The information in this document is subject to change without notice. The statements, configurations, technical
data, and recommendations in this document are believed to be accurate and reliable, but are presented without
express or implied warranty. Users must take full responsibility for their applications of any products specified in this
document. The information in this document is proprietary to Nortel Networks.
*Nortel, Nortel Networks, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
Export
This product, software and related technology is subject to U.S. export control and may be subject to export or
import regulations in other countries. Purchaser must strictly comply with all such laws and regulations. A license to
export or reexport may be required by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Licensing
This product includes software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit
ttps://www.openssl.org/).
(h
This product includes cryptographic software written by Eric Young (eay@cryptsoft.com).
This product includes software written by Tim Hudson (tjh@cryptsoft.com).
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation h
Who Should Use This Book8
Related documentation9
Product Names10
How This Book Is Organized11
Typographic Conventions13
How to Get Help14
Getting help from the Nortel Web site14
Getting help over the phone from a Nortel Solutions Center 14
Getting help from a specialist by using an Express Routing Code14
Getting help through a Nortel distributor or reseller14
HSM Overview28
Extended Mode vs. FIPS Mode 29
The Concept of iKey Authentication30
Additional HSM Information 33
Initial Setup35
Clusters 36
IP Address Types 37
Ports 38
Interfaces 39
Configuration at Boot Up41
Installing an NVG in a New Cluster42
Joining a VPN Gateway to an Existing Cluster52
Installing an ASA 310-FIPS58
Reinstalling the Software 70
User Rights and Group Membership 80
Adding a New User81
Changing a Users Group Assignment86
Changing a Users Password88
Deleting a User 91
Certificates and Client Authentication93
Generating and Submitting a CSR Using the CLI 94
Adding Certificates to the NVG 99
Update Existing Certificate 107
Configure a Virtual SSL Server to Require a Client Certificate 108
Generating client certificates 110
Managing Revocation of Client Certificates116
Client certificate support 123
Signing CSRs124
Generate Test Certificate 126
General Commands128
Virtual Desktop131
Running the Virtual Desktop on Client Computers132
Licensing vdesktop132
Launch Vdesktop from Portal133
Virtual Desktop Operations 134
The Command Line Interface135
Connecting to the VPN Gateway136
Accessing the NVG Cluster140
CLI vs. Setup 142
Command Line History and Editing 143
Idle Timeout144
Troubleshooting the NVG145
Cannot Connect to VPN Gateway through Telnet or SSH146
Cannot Add an NVG to a Cluster148
Cannot Contact the MIP149
The NVG Stops Responding151
A User Password is Lost152
An ASA 310-FIPS Stops Processing Traffic153
Resetting HSM Cards on the ASA 310-FIPS155
AnASA 310-FIPS Cluster Must be Reconstructed onto New Devices158
A User Fails to Connect to the VPN 163
User Unable to Connect to the VPN Gateway through the Net Direct Client168
Cannot download the NetDirect Zipped file from client PC171
System Diagnostics172
Unable to download NetDirect from VPN server175
Supported Ciphers177
Cipher List Formats 179
Modifying a Cipher List180
Supported Cipher Strings and Meanings 181
The SNMP Agent183
Supported MIBs184
Supported Traps189
Syslog Messages191
List of Syslog Messages192
Syslog Messages in Alphabetical Order209
222
License Information223
HSM Security Policy233
Definition of Key Codes253
Syntax Description254
SSH host keys257
Methods for Protection 258
The VPN Gateway 259
Adding User Preferences Attribute to Active Directory261
262
Using the Port Forwarder API271
General 272
Creating a Port Forwarder273
Demo Application274
Creating a Port Forwarder Authenticator276
Adding a Port Forwarder Logger279
Connecting Through a Proxy282
Monitoring the Port Forwarder283
This User’s Guide is intended for network installers and system
administrators engaged in configuring and maintaining a network. It
assumes that you are familiar with Ethernet concepts and IP addressing.
