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BUSINESS POSTURE

  • Business Priorities and Goals:
    • Provide a robust, reliable, and performant open-source web server and servlet container.
    • Adhere to Java Servlet and JSP specifications to ensure compatibility and interoperability.
    • Maintain a secure platform for deploying web applications.
    • Foster a strong community of users and contributors.
    • Ensure long-term stability and support for the project.
  • Business Risks:
    • Security vulnerabilities in Tomcat could lead to data breaches, service disruptions, and reputational damage for users.
    • Performance issues could negatively impact user experience and application availability.
    • Lack of compliance with specifications could lead to application compatibility problems.
    • Community decline could result in slower development and reduced support.
    • Instability or lack of updates could make Tomcat less attractive compared to alternatives.

SECURITY POSTURE

  • Existing Security Controls:

    • security control: Regular security updates and patches are released to address identified vulnerabilities. (Described in Apache Tomcat Security documentation and release notes)
    • security control: Security configuration options are available to harden Tomcat installations, such as disabling default ports, restricting access to management interfaces, and configuring secure protocols. (Described in Apache Tomcat Configuration Reference)
    • security control: Documentation on security best practices is provided to guide users in securing their Tomcat deployments. (Available on the Apache Tomcat website and documentation)
    • accepted risk: As an open-source project, vulnerability disclosure and patching relies on community reporting and volunteer effort, which might introduce delays compared to commercial products with dedicated security teams.
    • accepted risk: Users are responsible for properly configuring and maintaining the security of their Tomcat deployments, and misconfigurations can lead to vulnerabilities.

  • Recommended Security Controls:

    • security control: Implement automated security scanning (SAST and DAST) in the development and release pipeline to proactively identify vulnerabilities.
    • security control: Establish a formal Security Incident Response Plan to handle security incidents effectively.
    • security control: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential weaknesses.
    • security control: Promote and enforce secure coding practices among contributors.
    • security control: Enhance supply chain security by verifying dependencies and using secure build processes.

  • Security Requirements:

    • Authentication:
      • Requirement: Implement robust authentication mechanisms for accessing Tomcat management interfaces (e.g., Manager, Host Manager).
      • Requirement: Support various authentication methods, including username/password, certificate-based authentication, and integration with external authentication providers (e.g., LDAP, Active Directory).
    • Authorization:
      • Requirement: Implement fine-grained role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict access to Tomcat resources and functionalities based on user roles.
      • Requirement: Ensure that only authorized users can deploy, undeploy, and manage web applications.
    • Input Validation:
      • Requirement: Implement comprehensive input validation for all data received by Tomcat, including HTTP requests, configuration files, and management commands.
      • Requirement: Protect against common injection attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and command injection.
    • Cryptography:
      • Requirement: Enforce the use of strong cryptography for protecting sensitive data in transit and at rest.
      • Requirement: Support secure communication protocols such as TLS/SSL for HTTPS connections.
      • Requirement: Provide options for encrypting sensitive configuration data, such as passwords and private keys.

DESIGN

C4 CONTEXT

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Organization"
        A["Apache Tomcat Project"]
    end
    B["Web Application Developers"]
    C["System Administrators"]
    D["End Users"]
    E["Web Applications"]
    F["Databases"]
    G["Load Balancers"]
    H["Reverse Proxies"]
    I["Monitoring Systems"]

