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• The following explanations assume Private CA-signed certificates Certificates or selfPublic CA-signed certificates Certificates to be used.
  • Private CA-signed certificates are provided from known and trusted Certificate Authorities (CA) that validate the domain owner.Self-signed certificates are Certificates are created by users who operate their own CA, see the JS7 - How to create selfX.509 SSL TLS Certificates.
  • Public CA-signed Certificates are provided from known and trusted Certificate Authorities (CA) that validate the domain owner.
  • Use of Intermediate CA Certificates is optional.
  • There is no difference in using a Private CA or Public CA concerning functionality of X.509 certificates, usage for Server Authentication / Client Authentication, or security of connections. The only difference is that users trust the Private CA that they set up on their own.
• Certificate stores can be managed from the command line and by use of tools that provide a GUI for this purpose:
  • the Java keytool is available from the Java JRE or JDK,
  • the Keystore Explorer is an open source utility to graphically manage certificate stores.
• Starting from Java 9 the PKCS12 keystore type is default and is not required to be specified with keytool.
• The following sections assume a PKCS12 keystore/truststore format. For Unix OS the .p12 file extension frequently is used, for Windows OS the .pfx extension is preferably used. Both file extensions indicate the same PKCS12 format and can be used interchangeably.

Certificate Management

Private keys Keys and certificates Certificates should be distributed as follows:

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• Keystore and truststore shown in orange are required for any connections of JOC Cockpit to a Controller.
  • The Controller's private key Private Key and certificate Certificate for Server Authentication are added to the Controller's keystore.
  • The Root CA Certificate is added to the Controller's truststore.
• The keystore and truststore shown in green are required if mutual authentication is in place for certificate based client authentication (default).
• The Controller's truststore shown in green is required should secure connections be used by a Controller to access Agents. It is therefore recommended the Controller's truststore is set up.
• Similar certificate management applies for any additional standby JOC Cockpit instances acting in a cluster.

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• By default JOC Cockpit and Controller use mutual authentication:
  • the JOC Cockpit verifies the Controller's certificate for Server Authentication.
  • the Controller verifies the JOC Cockpit's certificate for Client Authentication.
  • For details see the JS7 - Configuration for mutual HTTPS Server Authentication and Client Authentication article.
• If mutual authentication cannot be applied, for example, when wildcard certificates are used:
  • Consider consider using password based authentication.
  • For for details see see JS7 - Configuration for HTTPS Server Authentication with Passwords.

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• On the Controller instance's server create the keystore using openssl and the keytool from your Java JRE or JDK or a third 3rd-party utility.
  • For use with a third 3rd-party utility create a keystore, e.g. https-keystore.p12, in PKCS12 format and import:
    • Controller private key Private Key and certificate Certificate for Server Authentication
  • For use with openssl and keytool create the keystore with the private key Private Key and certificate Certificate for Server Authentication from the command line. The examples below show a possible approach for certificate management - however, there are other ways of achieving similar results.

    • Example for importing a private key Private Key and CA-signed certificate Certificate to a PKCS12 keystore:

      Code Block
      language bash title Example how to import a private key Private Key and CA-signed certificate Certificate to a PKCS12 keystore
      # Assume the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the Controller server to be "controller.example.com" # If the Controller's CA-signed certificateCertificate is provided from a pkcs12 keystore (certificate.p12), extract the certificateCertificate to a .crt file in PEM format (controller.example.com.crt) # openssl pkcs12 -in certificate.p12 -nokeys -out controller.example.com.crt # Import the Controller's privatePrivate keyKey (controller.example.com.key) and certificateCertificate (controller.example.com.crt) from PEM format to a new keystore (controller.example.com.https-keystore.p12) openssl pkcs12 -export -in controller.example.com.crt -inkey controller.example.com.key --name controller.example.com -out "JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/https-keystore.p12"

    • Example for creating a private key Private Key and selfCA-signed certificate Certificate and import to a keystore

      • Refer to examples available from JS7 - How to create self-signed X.509 SSL TLS Certificates, chapter Creating a SSL/TLS Server CertificateCertificates.