For full documentation on installing and using the many features available
in the VPN Gateway software, see the following manuals:
•VPN Gateway 7.1 Command Reference
(part number 216369-F, April 2008)
Describes each command in detail. The commands are listed per
menu, according to the order they appear in the Command Line
Interface (CLI).
•VPN Gateway 6.0 Application Guide for SSL Acceleration
(part number 216370-D, April 2008)
Provides examples on how to configure SSL Acceleration through the
CLI.
•VPN Gateway 7.1 CLI Application Guide for VPN
(part number 216371-F, April 2008)
Provides examples on how to configure VPN deployment through the
CLI.
•VPN Gateway 7.1 BBI Application Guide for VPN
(part number 217239-E, April 2008)
Provides examples on how to configure VPN deployment through the
BBI (Browser-Based Management Interface).
Licensing 9
•
VPN Gateway 7.1 VPN Administrator Guide
(part number 217238-E, April 2008)
VPN management guide intended for end-customers in a Secure
Service Partitioning configuration.
•
VPN Gateway 3050/3070 Hardware Installation Guide
(part number 216213-B, March 2005)
Describes installation of the VPN Gateway 3050 and 3070 hardware
models.
The software described in this manual runs on several different hardware
models. Whenever the generic terms Nortel VPN Gateway, VPN gateway
or NVG are used in the documentation, the following hardware models
are implied:
•
Nortel VPN Gateway 3050 (NVG 3050)
•
Nortel VPN Gateway 3070 (NVG 3070)
•
Nortel SSL VPN Module 1000 (SVM 1000)
•Nortel SSL Accelerator 310-FIPS (ASA 310-FIPS)
•The integrated SSL Accelerator (SSL processor) on the Nortel
2424-SSL switch
•Nortel VPN Gateway Universal Serial Bus
Similarly, all references to the old product name – iSD-SSL or iSD – in
commands or screen outputs should be interpreted as applying to the
preceding hardware models.
Note: Manufacturing of the Nortel SSL Accelerator (formerly Alteon
The chapters in this book are organized as follows:
Users Guide
“Introducing the VPN Gateway” (page 15) provides an overview of the
major features of the VPN Gateway, including its physical layout and the
basic concepts of its operation.
“Introducing the ASA 310-FIPS” (page 27) provides information about
the ASA 310 equipped with HSM cards, as well as information about the
available security modes and the concept of iKey authentication.
“Initial Setup” (page 35) describes how to install the NVG in a new cluster,
and how to add an NVG to an existing cluster. The chapter also provides
information about the concept of NVG clusters, as well as the usage and
configuration of ports and networks within a cluster. A section describing
how to reinstall the software is also included.
“Upgrading the NVG Software” (page 73) describes how to upgrade the
NVG software for a minor release upgrade, and a major release upgrade,
as well as upgrading from software versions earlier than 2.0.11.16 to
version 3.0.7.
11
“Managing Users and Groups” (page 79) describes the management
of users, groups, and passwords. The chapter also explains how the
Administrator user role can be fully separated from the Certificate
Administrator user role.
“Certificates and Client Authentication” (page 93) describes how to
generate and prepare keys and certificates for use with the NVG.
“The Command Line Interface” (page 135) describes how to connect to the
NVG and access the information and configuration menus.
“Troubleshooting the NVG” (page 145) provides suggestions for
troubleshooting basic problems. Information about performing system
diagnostics on the NVG is also included, as well as some operations
related to the ASA 310-FIPS model.
Appendices
provides a list of ciphers supported in this product.
“The SNMP Agent” (page 183) provides information about the SNMP
agent on the NVG, and which MIBs (Management Information Bases) are
supported.
“Syslog Messages” (page 191), contains a list of all syslog messages
that can be sent to a syslog server that is added to the NVG system
configuration.