    B -- "Deploy and configure" --> A
    C -- "Manage and monitor" --> A
    D -- "Access web applications served by" --> A
    A -- "Serves" --> E
    A -- "Can connect to" --> F
    A -- "Deployed behind" --> G
    A -- "Deployed behind" --> H
    A -- "Monitored by" --> I
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  • Context Diagram Elements:
      • Name: Apache Tomcat Project
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Open-source web server and servlet container for deploying and serving Java web applications.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Provide a runtime environment for Java web applications.
        • Handle HTTP requests and responses.
        • Manage web application lifecycle.
        • Provide management interfaces for configuration and monitoring.
      • Security controls:
        • Authentication and authorization for management interfaces.
        • Input validation for HTTP requests.
        • TLS/SSL for HTTPS connections.
        • Security configuration options.
      • Name: Web Application Developers
      • Type: Person
      • Description: Developers who create and deploy web applications to Tomcat.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Develop Java web applications.
        • Package web applications for deployment.
        • Configure web application deployment descriptors.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure coding practices in web application development.
        • Input validation in web applications.
        • Authentication and authorization in web applications.
      • Name: System Administrators
      • Type: Person
      • Description: Administrators responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining Tomcat servers.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Install and configure Tomcat.
        • Deploy and manage web applications.
        • Monitor Tomcat performance and security.
        • Apply security updates and patches.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure configuration of Tomcat.
        • Access control to Tomcat server and configuration files.
        • Monitoring and logging of Tomcat activity.
      • Name: End Users
      • Type: Person
      • Description: Users who access web applications served by Tomcat through web browsers or other clients.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Use web applications for their intended purposes.
      • Security controls:
        • Client-side security practices (e.g., browser security settings).
      • Name: Web Applications
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Java web applications deployed and running within Tomcat.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Provide specific functionalities to end users.
        • Interact with databases and other backend systems.
      • Security controls:
        • Application-level security controls (authentication, authorization, input validation, etc.).
      • Name: Databases
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Databases used by web applications to store and retrieve data.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Store application data.
        • Provide data access to web applications.
      • Security controls:
        • Database access control.
        • Data encryption at rest and in transit.
        • Database security hardening.
      • Name: Load Balancers
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Distribute incoming traffic across multiple Tomcat instances for scalability and high availability.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Distribute traffic.
        • Improve application availability and performance.
      • Security controls:
        • Load balancer security configuration.
        • TLS/SSL termination.
      • Name: Reverse Proxies
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Front-end servers that handle incoming requests and forward them to Tomcat, often providing additional security and performance benefits.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Request routing.
        • Security filtering (e.g., WAF).
        • Caching.
      • Security controls:
        • Reverse proxy security configuration.
        • Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules.
        • TLS/SSL termination.
      • Name: Monitoring Systems
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Systems used to monitor Tomcat's performance, health, and security.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Collect metrics and logs.
        • Alert on anomalies and security events.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure access to monitoring data.
        • Secure communication channels for monitoring data.

C4 CONTAINER

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Apache Tomcat Project"
        subgraph "Web Server Container"
            A["Catalina Servlet Container"]
            B["Jasper JSP Engine"]
            C["Coyote HTTP Connector"]
            D["Coyote AJP Connector"]
        end
        E["Configuration Files"]
        F["Logging System"]
        G["Management Interface (Web)"]
        H["Management Interface (CLI)"]
    end
    I["Web Applications"]
    J["Operating System"]
    K["File System"]
    L["Network"]

