Apache Tomcat

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Apache Tomcat is an open source software that provides Java Servlet and Java Server Page functionalities. This technology can be used alone as a Java based web server or with more formal web server products to provide dynamic content.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v24.3
Decision Date:	03/26/2024 at 16:11:00 UTC
Introduced By:	CDCO Supported Architecture Components
Vendor Name:	Apache Software Foundation (ASF)

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date
6.x	12/01/2006	12/31/2016
7.x	01/14/2011
8.0	09/24/2014	06/30/2018
8.5.x	06/25/2018
9.x	06/25/2016
10.x	02/20/2020

Current Decision Matrix (03/21/2024)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2022

CY2023

CY2024

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

6.x

Unapproved

7.x

Unapproved

8.0

Unapproved

8.5.x

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 6, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 6, 10, 12, 13]

Approved w/Constraints
[12, 13, 14, 15, 16]

Approved w/Constraints
[12, 13, 15, 16, 17]

Approved w/Constraints
[13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]

9.x

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 6, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 6, 10, 12, 13]

Approved w/Constraints
[12, 13, 14, 15, 16]

Approved w/Constraints
[12, 13, 15, 16, 17]

Approved w/Constraints
[13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]

10.x

Unapproved

Decision Constraints


[1]	Product must remain properly patched in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities. Users are advised to install the latest stable version of the software as it is made available by Apache.

[2]	Product must remain properly patched in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities. Users are advised to install the latest stable version of the software as it is made available by Apache.

[3]	As of April 23, 2015, per the Deputy CIO of Architecture, Strategy and Design (ASD), all technologies in use by the VA require an assessment by the VA Section 508 office. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 is a federal law that sets the guidelines for technology accessibility. A VA Section 508 assessment of this technology has not been completed at the time of publication. Therefore, as of April 23, 2015 only users of this technology who have deployed the technology to the production environment, or have project design and implementation plans approved, may continue to operate this technology. In the case of a project that has implemented, or been approved for a specific site or number of users, and that project needs to expand operations to other sites or to an increased user base, it may do so as long as the project stays on the existing version of the technology that was approved or implemented as of April 22, 2015. Use of this technology in all other cases is prohibited.

[4]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[5]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[6]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[7]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[8]	This technology must use the latest version of JRE (Java Runtime Environment) - Oracle

[9]	This technology must use the latest approved version of JRE (Java Runtime Environment) - Oracle. When using the Apache JServ Protocol (AJP), care must be taken when trusting incoming connections to Apache Tomcat. Tomcat treats AJP connections as having higher trust than, for example, a similar Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connection. If such connections are available to an attacker, they can be exploited. In Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.30, 8.5.0 to 8.5.50 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.99, Tomcat shipped with an AJP Connector enabled by default that listened on all configured Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

[10]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[11]	The current standard baseline configuration of this technology is supports solely Linux-based operating systems. This technology`s use with other operating systems is unapproved. This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The Apache Tomcat Application Server 8.5 and 9.x for Linux – Secure Configuration Baseline must be followed. Ensure that the latest version is installed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Vulnerability Database should be referenced, and the product should be continuously monitored as it is known to have frequent security vulnerabilities. Ensure that the VA approved Java Runtime Environment is installed. Apache Tomcat 9 will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information VA must acquire support with a third-party support organization that provides a Service Level Agreement that meets VA’s needs.

[12]	This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. Per the Initial Product Review, users must abide by the following constraints: The Apache Tomcat Application Server 8.5 and 9.x for Linux – Secure Configuration Baseline must be followed. Ensure that the latest version is installed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Vulnerability Database should be referenced, and the product should be continuously monitored as it is known to have frequent security vulnerabilities. Ensure that the VA approved Java Runtime Environment is installed. Apache Tomcat 9 will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information VA must acquire support with a third-party support organization that provides a Service Level Agreement that meets VA’s needs.

[13]	This technology has received one or more VA security bulletins that provide specific guidance on vulnerability patching and mitigation. It is the responsibility of VA system owners to ensure that the appropriate mitigations are taken to address all known and future discovered vulnerabilities with this product. See the Reference tab for more information on security bulletins related to this product.

[14]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[15]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[16]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[17]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[18]	This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle. This technology must use the latest TRM-approved version of Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle. The Apache Tomcat Application Server 8.5 and 9.x for Linux – Secure Configuration Baseline must be followed. Ensure that the latest version is installed. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Vulnerability Database should be referenced, and the product should be continuously monitored as it is known to have frequent security vulnerabilities. Apache Tomcat 9 will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information. VA must acquire support with a third-party support organization that provides a Service Level Agreement that meets VA’s needs.

[19]	The Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification status of this technology was not able to be verified. This technology will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information, where applicable. More information regarding the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) can be found on the NIST website.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 10.1.19 is the latest version of this technology, released 01/19/2024.
However, the VA has developed a secure configuration baseline for versions 8.5.x and 9.x on Linux operating systems and versions 9.x on Windows operating systems. Only the versions covered in each baseline are approved on designated operating systems.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
Catalina	Catalina is Tomcat`s servlet container. Catalina implements Sun Microsystems` specifications for servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP).
Coyote	Coyote is a Connector component for Tomcat that supports Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 1.1 as a web server. This allows Catalina, nominally a Java Servlet or JSP container, to also act as a plain web server that serves local files as HTTP documents.
Jasper	Jasper is Tomcat`s JSP Engine. Jasper parses JSP files to compile them into Java code as servlets (that can be handled by Catalina). At runtime, Jasper detects changes to JSP files and recompiles them.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Application Technology Application and Web Server Software	Web Server Software

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This technology is available at no cost through open source licensing and supports VA`s open source initiative.
This is a well-documented technology.
A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secure Configuration Baseline has been developed for versions 8.5.x and 9.x of this technology.

Adoption Risks

There are published vulnerabilities that affect older versions of this software.
The installer provides a default Java Runtime Environment to use to run the service.
Apache Tomcat 9 is not Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.
Support for Apache Tomcat 9 is given freely by the community. All community support comes from volunteers on a volunteer basis.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secure Configuration Baseline must be followed for Apache Tomcat 9.
This technology relies on Java Development Kit (JDK) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
There are Threat & Assessment Analysis Portal (TAAP) bulletins associated with this technology.
As open-source software, this product may be left without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This technology relies on JRE (Java Runtime Environment) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) vulnerabilities. Please see https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/search for more details.
There are other approved solutions that provide similar functionality available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved platforms.

Inside VA

Budget and Performance

Inside the Media Room

National Observances

Special Events

VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (03/21/2024)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (03/21/2024)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

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