“License Information” (page 223) provides licensing information for the
software used in this product.
“HSM Security Policy” (page 233) provides detailed information about the
security policy of the CryptoSwift
®
HSM card that comes installed in the
ASA 310-FIPS.
“Definition of Key Codes” (page 253) provides information about how
to compile a keycode definition file to be used with the Terminal applet
available on the Telnet/SSH tab (located under the Portal’s Advanced tab).
“SSH host keys” (page 257) provides information about the purpose of
SSH host keys and how they are used to protect the connection between
the SSH client and the VPN Gateway.
“Adding User Preferences Attribute to Active Directory” (page
261) provides step-by-step instructions on how to add the User
Preferences attribute to Active Directory. This is required to support
storage of Portal bookmarks in Active Directory.
“Using the Port Forwarder API” (page 271) provides instructions on how to
perform the tasks needed when using the Port Forwarder API. The Port
Forwarder API is used to provide tunnels through the Nortel VPN Gateway
(NVG) without the user having to start any applets from the Portal.
“Glossary” (page 285) includes definitions of terminology used throughout
The following table describes the typographic styles used in this book.
Table 1
Typographic Conventions
13
Typeface or
Symbol
AaBbCc123
AaBbCc123
<AaBbCc123
>
[ ]Command items shown inside
MeaningExample
This type is used for names of
commands, files, and directories used
within the text.
It also depicts on-screen computer
output and prompts.
This bold type appears in command
examples. It shows text that must be
typed in exactly as shown.
This italicized type appears in
command examples as a parameter
placeholder. Replace the indicated
text with the appropriate real name or
value when using the command. Do
not type the brackets.
This also shows book titles, special
terms, or words to be emphasized.
brackets are optional and can be used
or excluded as the situation demands.
Do not type the brackets.
This section explains how to get help for Nortel products and services.
Getting help from the Nortel Web site
The best way to get technical support for Nortel products is from the Nortel
Technical Support Web site: h
This site provides quick access to software, documentation, bulletins, and
tools to address issues with Nortel products. From this site, you can:
•
download software, documentation, and product bulletins for answers
to technical issues
•sign up for automatic notification of new software and documentation
for Nortel equipment
•
open and manage technical support cases
Getting help over the phone from a Nortel Solutions Center
If you do not find the information you require on the Nortel Technical
Support web site, and have a Nortel support contract, you can also get
help over the phone from a Nortel Solutions Center. In North America,
call 1-800-4NORTEL (1-800-466-7835). Outside North America, go
to the following web site to obtain the phone number for your region:
ww.nortel.com/callus
w
ttps://www.nortel.com/support/
Getting help from a specialist by using an Express Routing Code
An Express Routing Code (ERC) is available for many Nortel products and
services. When you use an ERC, your call is routed to a technical support
person who specializes in supporting that product or service. To locate the
ERC for your product or service, go to: h
ttp://www.nortel.com/erc/
Getting help through a Nortel distributor or reseller
If you purchased a service contract for your Nortel product from a
distributor or authorized reseller, contact the technical support staff for that
distributor or reseller.
The Nortel VPN Gateway (NVG) software includes two major functionality
groups:
•
SSL Acceleration
•
VPN
These features can be used separately or be combined. This User’s Guide
covers the basic tasks that need to be completed irrespective of which
feature you wish to deploy.
The VPN Gateway can function as a peripheral Secure Sockets Layer
(SSL) offload platform that attaches to a Nortel Application Switch or a
comparable switch from another vendor. (The VPN Gateway can also
operate in standalone mode, i.e. without being connected to a switch.)
The VPN Gateway performs a TCP three-way handshake with the client
through the Nortel Application Switch and performs all the SSL encryption
and decryption for the session. Combined with the load balancing
features of the Nortel Application Switch, the VPN Gateway offloads SSL
encryption/decryption functions from back-end servers.