    I -- "Deployed to" --> A
    A -- "Uses" --> B
    A -- "Uses" --> C
    A -- "Uses" --> D
    C -- "Receives HTTP requests via" --> L
    D -- "Receives AJP requests via" --> L
    A -- "Reads" --> E
    F -- "Writes logs to" --> K
    G -- "Manages via HTTP" --> A
    H -- "Manages via CLI" --> J
    A -- "Runs on" --> J
    J -- "Provides" --> K
    J -- "Provides" --> L
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  • Container Diagram Elements:
      • Name: Catalina Servlet Container
      • Type: Container
      • Description: The core servlet container in Tomcat, responsible for managing servlet lifecycle and processing requests.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Servlet lifecycle management.
        • Request processing and dispatching.
        • Session management.
        • Security management within the container.
      • Security controls:
        • Servlet security constraints (declarative and programmatic).
        • Realm-based authentication and authorization.
        • Input validation within servlets and filters.
      • Name: Jasper JSP Engine
      • Type: Container
      • Description: The JSP engine that compiles JSP pages into servlets.
      • Responsibilities:
        • JSP compilation and execution.
        • JSP tag library support.
      • Security controls:
        • JSP expression language injection prevention.
        • Secure handling of JSP includes and tag libraries.
      • Name: Coyote HTTP Connector
      • Type: Container
      • Description: The HTTP connector that listens for HTTP requests on a configured port.
      • Responsibilities:
        • HTTP protocol handling.
        • Request parsing and response generation.
        • TLS/SSL termination for HTTPS.
      • Security controls:
        • TLS/SSL configuration (cipher suites, protocols).
        • HTTP header security (e.g., HSTS, X-Frame-Options).
        • Request size limits and timeouts.
      • Name: Coyote AJP Connector
      • Type: Container
      • Description: The AJP connector used for communication with reverse proxies or load balancers via the Apache JServ Protocol.
      • Responsibilities:
        • AJP protocol handling.
        • Communication with front-end servers.
      • Security controls:
        • AJP connector security configuration (secret required).
        • Restricting AJP connector access to trusted networks.
      • Name: Configuration Files
      • Type: Container
      • Description: XML configuration files (e.g., server.xml, web.xml) that define Tomcat's settings and web application deployments.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Tomcat server configuration.
        • Web application deployment configuration.
        • Security realm configuration.
      • Security controls:
        • Access control to configuration files (file system permissions).
        • Secure storage of sensitive configuration data (e.g., encrypted passwords).
        • Validation of configuration file syntax and content.
      • Name: Logging System
      • Type: Container
      • Description: Tomcat's logging system that records server events, access logs, and application logs.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Logging server activity.
        • Logging application events.
        • Log rotation and management.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure log storage and access control.
        • Log integrity protection.
        • Monitoring of logs for security events.
      • Name: Management Interface (Web)
      • Type: Container
      • Description: Web-based management application (Tomcat Manager) for deploying, undeploying, and managing web applications.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Web application management.
        • Server status monitoring.
        • User and role management.
      • Security controls:
        • Authentication and authorization for access.
        • HTTPS for secure communication.
        • Protection against CSRF and other web application vulnerabilities.
      • Name: Management Interface (CLI)
      • Type: Container
      • Description: Command-line interface (using scripts or JMX) for managing Tomcat.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Server management via command line.
        • Automation of management tasks.
      • Security controls:
        • Authentication and authorization for CLI access.
        • Secure shell (SSH) for remote access.
      • Name: Web Applications
      • Type: External System
      • Description: Java web applications deployed to Tomcat.
      • Responsibilities: As described in Context Diagram.
      • Security controls: As described in Context Diagram.
      • Name: Operating System
      • Type: Infrastructure
      • Description: The operating system on which Tomcat is running.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Provide system resources to Tomcat.
        • File system access.
        • Network access.
      • Security controls:
        • Operating system security hardening.
        • User and process isolation.
        • Security updates and patching.
      • Name: File System
      • Type: Infrastructure
      • Description: The file system used by Tomcat to store configuration files, web applications, and logs.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Storage for Tomcat files.
      • Security controls:
        • File system permissions and access control.
        • Encryption at rest (optional).
      • Name: Network
      • Type: Infrastructure
      • Description: The network infrastructure that Tomcat uses for communication.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Network connectivity for Tomcat.
      • Security controls:
        • Network segmentation and firewalls.
        • Network intrusion detection and prevention.

DEPLOYMENT

  • Deployment Options:

    • Standalone Server: Tomcat deployed on a single server instance. Suitable for development, testing, and small-scale production environments.
    • Clustered Environment: Multiple Tomcat instances deployed behind a load balancer for high availability and scalability. Suitable for production environments requiring high uptime and performance.
    • Containerized Deployment: Tomcat deployed within containers (e.g., Docker) and orchestrated by container platforms (e.g., Kubernetes). Suitable for modern cloud-native deployments and microservices architectures.

  • Detailed Deployment (Containerized Deployment with Kubernetes):

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Kubernetes Cluster"
        subgraph "Nodes"
            subgraph "Node 1"
                A["Pod: Tomcat Instance 1"]
            end
            subgraph "Node 2"
                B["Pod: Tomcat Instance 2"]
            end
        end
        C["Service: Tomcat Load Balancer"]
        D["Ingress Controller"]
    end
    E["External Clients"]

