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List:       osdl-security-sig
Subject:    [Security_sig] Re: Draft: DCL Mid-Tier Application Server Profile
From:       "Ed Reed" <ereed () novell ! com>
Date:       2005-04-28 18:00:34
Message-ID: s270d073.026 () sinclair ! provo ! novell ! com
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That should say business logic, not business login, in the 3rd paragraph.

> > > Ed Reed 04/28/05 1:57 pm >>>
Here's my first take on the description of what I mean by a Mid-Tier Application \
Server.  There are aspects, in this description, of environmental assumptions, \
security objectives, risk analysis, etc.  It's in English, though, or at least tries \
to be.  It's almost a short use case.   
I'll follow with descriptions of the other profiles shortly. 
                 
Your comments and suggestions welcome (at least until I see them ;-) 
                 
Ed 
====================== 
Mid-Tier Application Server 
This is the classic mid-tier (in a three-tier architecture) application server, \
providing processing for applications that generally drive against databases held on \
a Database server (see 2.1.1, above).  One or many different applications may share \
the same server, and each may have its own configuration and administration \
responsible persons.  Keeping applications from getting in each others way, whether \
through version conflicts between shared libraries and resources, crashes, isolation \
of each others configurations and data, etc. is vital to avoid having one poorly \
written or administered application from crashing the entire application service \
platform.  Separating administrative duties among the various application \
administrators is vital.   
Users may access the system directly or through portals (see 2.1.3 Edge / Public \
Facing servers, below).  Though protected by firewalls, application access protocols \
(SOAP, HTTP, RPC, DCE, etc.) may be susceptible to buffer overflow and cross-site \
scripting attacks through the firewall holes that enable access to applications.   
The principle asset protected on the application server is the business login of the \
enterprise, the flow of transactions, the decisions that are made, the reports that \
are created, and the access to information provided.  Loss of service of an \
application, or more severely, several applications through the loss of the server, \
may have serious financial impact on an organization, though the loss of on-line \
sales, failure to respond to requests for information, increased customer, partner, \
or employee frustration, etc.  Denial of service is a serious risk. 


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    <DIV>      That should say &quot;business logic&quot;&#44; not &quot;business \
login&quot;&#44; in the 3rd paragraph.<br><br>&gt;&gt;&gt;Ed Reed 04/28/05 1:57 pm \
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>  </DIV>

    <div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          Here&#39;s my first take on the description of what I mean by \
a Mid-Tier Application Server.&#160;&#160;There are aspects&#44; in this \
description&#44; of environmental assumptions&#44; security objectives&#44; risk \
analysis&#44; etc.&#160;&#160;It&#39;s in English&#44; though&#44; or at least tries \
to be.&#160;&#160;It&#39;s almost a short &quot;use case&quot;.  </DIV>
      </div>
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        <DIV>          \
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  </DIV>
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        <DIV>          I&#39;ll follow with descriptions of the other profiles \
shortly.  </DIV>
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        <DIV>          \
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        <DIV>          Your comments and suggestions welcome &#40;at least until I \
see them &#59;-&#41;  </DIV>
      </div>
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        <DIV>          \
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        <DIV>          Ed
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        <DIV>          \
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        <DIV>          Mid-Tier Application Server
        </DIV>
      </div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          This is the classic mid-tier &#40;in a three-tier \
architecture&#41; application server&#44; providing processing for applications that \
generally drive against databases held on a Database server &#40;see 2.1.1&#44; \
above&#41;.&nbsp;&#160;One or many different applications may share the same \
server&#44; and each may have its own configuration and administration responsible \
persons.&nbsp;&#160;Keeping applications from getting in each others way&#44; whether \
through version conflicts between shared libraries and resources&#44; crashes&#44; \
isolation of each others configurations and data&#44; etc. is vital to avoid having \
one poorly written or administered application from crashing the entire application \
service platform.&nbsp;&#160;Separating administrative duties among the various \
application administrators is vital.  </DIV>
      </div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          &#160;
        </DIV>
      </div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          Users may access the system directly or through portals \
&#40;see 2.1.3 Edge / Public Facing servers&#44; below&#41;.&nbsp;&#160;Though \
protected by firewalls&#44; application access protocols &#40;SOAP&#44; HTTP&#44; \
RPC&#44; DCE&#44; etc.&#41; may be susceptible to buffer overflow and cross-site \
scripting attacks through the firewall holes that enable access to applications.  \
</DIV>  </div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          &#160;
        </DIV>
      </div>
      <div>
        <DIV>          The principle asset protected on the application server is the \
business login of the enterprise&#44; the flow of transactions&#44; the decisions \
that are made&#44; the reports that are created&#44; and the access to information \
provided.&nbsp;&#160;Loss of service of an application&#44; or more severely&#44; \
several applications through the loss of the server&#44; may have serious financial \
impact on an organization&#44; though the loss of on-line sales&#44; failure to \
respond to requests for information&#44; increased customer&#44; partner&#44; or \
employee frustration&#44; etc.&nbsp;&#160;Denial of service is a serious risk.        \
</DIV>

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