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STIG Rule - V-255856

V-255856

SV-255856r960963_rule

CAT II

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

From: IBM WebSphere Traditional V9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide (V2R1)

Description

<VulnDiscussion>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.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>

Check Procedure

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

CCI Reference

CCI-000381
Created
2026-04-07 20:08:19
Last Updated
2026-04-07 20:08:19
CUI