    E -- "HTTPS Requests" --> D
    D -- "Forwards to Service" --> C
    C -- "Load Balances to Pods" --> A & B
    A -- "Runs Tomcat Container" --> F["Container: Tomcat"]
    B -- "Runs Tomcat Container" --> G["Container: Tomcat"]
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  • Deployment Diagram Elements (Containerized Deployment with Kubernetes):
      • Name: Kubernetes Cluster
      • Type: Environment
      • Description: Kubernetes cluster providing container orchestration and management.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Container orchestration and scheduling.
        • Service discovery and load balancing.
        • Scalability and high availability.
      • Security controls:
        • Kubernetes RBAC for access control.
        • Network policies for network segmentation.
        • Secrets management for sensitive data.
        • Security audits and vulnerability scanning of Kubernetes components.
      • Name: Nodes (Node 1, Node 2)
      • Type: Infrastructure
      • Description: Worker nodes in the Kubernetes cluster where Tomcat pods are deployed.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Run container workloads.
        • Provide compute resources.
      • Security controls:
        • Operating system security hardening on nodes.
        • Container runtime security (e.g., Docker, containerd).
        • Node security monitoring and patching.
      • Name: Pods (Tomcat Instance 1, Tomcat Instance 2)
      • Type: Container
      • Description: Kubernetes pods encapsulating Tomcat containers.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Run Tomcat instances.
        • Isolate Tomcat containers.
      • Security controls:
        • Container security best practices.
        • Resource limits and quotas for pods.
        • Security context for pods (user, group, capabilities).
      • Name: Containers (Tomcat)
      • Type: Container
      • Description: Docker containers running the Tomcat application.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Run the Tomcat server.
        • Serve web applications.
      • Security controls:
        • Container image security scanning.
        • Minimal container image (base image, dependencies).
        • Immutable container images.
      • Name: Service: Tomcat Load Balancer
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Kubernetes service that acts as a load balancer for Tomcat pods within the cluster.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Load balancing traffic to Tomcat pods.
        • Service discovery for Tomcat pods.
      • Security controls:
        • Service account security.
        • Network policies to restrict access to the service.
      • Name: Ingress Controller
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Kubernetes Ingress controller that manages external access to services within the cluster.
      • Responsibilities:
        • External access point for Tomcat.
        • TLS/SSL termination.
        • Request routing based on hostnames or paths.
      • Security controls:
        • Ingress controller security configuration.
        • Web Application Firewall (WAF) integration (optional).
        • TLS/SSL certificate management.
      • Name: External Clients
      • Type: External System
      • Description: Users or systems accessing Tomcat applications from outside the Kubernetes cluster.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Access web applications.
      • Security controls:
        • Client-side security practices.
        • Network security controls (firewalls).

BUILD

flowchart LR
    A["Developer"] --> B["Code Changes"]
    B --> C["GitHub Repository"]
    C --> D["GitHub Actions Workflow"]
    subgraph "GitHub Actions Workflow"
        D --> E["Checkout Code"]
        E --> F["Build (Maven)"]
        F --> G["Unit Tests"]
        G --> H["Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST)"]
        H --> I["Dependency Check"]
        I --> J["Container Image Build (Docker)"]
        J --> K["Container Image Scan"]
        K --> L["Publish Artifacts (Container Registry, Maven Repository)"]
    end
    L --> M["Artifacts (Container Image, JAR/WAR)"]
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  • Build Process Description:

    • Developer commits code changes to the GitHub repository.
    • GitHub Actions workflow is triggered on code changes (e.g., push, pull request).
    • Workflow steps:
      • Checkout Code: Retrieves the latest code from the repository.
      • Build (Maven): Compiles the Java code using Maven, runs tests, and packages the application.
      • Unit Tests: Executes unit tests to ensure code quality and functionality.
      • Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST): Performs static code analysis to identify potential security vulnerabilities in the code.
      • Dependency Check: Analyzes project dependencies for known vulnerabilities.
      • Container Image Build (Docker): Builds a Docker container image for Tomcat.
      • Container Image Scan: Scans the Docker image for vulnerabilities.
      • Publish Artifacts: Publishes build artifacts (container image to a container registry, JAR/WAR files to a Maven repository).