For examples on how to configure the VPN Gateway for SSL Acceleration,
see the Application Guide for SSL Acceleration.
For more information about the basic operations of the VPN Gateway, see
the "Public Key Infrastructure and SSL" chapter in the Application Guidefor SSL Acceleration.
Getting help through a Nortel distributor or reseller17
The VPN feature supports remote access to intranet or extranet resources
(applications, mail, files, intranet web pages) through a secure connection.
What information should be accessible to the remote user after login is
determined by access rules (ACLs).
The intranet’s resources can be accessed in clientless mode, transparent
mode or both:
•
From any computer connected to the Internet (clientless mode). The
remote user connects to the VPN Gateway through a secure SSL
connection through the web browser. When successfully authenticated,
the user can access services and resources on the intranet from a
Web Portal provided by the VPN Gateway. Clientless mode also
enables download of the Net Direct client, a simple and secure method
for accessing intranet resources through the remote user’s native
applications.
•
From a computer with the Nortel IPsec VPN client (formerly Contivity
VPN client) or the Nortel SSL VPN client installed (transparent mode).
For examples on how to configure the VPN Gateway for VPN deployment,
see the Application Guide for VPN.
The VPN Gateway software is supported on the following hardware
platforms:
•
Nortel VPN Gateway 3050 and 3070
•
Nortel SSL VPN Module 1000
•Nortel SSL Accelerator 310 and 410
•Nortel SSL Accelerator 310-FIPS, with FIPS-compliant Hardware
Security Module (HSM). See “Introducing the ASA 310-FIPS” (page
27).
•Nortel 2424-SSL Application Switch
For a detailed technical specification of the hardware platforms, see the
"Specifications" appendix in the VPN Gateway 3050/3070 Hardware
Installation Guide and the Alteon SSL Accelerator Hardware Installation
Guide respectively.
No hardware installation is required for the Nortel Application Switch
2424-SSL. The VPN Gateway software resides on the SSL Processor
which is mounted inside the switch chassis.
Note: Manufacturing of the Nortel SSL Accelerator (formerly Alteon
•Web Portal interface for remote users accessing the VPN Gateway in
clientless mode, that is, through the browser.
•
Corporate resources available to users as preconfigured group links or
accessible through the Portal tabs.
•Support for native Telnet and SSH (including X11 forwarding) access
to intranet servers through terminal Java applet (available on the
Portal’s Advanced tab).
•Support for handling plugins, Flash and Java applets using HTTP
proxy Java applet (available on the Portal’s Advanced tab).
•
Support for application tunneling (port forwarding) through SOCKS
encapsulated in SSL (available on the Portal’s Advanced tab).
•
API provided for developing a custom application that automatically
logs in the user to the desired VPN and executes a previously
configured port forwarder link
Software Features 19
•
Support for customizing the Web Portal, for example, color, logo,
language and company name.
•
Three user views available (novice, medium and advanced) to limit
access to Portal tabs.
•
Support for automatic redirection of requests to another URL (Portal
pass-through).
•
Support for Portal bookmarks.
•
Ability to specify domains for which single sign-on is allowed.
•
Net Direct client (SSL). VPN client temporarily downloaded from the
Portal and removed when the user exits the session. On Windows, Net
Direct is also available as an installable client (setup.exe file).
Access to intranet resources in transparent mode, that is, without going
through the Web Portal, is accomplished using Windows VPN clients
installed on the client PCs. In this mode, remote users will experience
network access as if sitting within the local area network. The following
VPN clients are available:
•Nortel SSL VPN client (TDI and LSP version).
•Nortel IPsec VPN client (formerly the Contivity VPN client). Not
supported on the ASA 310, ASA 310-FIPS and ASA 410 hardware
models.
•Net Direct installable client.
