios where an attacker could exploit the application, which is essential for strengthening the application’s security posture.

References:For specific references, please consult the EC-Council Application Security Engineer (CASE) JAVA related courses and study guides. These resources will provide detailed information on abuse cases and their role in application security. My response is based on the general knowledge of application security practices up to the year 2021. Please note that I do not have real-time access to external databases or the internet for document retrieval.