  • Build Process Elements:

      • Name: Developer
      • Type: Person
      • Description: Software developer contributing to the Tomcat project.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Write and commit code changes.
        • Run local builds and tests.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure development environment.
        • Code review process.
        • Secure coding practices.
      • Name: Code Changes
      • Type: Data
      • Description: Modifications to the source code.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Implement new features and bug fixes.
        • Address security vulnerabilities.
      • Security controls:
        • Version control (Git).
        • Code review.
      • Name: GitHub Repository
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: GitHub repository hosting the Tomcat source code.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Version control.
        • Collaboration platform.
      • Security controls:
        • Access control to the repository.
        • Branch protection rules.
        • Audit logging.
      • Name: GitHub Actions Workflow
      • Type: Software System
      • Description: Automated CI/CD pipeline defined in GitHub Actions.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Automated build process.
        • Automated testing.
        • Security checks.
        • Artifact publishing.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure workflow definition.
        • Secrets management for credentials.
        • Workflow execution isolation.
      • Name: Checkout Code
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to retrieve code from the repository.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Code retrieval.
      • Security controls:
        • Access control to the repository.
      • Name: Build (Maven)
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to compile and package the code using Maven.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Code compilation.
        • Dependency management.
        • Packaging.
      • Security controls:
        • Dependency vulnerability scanning (Maven plugins).
        • Build reproducibility.
      • Name: Unit Tests
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to execute unit tests.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Code quality assurance.
        • Functional testing.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure test environment.
      • Name: Static Analysis Security Testing (SAST)
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to perform static code analysis for security vulnerabilities.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Identify potential security flaws in code.
      • Security controls:
        • SAST tool configuration and updates.
        • Vulnerability reporting and tracking.
      • Name: Dependency Check
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to check dependencies for known vulnerabilities.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Identify vulnerable dependencies.
      • Security controls:
        • Dependency check tool configuration and updates.
        • Vulnerability reporting and tracking.
      • Name: Container Image Build (Docker)
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to build a Docker container image.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Container image creation.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure Dockerfile.
        • Minimal base image.
        • Build arguments and secrets management.
      • Name: Container Image Scan
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to scan the Docker image for vulnerabilities.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Identify vulnerabilities in container image layers and dependencies.
      • Security controls:
        • Container image scanning tool configuration and updates.
        • Vulnerability reporting and tracking.
      • Name: Publish Artifacts (Container Registry, Maven Repository)
      • Type: Build Step
      • Description: Step in the workflow to publish build artifacts to repositories.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Artifact distribution.
      • Security controls:
        • Secure access to repositories.
        • Artifact signing and verification.
      • Name: Artifacts (Container Image, JAR/WAR)
      • Type: Data
      • Description: Build outputs, including container images and JAR/WAR files.
      • Responsibilities:
        • Deployable artifacts.
      • Security controls:
        • Artifact integrity verification.
        • Secure storage of artifacts.

RISK ASSESSMENT

  • Critical Business Processes:

    • Serving web applications to end users.
    • Management and administration of the Tomcat server.
    • Development and maintenance of the Tomcat project itself.

  • Data to Protect and Sensitivity:

    • Web Application Data: Sensitivity depends on the applications deployed on Tomcat. Could range from public information to highly sensitive personal or financial data.
    • Configuration Data: Includes sensitive information like passwords, keys, and connection strings. High sensitivity.
    • Log Data: May contain sensitive information depending on logging configuration. Medium to high sensitivity.
    • Source Code: Intellectual property of the Apache Software Foundation and contributors. Medium sensitivity (integrity and availability are key).
    • Build Artifacts: Deployable software components. Medium sensitivity (integrity and availability are key).

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

  • BUSINESS POSTURE:

    • Assumption: Tomcat is used in a wide range of environments, from development to production, and by organizations of varying sizes and risk appetites.
    • Question: What are the specific compliance requirements (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR) that Tomcat deployments might need to adhere to?

  • SECURITY POSTURE:

    • Assumption: Basic security controls are in place, but there is always room for improvement, especially in areas like automated security testing and supply chain security.
    • Question: What is the current vulnerability management process for Tomcat? How quickly are security patches released and applied by users?

  • DESIGN:

    • Assumption: The design is based on a standard web server architecture, with clear separation of concerns between the web server container, connectors, and management interfaces.
    • Question: Are there any specific architectural components or features in Tomcat that are known to be more complex or prone to security vulnerabilities?