User Authentication
User authentication is supported using the following methods:
•RADIUS (including Challenge/Response)
•
LDAP (including Microsoft Active Directory)
•NTLM (Windows NT Domain, including Microsoft Active Directory)
•
Secure Computing SafeWord (RADIUS)
•
Netegrity SiteMinder
•
RSA SecurID (native or through RADIUS)
•RSA ClearTrust
•
ActivCard (RADIUS)
•
Novell NDS/eDirectory (LDAP)
•
Client certificate authentication
•Local database authentication
User Authorization
User authorization is controlled through the user’s group membership. Two
different authorization profile types are supported:
•The base profile defines a group member’s access rights to networks,
services and paths.
•The extended profile (optional) also defines a group member’s access
rights depending on conditions related to the user’s connection, for
example, source network, authentication method, access method,
client certificate installed and/or Tunnel Guard checks passed.
•Tunnel Guard. Feature for checking the security aspects of the remote
PC client, that is, installed antivirus software, DLLs, executables and
so on.
•WholeSecurity support. Lets you enable a scan of the client PC before
the remote user is allowed to log in to the VPN.
•User session auto-logoff.
•
Cache and browser history automatically cleared (only for Internet
Explorer).
Accounting and Auditing
•
Support for logging user session start and stop messages to a syslog
or RADIUS accounting server. The messages can include VPN ID,
user name, gateway address, session ID, session time and cause of
termination.
•Support for logging CLI and Web User Interface operations (for
example, login, logout and executed operation) to a syslog or RADIUS
accounting server.
Software Features 21
Networking
•
Supports creating multiple interfaces within a cluster, for example, to
separate client traffic and management traffic. (Not supported on the
Nortel Application Switch 2424-SSL).
•
Support for clustering over multiple subnets.
•
Supports assigning two physical network ports to one interface, to
create a port failover (high availability) solution where one VPN
Gateway is attached to two Nortel Application Switches.
Secure Service Partitioning
The NVG software provides the ability to partition a cluster of VPN
Gateways into separate VPNs. This gives service providers (ISPs) the
possibility to host multiple VPN end-customers on a shared Remote
Access Services (RAS) platform. Requires a license.
•Supports hosting of up to 250 public termination points for
end-customer SSL and IPsec VPNs.
•Secure VPN binding. Each VPN is bound to a private IP interface.
VLAN tagging can be used when private IP address spaces overlap.
•Private network authentication. Existing authentication servers within
the customer’s private network can be used.
•Access control. Unique access rules can be specified for each user
group in the various VPNs.
•Private network name resolution. If desired, private network DNS
servers can be mapped to the VPN.
•Split administration. VPN Portal management is enabled for each
VPN customer through a web interface, without exposing global
administration access.
•High availability. The Secure Service Partitioning solution is compatible
with the NVG cluster’s high availability solutions.
Branch Office Tunnels
The NVG software provides the ability to configure IPsec-based branch
office tunnels. Several peer-to-peer branch office tunnels can be
configured for each virtual private network (VPN).
The following number of branch office tunnels can be configured per
hardware model:
•
NVG 3070: 2500
•
NVG 3050: 1000
•
Nortel 2424-SSL Application Switch: 500
For example, a cluster of two NVG 3070s support 5000 branch office
tunnels.
Portal Guard
Feature used to "convert" an existing HTTP site to generate HTTPS links,
secure cookies and so on. The VPN Gateway will not only handle the SSL
processing but also see to it that all existing web links are rewritten to
HTTPS. This eliminates the need to rewrite each link manually. Requires a
license.
SSL Acceleration
The NVG software also includes features for SSL acceleration. Note
that these features in some cases require interoperation with a Nortel
Application Switch.
•Supports accelerated SSL processing by offloading SSL encryption
and decryption from backend servers.
•Supports load balancing of encrypted and unencrypted traffic for up
to 256 backend servers, with health checking and persistent client
connections.
•Ability to create multiple clusters of VPN Gateways, each capable of
serving its own group of real servers.
•Supports rewriting of client requests.
