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Step 7.3. Configure XACML PEP

 

Once the discovery process has been run, the critical accounts have been detected and saved on the password vault, and the password rotation process has been defined, the next step would be to define the necessary approval process to manage the use of the critical accounts.

Using the approval process, Soffid allows you to define, step by step on the BPM Editor, the workflow for critical accounts use, and define who has to be the manager or authorized user will approve or deny to use those critical accounts. To define and configure the workflow you must know some information like:

  • Who or whom can start the process making a request.
  • Who or whom must to approve or deny the request.
  • If to approve from email will be available.
  • Which fields must see or fill in the users whom requests.
  • Which fields must see or fill in te users whom approve or deny.
  • How many approve levels the workflow will need.
  • And other requirements.

Then, Soffid can be able to add more complex and restricted rules to the authorizations using XACML. With the XACML tool you will be able to define policy sets and policies to describe general access control requirements. Also, you will be able to define some obligations as actions that have to be returned with response XACML. To define the policy sets and policies, you need to know some relevant information like:

  • On which resources, policy set or policies should be applied
  • On which users, set of policies or policies should be implemented.
  • The actions which will be executed
  • On which environments the policy sets or policues will be implemented.
  • The rules which will be applied.
  • And other.

Step-by-step

Define an approval workflow

1. To define and configure an approval workflow, you can use the Soffid BPM editor. You must access the BPM editor page in he following path:

Main Menu > Administration > Configure Soffid > Workflow settings > BPM editor

2. To add a new workflow you must click the add button (+) and Soffil will display a new window.

3. Then,  you must write a process name and select the process type "Account reservation" and Soffid will display the process editor to configure the new workflow.

4. At the "Process editor" form you could config the workflow steps. 

You can visit the BPM Editor book to find more information and examples about the workflows.

5. Once you finish to configure the workflow, you must click the option "Save and Publish" to be able to use the workflow.

Define XACML policy set to use a workflow

1. To define policies, you must access the XACML Policy Management page in he following path:

Main Menu > Administration > Configure Soffid > Security settings > XACML Policy Management

2. Once you have accessed the XACML Policy Management page, you can click the add button (+) to create a new policy set, or you can click on an existing policy set record to add new policies.

2.1. Update a policy set: If you want to update an existing policy you must check if the proper PEP was configured with that policy set.

2.2. Create a new policy set: fist of all you must click the add button (+). Then Soffid will display an empty window to fill in the required fields.

    • The Identifier should be an identificative and unique name. You will need the name to configure the PEP
    • The Version  should be a number to identify the current policy version. You will need the version to configure the PEP.
    • The Description should be a brief description of the agent.
    • The Policy Combining Algorithm allows you to select the procedure for arriving aat an authorization decision.

2.3. You need to click on the "Apply changes" button to save the new policy set or tu update an existing policy set.

3. Once you have created or updated the policy set, you could add new policy sets, policies, policiy references and/or policy set references.

For more information, you can visit the XACML Book where you could find information about how to user XACML and some examples.

4. Finally, you must check and configure the XACML PEP configuration.

Configure XACML PEP

1. To configure the XACML PEP  You must access the "XACML PEP configuration" page in he following path:

Main Menu > Administration > Configure Soffid > Security settings > XACML PEP configuration

2. At the "XACML PEP configuration page you must fill in the Password vault Policy Enforcement Point  section.

2.1. The policy must be enabled, you must select Yes on the "Enable XACML Policy Enforcement Point".

2.2. Then you must fill in the Policy set ID and the Policy set version to use.

2.3. The trace request is an optional field use to debug.

3. Once you fill in the mandatory information, you must click the "Apply" button to save the updates.

3.1. If there are any error on the data, Soffid will display a message with the error data.

For detailed information about XACML you can visit the XACML book.

 

 

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