Rule: ELB Application Load Balancers Should Drop HTTP Headers
This rule states that ELB application load balancers must drop HTTP headers to ensure security and compliance.
| Rule | ELB application load balancers should be drop HTTP headers |
| Framework | HIPAA |
| Severity | ✔ High |
Rule Description:
The rule states that ELB (Elastic Load Balancer) application load balancers should drop HTTP headers to ensure compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations. Dropping HTTP headers helps to protect sensitive information and prevent potential data breaches.
Troubleshooting Steps (if applicable):
- 1.Ensure that the ELB application load balancer is correctly configured.
- 2.Verify that the specific HTTP headers need to be dropped as per HIPAA guidelines.
- 3.Check if any custom headers are being used by applications running behind the load balancer. Ensure that dropping these headers does not impact the functionality of the applications.
Necessary Code (if applicable):
If necessary, the following code can be used to configure the ELB application load balancer to drop specific HTTP headers:
aws elbv2 modify-load-balancer-attributes --load-balancer-arn <load_balancer_arn> --attributes Key=deletion_protection.enabled,Value=false
Note: Replace
<load_balancer_arn>Step-by-step Guide for Remediation:
- 1.Identify the ELB application load balancer that needs to drop HTTP headers for HIPAA compliance.
- 2.Verify the specific HTTP headers that need to be dropped according to HIPAA guidelines.
- 3.Open the AWS Management Console and navigate to the EC2 section.
- 4.Select "Load Balancers" from the sidebar menu.
- 5.Locate the ELB application load balancer that needs to be modified and click on its name.
- 6.Under the "Attributes" tab, locate the "HTTP Headers" section.
- 7.Click on the "Edit" button next to "HTTP Headers".
- 8.In the drop-down menu, select the HTTP headers that need to be dropped for HIPAA compliance.
- 9.Click on the "Save" button to apply the changes.
- 10.Ensure that the load balancer is now configured to drop the specified HTTP headers.
- 11.Test the applications running behind the load balancer to confirm that dropping the headers does not impact their functionality.
- 12.Monitor the load balancer and the applications for any issues or errors after applying the changes.
Conclusion:
By following the above steps, you can configure the ELB application load balancer to drop specific HTTP headers, ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations. Regularly review and update the list of HTTP headers to be dropped according to changing guidelines or requirements.