•
Ability to transmit additional information to the backend servers.
•Supports end-to-end encryption.
•Compatible with all Nortel Application Switches, Nortel Web Switches
and comparable switches from other vendors.
SSL Acceleration is covered in the Application Guide for SSL Acceleration.
Scalability and Redundancy
•Support for 256 VPN Gateways per cluster
•
Support for 256 virtual SSL servers
•Provides dynamic plug and play – VPN Gateways can be added to or
removed from a cluster dynamically without disrupting network traffic
•Provides a single system image (SSI) – all VPN Gateways in a given
cluster are configured as a single system
Software Features 23
•
High level of redundancy in the master/slave cluster design; even if
three master VPN Gateways in a cluster would fail, additional slave
NVGs will still be operational and can accept configuration changes
Certificate and Key Management
•
Server and client authentication
•
Generation and revocation of client certificates
•
Automatic retrieval of certificate revocation lists (CRLs)
Symantec On-Demand Agent (SODA) provides a Virtual Desktop
environment to secure Web-based applications and services. Virtual
Desktop is a Java application that provides protection against lost or
theft of sensitive information. Files created while in the virtual desktop
are encrypted as they are saved to a hard drive or removable media.
Integrating Virtual Desktop with NVG will provide a secure environment for
end users while accessing confidential information.
Secure Portable Office (SPO) Client
The SPO client provides VPN access from portable storage such as USB
compliant flash memory and CD ROM.
The SPO client provides enhanced mobility, portability, and security
compared to traditional VPN access methods. The SPO client can be
deployed and managed from the NVG server thus simplifying SPO client
maintenance and updates.
For more information about Secure Portal Office Client, see Configuration Secure Portable Client Guide.
This section provides information about the ASA 310-FIPS model, which
comes installed with the HSM (Hardware Security Module) card. The HSM
card complies with all the security requirements specified by the Federal
Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1, Level 3 standards. Each
ASA 310-FIPS device is equipped with two identical HSM cards.
Note: When using the ASA 310-FIPS device in a cluster, remember
that all NVG devices in the cluster must be of the ASA 310-FIPS model.
The HSM card found on the ASA 310-FIPS model is an SSL accelerator,
just like the ordinary CryptoSwift card found on the regular ASA 410
model. In addition to cryptographic acceleration, the HSM card brings
extra security to sensitive operations and is designed to withstand physical
tampering.
•
The HSM card provides a secure storage area for cryptographic key
information. The storage area is secured by a constantly monitored
tamper detection circuit. If tampering is detected, the battery backup
power to memory circuits on the card is removed. Critical security
parameters, such as private keys that are in the storage area, will then
be destroyed and rendered useless to the intruder.
•Any sensitive information that is transferred between two HSM cards
within the same ASA 310-FIPS, or between any number of HSM cards
within a cluster of ASA 310-FIPS devices, is encrypted using a shared
secret stored (also known as a wrap key) on the HSM card.
•Some user operations require a two-phase authentication, which
involves using both hardware tokens (called iKeys) and an associated
password to provide an extra layer of security. For example, if the
ASA 310-FIPS is power cycled (as in the case of theft), no SSL traffic
is processed until the operator logs in to the HSM card using both an
iKey and the correct password.
•
All cryptographic requests, such as generating private keys or
performing encryption, are automatically routed to the HSM card by the
NVG application and performed on the HSM card only.
When installing the very first ASA 310-FIPS into a new cluster, you can
choose to initialize the HSM cards in either Extended mode or FIPS mode.
Extended mode is the default selection, and is appropriate whenever your
security policy does
140-1, Level 3 standard (see the following for more information).
The main difference between Extended mode and FIPS mode involves
how private keys are handled. For both modes, all private keys are stored
encrypted in the database on the ASA 310 FIPS. When the HSM card is
initialized in Extended mode, the encrypted private key needed to perform
a specific operation is transferred to the HSM card over the PCI bus. The
private key is then decrypted on the HSM card itself, using the wrap key
that was generated during the initialization and because stored on the
card. The private key is thus never exposed in plain text outside the HSM
card.
