Securing IIS Server Checklists

Abstract

This paper addresses the common IIS web server security specification in the form of a checklist that aids the web master or penetration tester to implement a secure web server infrastructure swiftly.

It is mandatory for a web application to be duly foolproof from vicious attacks for preventing damage that could be in any form indeed. Security professionals and penetration testers are typically part of a web project to ensure the website protection from various attacks by detecting loopholes that might be exploited later. But such critical task is typically not followed in a proper manner and web applications become live into the production environment with inherent vulnerabilities, or even without complying with security guidelines. That is because developers and organizations are often in a hurry to launch the software into the production environment due to various unnamed pressures. Unfortunately, there is not a single tool available that can claim the comprehensive security of an application because attacks could come in any form, in fact the its horizon is so extensive that, it is beyond the assumption. So such summarized checklist snapshots proved to be a truly savior for hardening or to improve our deployment workstation security precipitously.

Virtual Directory

Security Specifications Status
Ensure restriction is enabled to those directories that allows anonymous access  
Ensure IISAdmin, IISHelp, IISamples directory are removed  
Confirm PARENT PATH configuration is disabled  
Ensure unused Front pages extension is removed  
Ensure website directories are dislocated from the system partition drive  
Ensure directory traversing is disabled (uncheck write permission)  
Ensure other unused utilities such resource kit, SDK are detached  

Machine Configuration File

Security Specifications
Status
Ensure DEBUG is turned-off in WEB.CONFIG file  
Ensure TRACE is set to false or disabled  
Ensure unnecessary HTTP Modules are removed  

Secure Communication

Security Specifications Status
Ensure HTTP requests are filtered or categorized  
Ensure HTTPs is enable, in case if your website deals with sensitive data  
Ensure Server Certificates is updated and issued by trusted organization  
Ensure Certificates has not withdrawn  
In case of Remote administration, ensure proper time-outs and encryption is configured  
Ensure communication is happens using only port 80 or 443  
Ensure that IPSec is formed in the network for secure communication  

Logging and Audit

Security Specifications Status
Ensure Failed Logon Attempts are regularly inspected  
Ensure Log files are properly maintained and audited  
Confirm W3C extended format is enabled for auditing  

IIS Metabase and Filters

Security Specifications Status
Ensure Banner grabbing is disabled  
Ensure File (%systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\metabase.bin) access is restricted  
Ensure unused extensions (.shtml, .hta, .htw, .stm,,) are removed  
Ensure unemployed ISAPI filters are disabled or removed.  
Ensure "Forbidden Handler" is mapped to unemployed ASP.NET files extension  

Server Accounts

Security Specifications Status
Ensure anonymous logon is disabled  
Ensure unused IUSR_MACHINE account is disabled  
Ensure a solitary administrator account only  
Ensure administrator account is properly hardened by strong password scheme  
Ensure GUEST account is disabled  
Ensure remote logon is disabled  
Ensure ASP.NET process account is configured to least access  
Ensure anyone couldn't login locally except administrator  

Code Access Security

Security Specifications Status
Confirm CAS is enabled  
Confirm source code is obfuscated  
Confirm custom error page is installed on server  
Confirm permissions removed from Internet and Intranet zone  

System Configuration

Security Specifications Status
Confirm ASP.NET state service is disabled  
Confirm Remote Registry Administration is disabled  
Confirm WebDAW service is disabled  
Confirm FTP and SMTP services are disabled  
Confirm SMB service is disabled  
Confirm All Redundant share's (C$, D$,..) is removed  
Confirm Remote Administration by TELNET is disabled  
Confirm only essential System Services given least privilege  
Confirm redundant system services are stop  
Ensure IIS is not installed on domain controller  
Ensure IDS is installed in the network perimeter  
Ensure that IIS server is configured inside DMZ  

Server Updates

Security Specifications Status
Ensure Windows Operating System is updated  
Ensure .NET Framework is Updated  
Ensure IIS web server is duly patched  
Ensure MBSA is configured and running regularly  
Ensure EMET is installed on server and enabled  
Ensure Microsoft Notification Service is Enabled  
Ensure effective Anti-virus is installed and running  

Final Note

In this article, we have seen how to harden an IIS web server to protect ASP.NET websites. This article, in fact didn't explain various attacks and their countermeasures. Instead, it is pinpointing major security guidelines in the form of checklists that can be applied swiftly over the web server, so that a developer can ensure himself that a specific security mechanism is applied and it is enabled. Because some critical bugs remain unnoticed and remains in the final version of the software that could get the application into danger. Hence, such synopsis reference eases the undertaking of developers or security professional in terms of not overlooking or forgetting critical security configuration at the web server.

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