        Code Block
        language bash title Example how to create a private key Private Key and selfCA-signed certificateCertificate
        # Creating the privatePrivate keyKey and selfCA-signed certificateCertificate for the given validity period ./create_server_certificate.sh --dns=controller.example.com --days=365

      • Refer to examples available from JS7 - How to add SSL TLS Certificates to Keystore and Truststore.

        Code Block
        title Example how to add a private key Private Key and selfCA-signed certificate Certificate to a PKCS12 keystore
        # Adding the privatePrivate keyKey and certificateCertificate to a keystore ./js7_create_certificate_store.sh \ --keystore=JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/https-keystore.p12 \ --key=controller.example.com.key \ --cert=controller.example.com.crt \ --alias=controller.example.com \ --password="jobscheduler"

        
        When using additional arguments for creation of a truststore then users have the truststore available for the later step 4:

        Code Block
        title Example how to add a private key Private Key and selfCA-signed certificate Certificate to a PKCS12 keystore and the Root CA Certificate to a truststore
        # Adding the privatePrivate keyKey and certificateCertificate to a keystore and Root CA Certificate to a truststore ./js7_create_certificate_store.sh \ --keystore=JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/https-keystore.p12 \   --truststore=JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/https-truststore.p12 \    --key=controller.example.com.key \ --cert=controller.example.com.crt \ --alias=controller.example.com \ --password="jobscheduler" \ --ca-root=root-ca.crt

  • With the keystore being set up, specify the relevant properties with the JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/private.conf configuration file:

    • Example

      Code Block
      language text title Example for private.conf file specifying the Controller keystore
      js7 { web { # keystore 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" } } } }

      
      

      Explanation:
      • js7.web.https.keystore.file is used for the path to the keystore.
      • js7.web.https.keystore.key-password is used for access to the private keyPrivate Key.
      • js7.web.https.keystore.store-password is used for access to the keystore. Passwords for private key Private Key and keystore have to match when using PKCS12 keystores.
        
        
• On the Controller instance's server create the keystore truststore using the keytool from your Java JRE or JDK or a third 3rd-party utility.
  • For use with a third 3rd-party utility create a truststore, e.g. https-truststore.p12, in PKCS12 format and import:
    • Root CA Certificate
  • The examples below show a possible approach for certificate management - however, there are other ways of achieving similar results.

    • Example for importing a Root CA Certificate to a PKCS12 keystoretruststore:

      Code Block
      language bash title Example how to import a Root CA Certificate to a PKCS12 keystoretruststore
      # Import Root CA Certificate in PEM format to a PKCS12 truststore (https-truststore.p12) keytool -importcert -alias "root-ca" -file "root-ca.crt" -keystore "JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/https-truststore.p12" -storetype PKCS12

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• By default mutual authentication is in place.
  • JOC Cockpit makes use of two connections to the Controller: one for the JS7 - History Service and one for the JOC Cockpit GUI. Both connections by default use mutual authentication.
  • The JOC Cockpit is challenged by the Controller to present its Client Authentication certificate that is then verified by the Controller.
    • In addition the Distinguished Name of the JOC Cockpit Client Authentication certificate is checked. An additional password setting has to be present but can be empty as in password="plain:". JOC Cockpit ships with the below default passwords. If a password is changed in the Controller configuration then it has to be changed in the JS7 - Settings too.
    • Note that any number of clustered JOC Cockpit instances can connect to a Controller.
  • If a Controller Cluster is used then connections from the partnering Controller instance are authenticated by the Distinguished Name of the instance's Client Authentication certificate.

• The JS7_CONTROLLER_CONFIG_DIR/private/private.conf configuration file should include authentication details such as:

  Code Block
  title Example for private.conf file specifying JOC Cockpit authentication
  js7 { auth { users { # History account (used to release events) History { distinguished-names=[ "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=joc_primary_client, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE" ] password="sha512:B793649879D61613FD3F711B68F7FF3DB19F2FE2D2C136E8523ABC87612219D5AECB4A09035AD88D544E227400A0A56F02BC990CF0D4CB348F8413DE00BCBF08" } # JOC account (needs UpdateItem permission for deployment) JOC { distinguished-names=[ "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=joc_primary_client, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE" ] password="sha512:3662FD6BF84C6B8385FC15F66A137AB75C755147A81CC7AE64092BFE8A18723A7C049D459AB35C059B78FD6028BB61DCFC55801AE3894D2B52401643F17A07FE" permissions=[ UpdateItem ] } # Controller ID for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance jobscheduler { distinguished-names=[ "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=controller_primary_client, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE",                    "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=controller_secondary_client, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE" ] password="plain:"           } }   } }

