Rule: ELB Application Load Balancers Should Drop HTTP Headers
This rule enforces dropping of HTTP headers for ELB application load balancers to enhance security of processing.
| Rule | ELB application load balancers should be drop HTTP headers |
| Framework | General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) |
| Severity | ✔ High |
Rule Description
The rule/policy states that ELB (Elastic Load Balancer) application load balancers should drop HTTP headers to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that certain sensitive information should not be exposed through the HTTP headers of the web application when using ELB.
Troubleshooting Steps
If any issues arise while implementing this rule/policy, the following troubleshooting steps can be followed:
- 1.Verify ELB Configuration: Ensure that the ELB application load balancer is properly configured with the necessary rules and policies.
- 2.Review HTTP Headers: Check the HTTP headers being sent by the application and ensure that no sensitive information is being exposed.
- 3.Check ELB Logs: Review the ELB logs to identify any errors or issues related to dropping the HTTP headers.
- 4.Test Application Endpoints: Validate that the application endpoints are functioning correctly after dropping the specified HTTP headers.
- 5.Enable ELB Access Logs: Enable ELB access logs to further investigate any potential issues and analyze the dropped headers.
Necessary Codes
If there are any specific codes required to implement this rule/policy, they will be provided below:
No specific codes are required.
Step-by-Step Remediation Guide
To drop HTTP headers for GDPR compliance when using ELB application load balancers, follow these step-by-step guidelines:
- 1.
Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the EC2 service.
- 2.
Select the appropriate region where the ELB application load balancer is located.
- 3.
In the navigation pane, click on "Load Balancers".
- 4.
Identify and select the ELB application load balancer for which you want to configure the HTTP headers.
- 5.
Click on the "Listeners" tab.
- 6.
Identify the listener for the HTTP/HTTPS protocol that needs to have headers dropped.
- 7.
Click on the "View/edit rules" link next to the desired listener.
- 8.
In the rules editor, select the rule that corresponds to the specific path where the GDPR-protected data is being handled.
- 9.
At the top of the rule editor, click on the "Actions" dropdown menu.
- 10.
Choose "Modify HTTP headers" from the dropdown menu.
- 11.
In the dialog box that appears, select the option to "Delete headers".
- 12.
Specify the headers that need to be dropped for GDPR compliance. Ensure that you only drop the necessary headers without affecting the normal operation of your web application.
- 13.
Click on the "Save" button to apply the changes.
- 14.
Verify that the specified HTTP headers are now being dropped by accessing the application through the ELB application load balancer.
It is important to conduct thorough testing after implementing this rule/policy to ensure the web application continues to function as expected and that no unintended side effects occur.
Note: The above instructions may vary slightly depending on the specific AWS console version and updates. Please refer to the AWS documentation for the most up-to-date guidelines.