JS7 JobScheduler

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Introduction

The article is focused on configuration items used for HTTPS Server Authentication with passwords. For a complete overview of settings see JS7 - Controller Configuration Items and JS7 - Agent Configuration Items,

  • HTTPS Server Authentication is preferably used in combination with Client Authentication (mutual authentication) as this allows a secure configuration without the use of passwords.
    • The purpose of Server Authentication is to secure the identity of an HTTP server and to encrypt the communication between client and server.
    • The purpose of Client Authentication is to prove the identity of a client. Without proof of identity any HTTP client could perform a man-in-the-middle attack by, for example, pretending to be a Controller that connects to an Agent.
  • Please refer to the communication scheme between JS7 products as described in the JS7 - System Architecture article:
    • User browsers acting as HTTPS clients establish connections to JOC Cockpit as an HTTPS server.
    • JOC Cockpit acting as an HTTPS client establishes connections to Controller instances acting as HTTPS servers.
    • Controller instances acting as HTTPS clients establish connections to Agents acting as HTTPS servers.
  • It is recommended to apply TLS mutual authentication. However, there might be reasons why use of Client Authentication is not an immediate option, for example:
    • Use of a wildcard certificate for Server Authentication leverages the effort for certificate management. At the same time such certificates cannot be used for Client Authentication.
  • If mutual authentication is not an immediate option then passwords can be used by following the recommendations made in this article.

Location of Configuration Files

In the following the JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR placeholder specifies the configuration directory of the Controller. The JS7_AGENT_HOME, JS7_AGENT_CONFIG_DIR placeholders specify the directories where the Agent is installed and configured.

Controller Configuration

Configuration File: JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/private.conf

Find examples for Controller configuration for download:


Controller configuration file: private.conf 
js7 {
    auth {
        # User accounts for HTTPS connections
        users {
            # Controller ID for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance
            Controller {
                password="plain:secret"
            }

            # History account of JOC Cockpit (used to release events)
            History {
                password="sha512:B793649879D61613FD3F711B68F7FF3DB19F2FE2D2C136E8523ABC87612219D5AECB4A09035AD88D544E227400A0A56F02BC990CF0D4CB348F8413DE00BCBF08"
            }

            # JOC account of JOC Cockpit (requires UpdateItem permission for deployment)
            JOC {
                password="sha512:3662FD6BF84C6B8385FC15F66A137AB75C755147A81CC7AE64092BFE8A18723A7C049D459AB35C059B78FD6028BB61DCFC55801AE3894D2B52401643F17A07FE"
                permissions=[
                    UpdateItem
                ]
            }
        }

        # for each Agent specify Agent ID and plain text password for authentication
        agents {
           agent-001="plain:secret-agent-001"
           agent-002="plain:secret-agent-002"
           agent-003="plain:secret-agent-003"
        }
    }

    configuration {
        # directory for trusted public keys and certificates used with signatures
        trusted-signature-keys {
            PGP=${js7.config-directory}"/private/trusted-pgp-keys"
            X509=${js7.config-directory}"/private/trusted-x509-keys"
        }
    }

    journal {
        # allow History account to release unused journals
        users-allowed-to-release-events=[
            History
        ]
    }

    web {
        # keystore and truststore location for https connections
        https {
            keystore {
                # Default: ${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-keystore.p12"
                file=${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-keystore.p12"
                key-password=jobscheduler
                store-password=jobscheduler
            }
            truststores=[
                {
                    # Default: ${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12"
                    file=${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12"
                    store-password=jobscheduler
                }
            ]
        }

        # disable use of client authentication certificates
        server {
            auth {
                https-client-authentication=off
            }
        }
    }
}

Explanation:

  • The configuration file is located in the JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private folder.
  • Note that the above configuration has to be deployed to both Controller instances if a Controller Cluster is to be used.
  • The configuration items relevant to Server Authentication from the example above are described in the following sections.

Specify Controller ID and Password

js7 {
    auth {
        # User accounts for HTTPS connections
        users {
            # Controller ID for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance
            Controller {
                password="plain:secret"
            }
        }
     }
}

Explanation:

  • This setting is not required when using a Standalone Controller. It is used for password authentication between Controller instances in a cluster.
  • Note that the Controller element name is an example that has to be replaced by the Controller ID which is specified with identical values during installation of both Controller instances in a cluster.
  • If the password is modified in the private.conf file of a Primary Controller instance then it also has to be modified for the Secondary Controller instance to make passwords match.
  • A plain-text password has to be specified that is preceded with plain:: Passwords should be quoted.