  
  

  Explanation:
  • The History and JOC user accounts are used by the JS7 - History Service and by the JS7 - REST Web Service API.
    • The distinguished-names property allows the addition of a number of Distinguished Names as available from the subjects of the Client Authentication certificates which are used by JOC Cockpit instances when connecting to the Controller.
      • Except for whitespace between attributes, the precise sequence and values as available from the certificate's subject has to match this property value.
      • If more than one Distinguished Name is used then they are separated by comma.
      • Distinguished Names can be displayed in different flavors. JS7 makes use of RFC2253 compliant Distinguished Names. The following command can be executed to verify the Distinguished Name from a given certificate file:
        • openssl x509 -in <joc-cert.pem> -noout -nameopt RFC2253 -subject
        • The output that you receive - except for a subject: or subject= prefix - should be used as the JOC Cockpit's Distinguished Name
        • Sample Output:
          • subject= ST=Berlin,OU=JS7,O=SOS,L=Berlin,C=DE,CN=centostest-primary
          • The prefix subject= has to be omitted from the Distinguished Name.
    • The password is used for authentication of the History and JOC service accounts with the Controller. Both accounts are typically run in the same JOC Cockpit instance. 
      
      • If HTTP connections are used then the password is the only means for authentication. If HTTPS connections with mutual authentication are used then the password is not relevant as certificate based authentication is in place.
      • The symmetric password is specified in the joc section of the JS7 - Settingspage of the JOC Cockpit and in the private.conf file. 
        • User Input to the Settings page of the JOC Cockpit can look like this:
          
          
          
          Input to the GUI simply accepts the password and does not require the use of the sha512: or plain: prefixes.
      • In the private.conf file a hashed value or a plain text value can be specified like this:
        
        • password="sha512:B793649879D6..."
        • password="plain:JS7-History"
      • If the password is modified in the private.conf file then it has to be modified in the JOC Cockpit settings as well, so that the passwords match.
      • The password setting cannot be omitted. However, an empty password can be specified, for example:
        • password="plain:"
      • From the private.conf file that ships by default the plain text value and the hashed values are:
        • History: 
          • Plain Text: JS7-History
          • Hash: sha512:B793649879D61613FD3F711B68F7FF3DB19F2FE2D2C136E8523ABC87612219D5AECB4A09035AD88D544E227400A0A56F02BC990CF0D4CB348F8413DE00BCBF08
        • JOC:
          • Plain Text: JS7-JOC
          • Hash: sha512:3662FD6BF84C6B8385FC15F66A137AB75C755147A81CC7AE64092BFE8A18723A7C049D459AB35C059B78FD6028BB61DCFC55801AE3894D2B52401643F17A07FE
  • The jobscheduler account is an example of the Controller ID that is used by a partnering Controller instance.
    • This setting is not required if a Standalone Controller is used.
    • For a Controller Cluster the Controller ID is specified during installation.

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• On the JOC Cockpit server create the truststore using the keytool from your Java JRE or JDK or a third 3rd-party utility.
  • For use with a third 3rd-party utility create a truststore, e.g. https-truststore.p12, in PKCS12 format and import:
    • Root CA Certificate
  • For use with keytool create the truststore in PKCS12 or JKS format with the Root CA Certificate. The examples below show a possible approach for certificate management - however, there are other ways how to achieve similar results.
    