When the HSM card is initialized in FIPS mode, the encrypted private key
needed to perform a specific operation is read from the database into
RAM, together with the wrap key from the HSM card. The private key
is then decrypted in RAM, where it remains accessible for subsequent
operations.
not explicitly require that you conform to the FIPS
FIPS140-1 Level 3 Security29
Also, when the ASA 310-FIPS is initialized in FIPS mode, all private keys
must be generated on the ASA 310-FIPS device itself. Importing private
keys, or certificate files that contain private keys, is not allowed due to
the FIPS security requirements. This means that certain CLI commands
that are used for importing certificates and keys through a copy and paste
operation, or through TFTP/FTP/SCP/SFTP, cannot be used when the
ASA 310-FIPS is initialized in FIPS mode.
FIPS140-1 Level 3 Security
The HSM card contains all of the security requirements specified by the
FIPS 140-1, Level 3 standards. FIPS 140-1 is a U.S. government standard
for implementations of cryptographic modules, that is, hardware or
software that encrypts and decrypts data or performs other cryptographic
operations (such as creating or verifying digital signatures).
FIPS 140-1 is binding on U.S. government agencies deploying applications
that use cryptography to secure sensitive but unclassified (SBU)
information, unless those agencies have been specifically exempted from
compliance by the relevant U.S. laws referenced in the standard.
For more information about the FIPS specification, visit http://csrc.nist.gov/
publications/fips/index.htmland scroll down to "FIPS 140-1".
Access to sensitive data on a ASA 310-FIPS is protected by a combination
of hardware tokens (called iKeys), passwords, and encryption procedures.
The iKey is a cryptographic token that is used as part of the authentication
process for certain operations involving the HSM cards. Whenever you
perform an operation on the ASA 310-FIPS calling for iKey authentication,
you are prompted by the Command Line Interface to insert the requested
iKey into the USB port on the appropriate HSM card. (When prompted for
a particular iKey, a flashing LED always directs you to the correct HSM
card.)
Types of iKeys
For each HSM card there are two unique iKeys used for identity-based
authentication: the HSM-SO iKey, and the HSM-USER iKey. Each of
these iKeys define the two user roles available: Security Officer and User.
A password must be defined for each user role, and the passwords are
directly associated with the corresponding iKey. The ASA 310-FIPS is
equipped with two HSM cards, and you therefore need to maintain two
pairs of HSM-SO and HSM-USER iKeys with their associated passwords
for each single ASA 310-FIPS device.
After a HSM card has been initialized, that card will only accept the
HSM-SO and HSM-USER iKeys that were used when initializing that
particular card. You cannot create backup copies of the associated
HSM-SO iKey and HSM-USER iKey, and a lost HSM-SO or HSM-USER
password cannot be retrieved. It is therefore extremely important that you
establish routines for how the iKeys are handled.
Wrap Keys for ASA 310-FIPS Clusters
In addition to the HSM-SO and HSM-USER iKeys specific for each
HSM card, one pair of iKeys (the black HSM-CODE iKeys) need also be
maintained for each cluster of ASA 310-FIPS units.
Note: You are strongly recommended to label two of the black
HSM-CODE iKeys "CODE-SO" and "CODE-USER" respectively; these
iKeys will be referred to as such both in the documentation and in the
Command Line Interface.
During the initialization of the first ASA 310-FIPS in a cluster, a wrap key is
automatically generated. The wrap key is a secret shared among all ASA
310-FIPS in the cluster. It encrypts and decrypts sensitive information
that is sent over the PCI bus within an ASA 310-FIPS, and over the
network among the ASA 310-FIPS devices in the cluster. By inserting
the CODE-SO iKey and the CODE-USER iKey in turns when requested