Specify Agent ID and Password

js7 {
    auth {
        # for each Agent specify Agent ID and plain text password for authentication
        agents {
           agent-001="plain:secret-agent-001"
           agent-002="plain:secret-agent-002"
           agent-003="plain:secret-agent-003"
        }
    }
}

Explanation:

  • The Agent ID for each Agent is specified from the examples agent-001, agent-002 etc. An Agent is assigned a unique Agent ID during initial operation with JOC Cockpit. The Agent ID cannot be changed unless an Agent's journal is dropped.
  • A plain text password is specified that is preceded with plain:. Passwords should be quoted.

Disable Client Authentication

js7 {
    web {
        # disable use of client authentication certificates
        server {
            auth {
                https-client-authentication=off
            }
        }
}

Explanation:

  • By default Client Authentication is used if Server Authentication is in place.
  • The above setting disables Client Authentication.

Agent Configuration

Configuration File: JS7_AGENT_CONFIG_DIR/private/private.conf

Download: private.conf

Agent configuration file: private.conf 
js7 {
    auth {
        # User accounts for https connections
        users {
            # Controller ID for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance
            Controller {
                 password="plain:secret"
                 # password="sha512:bd2b1aaf7ef4f09be9f52ce2d8d599674d81aa9d6a4421696dc4d93dd0619d682ce56b4d64a9ef097761ced99e0f67265b5f76085e5b0ee7ca4696b2ad6fe2b2"
            }
        }
    }
    
    configuration {
        # Locations of certificates and public keys used for signature verification
        trusted-signature-keys {
            PGP=${js7.config-directory}"/private/trusted-pgp-keys"
            X509=${js7.config-directory}"/private/trusted-x509-keys"
        }
    }
    
    job {
        # Enable script execution from signed workflows
        execution {
            signed-script-injection-allowed = yes
        }
    }
    
    web {
        # Locations of keystore and truststore files for HTTPS connections
        https {
            keystore {
                # Default: ${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-keystore.p12"
                file=${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-keystore.p12"
                key-password="jobscheduler"
                store-password="jobscheduler"
                # alias=
            }
            truststores=[
                {
                    # Default: ${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12"
                    file=${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12"
                    store-password="jobscheduler"
                    # alias=
                }
            ]
        }

        # Disable use of client authentication
        server {
            auth {
                https-client-authentication=off
            }
        }
    }
}

Explanation:

  • The configuration file is located with the JS7_AGENT_CONFIG_DIR/private folder.
  • Consider that the above configuration has to be deployed to any Agent instances.
  • The configuration items relevant to Server Authentication with passwords from the example above are described in the following sections.

Specify Controller ID and Password

js7 {
    auth {
        # User accounts for https connections
        users {
            # Controller ID for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance
            Controller {
                 password="plain:secret-agent-001"
                 # password="sha512:fcef10f554e086d2f572fed70e494a6e03eac3034d1c928a9553bc9435b2b94081183958b5d1f53088b6ed2c1a968b1c4322854163a01a671cf07a1cd59ea006"
            }
        }
    }

Explanation:

  • In this example Controller is the Controller ID used by a Standalone Controller or by a Controller Cluster. A Controller is assigned a unique Controller ID during installation. The Controller ID cannot be changed unless the Controller's journal is reset.
  • The password for the Controller ID in the Agent configuration is the same as stated in the Controller configuration with the js7.auth.agents setting.
    • The password has to be preceded with plain: if a plain text password is used.
    • The password has to be preceded with sha512: if a password hashed with this algorithm is used
      • There are a number of ways to create sha512 hash values from passwords.
      • One possible solution includes using:  echo -n "secret-agent-001" | openssl dgst -sha512

Disable Client Authentication

js7 {
    web {
        # disable use of client authentication certificates
        server {
            auth {
                https-client-authentication=off
            }
        }
}

Explanation:

  • By default Client Authentication is used if Server Authentication is in place.
  • The above setting disables Client Authentication.



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