    • Example showing how to import a Root CA Certificate to a PKCS12 truststore:

      Code Block
      language bash title Example how to import a Root CA Certificate into a PKCS12 truststore
      # import Root CA Certificate in PEM format to a PKCS12 truststore (https-truststore.p12) keytool -importcert -alias "root-ca" -file "root-ca.crt" -keystore "JETTY_BASE/resources/joc/https-truststore.p12" -storetype PKCS12

• The location of the truststore is added to the JETTY_BASE/resources/joc/joc.properties configuration file like this:

  • Example for a PKCS12 truststore

    Code Block
    language text title Example how to specify a PKCS12 truststore location with the joc.properties file
    ### Location of the truststore that contains the certificates of all ### Controllers used with HTTPS connections. The path can be absolute or ### relative to joc.properties truststore_path = https-truststore.p12 truststore_type = PKCS12 truststore_password = jobscheduler

  • Example for a JKS truststore

    Code Block
    language text title Example how to specify a JKS truststore location with the joc.properties file collapse true
    ### Location of the truststore that contains the certificates of all ### Controllers used with HTTPS connections. The path can be absolute or ### relative to joc.properties truststore_path = https-truststore.jks truststore_type = JKS truststore_password = jobscheduler

• Hostname verification by default is in place with the JETTY_BASE/resources/joc/joc.properties configuration file.

  Code Block
  title Example how to specify hostname verification with the joc.properties file
  ################################################################################ ### Specifies if hostname verification should be carried out for HTTPS connections. ### Default true https_with_hostname_verification = true

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For mutual authentication JOC Cockpit has to hold a Client Authentication private key Private Key and certificate Certificate in its keystore.

• This can be simplified by the use of a private keyPrivate Key/certificate Certificate pair that is created for both extended key usages Server Authentication and Client Authentication. In this case a single private key Private Key and certificate Certificate is stored with the JOC Cockpit's keystore as described in the the JS7 - JOC Cockpit HTTPS Connections article.
• If separate private keyPrivate Key/certificate Certificate pairs for Server Authentication and Client Authentication purposes are used then use of separate certificate stores for the JOC Cockpit is recommended:
  • The keystore holds the private keyPrivate Key/certificate Certificate for Server Authentication. The location of the keystore is configured with JETTY_BASE/start.ini.
  • The client keystore holds the private key/certificate holds the Private Key/Certificate for Client Authentication. The location of the client keystore is configured with with JETTY_BASE/resources/joc/joc.properties.

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• On the JOC Cockpit server create the client keystore using the keytool from your Java JRE or JDK or a third 3rd-party utility.
  • For use with a 3rd-party utility create a client keystore, e.g. https-client-keystore.p12, in PKCS12 format and import:
    • the JOC Cockpit private key and certificate for Client Private Key and Certificate for Client Authentication
  • For use with keytool create the client keystore in PKCS12 or JKS format according to the steps indicated with JS7 - JOC Cockpit HTTPS Connections: Step 2: Create JOC Cockpit Keystore chapter.
    • Apply the steps indicated to the client keystore and use the private keyPrivate Key/certificate Certificate pair for Client Authentication.

• The location of the client keystore is added to the JETTY_BASE/resources/joc/joc.properties configuration file like this:

  • Example for a PKCS12 client keystore:

    Code Block
    language text title Example how to specify the PKCS12 client keystore location with joc.properties file
    ### Location of the client keystore that contains the private key and ### certificate for JOC Cockpit client authentication relative to ### joc.properties keystore_path = https-client-keystore.p12 keystore_type = PKCS12 keystore_password = jobscheduler

  • Example for a JKS client keystore:

    Code Block
    language text title Example how to specify the JKS client keystore location with joc.properties file collapse true
    ### Location of the client keystore that contains the private key and ### certificate for JOC Cockpit client authentication relative to ### joc.properties keystore_path = https-client-keystore.jks keystore_type = JKS keystore_password = jobscheduler

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• A restart of the relevant product is required to apply modifications changes to either the the Controller JS7_CONFIG_DIR/private/private.conf file or to JOC Cockpit configuration files.

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Resources

• JS7 - JOC Cockpit HTTPS Connections
• JS7 - Agent HTTPS Connections
• JS7 - Configuration Templates
  • JS7 - Configuration for mutual HTTPS Server Authentication and Client Authentication
  • JS7 - Configuration for HTTP Basic Authentication with Passwords
  • JS7 - Configuration for HTTPS Server Authentication with Passwords
• JS7 - How to create self-signed X.509 SSL TLS Certificates
• JS7 - How to add SSL TLS Certificates to Keystore and Truststore

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