Changes between Version 5 and Version 6 of ALL__security_account_admin


Ignore:
Timestamp:
11/24/14 14:45:40 (10 years ago)
Author:
lttoth@…
Comment:

Revised based on preliminary discussions with Support Services. Account administration will probably need to be revisited once more details are provided by senior Support Center staff.

Legend:

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  • ALL__security_account_admin

    v5 v6  
    3535 
    3636 
    37 == Account Creation == 
     37== Account Management == 
     38Legacy AUTHSERV functions are in some cases still in place, but rarely, if ever used.  Account creation functions have been shifted to Banner and an automated feed to EDIR LDAP.  Account Claiming, activation, and password management has shifted to ELMO.  De-activation of accounts has been replaced by removing permissions and roles, effectively prohibiting users from accessing those functions and systems for which they should no longer have access. 
    3839 
    39 === ou=people === 
     40Each AUTHSERV function and its corresponding script or URL invocation is discussed below. 
     41 
     42=== Account Creation === 
     43 
     44==== ou=people ==== 
    4045Accounts for people are created via one of two mechanisms; the EDIR Banner Extract  
    4146process and the AUTHSERV sponsor_account CGI script/web page.  The vast majority  
     
    4853entitled to sponsor accounts. 
    4954 
    50 === ou=resource === 
     55==== ou=resource ==== 
    5156Accounts utilized by applications are created only via the AUTHSERV seed_resource CGI 
    5257script/web page.  Ultimately it is the update back-end which generates the resource  
    5358account after first confirming that the requesting party is entitled to request  
    54 resource account creation.. 
     59resource account creation. 
    5560 
     61=== Account Activation & Inactivation === 
    5662 
    57  
    58 == Account Activation & Inactivation == 
    59  
    60 === ou=people === 
     63==== ou=people ==== 
    6164The presence of a password signifies that an account is active.  Prior to the advent 
    6265of ELMO, a directory account could not be claimed, and user known password established, 
    6366unless the account had first been activated (given a default password).  With the  
    64 advent of ELMO, an account need no longer be activated prior to claiming.  However, it  
    65 is still true that the old AUTHSERV form for account claiming - first_time - is  
    66 dependent on prior account activation. 
     67advent of ELMO, an account need no longer be activated prior to claiming.  The act of claiming an account through ELMO activates the account. 
    6768 
    6869==== Banner Generated Account Activation ==== 
     
    7778creation (i.e. given a default password).  The reason is based on the historical need  
    7879for an account to be activated before it could be claimed and the fact that accounts  
    79 being sponsored were expected to be claimed for the purpose of accessing external  
    80 applications.  
     80being sponsored are expected to be claimed for the purpose of accessing external  
     81applications.  Sponsored accounts are managed via the following link:  
    8182 
    8283        https://authserv.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/sponsor_account 
     
    8485For the most part, these accounts too can be claimed via ELMO. 
    8586 
    86 If there is an issue with claiming the sponsored account for any reason using ELMO, a backup plan includes using the AUTHSERV first_time page as an alternate method of account claiming: 
     87If there is an issue with claiming the sponsored account for any reason using ELMO, a backup plan may still include using the AUTHSERV first_time page as an alternate method of account claiming via the following URL: 
    8788 
    8889        https://authserv.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/first_time 
    8990 
    9091==== Using AUTHSERV scripts for Activation ==== 
    91 Accounts can be activated/inactivated by authorized staff using the AUTHSERV activate  
    92 CGI script/web page. 
     92===== ou=people ===== 
     93In a review of the AUTH<instance> source code, it appears that accounts can still be activated/inactivated by authorized staff using the AUTHSERV activate  
     94CGI script/web page.  In practice, that procedure is not used by Help Desk Staff.  The corresponding URL is: 
    9395 
    9496        https://authserv.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/activate 
    9597 
    9698In addition, a nightly batch process looks for an inactivates directory accounts  
    97 previously activated but still unclaimed after 14 days. 
     99previously activated but still unclaimed after 14 days by executing the following script; 
    98100 
    99101        ~iplanet/local/ldap/scripts/account_managementProd.ksh 
    100102 
    101 === ou=resource === 
     103===== ou=resource ===== 
    102104 
    103105Application accounts are created inactive via the AUTHSERV seed resource CGI script/ 
    104 web page. 
     106web page: 
    105107 
    106108        https://authserv.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/seed_resource 
    107109 
    108 An individual with shell access to the "e" boxes must activate application accounts  
     110In the past, an individual with shell access to the "e" boxes activated application accounts  
    109111by generating and running a script that establishes a known password (using Directory  
    110 Manager credentials) and then changes that known password using the application account  
    111 credentials.  The same scripts are used to reset an application account password  
     112Manager credentials) and then changed that known password using the application account  
     113credentials.  Today, the resource account is created without setting a password when seeded. 
     114 
     115However, the legacy script remain and the same scripts are used to reset an application account password  
    112116should the password expire or be forgotten.  For that reason, the scripts are named  
    113117with a reset_ prefix. 
     
    117121''NOTE:'' Application account passwords are set initially to expire in 2020.   
    118122 
    119 == Password Changes & Resets == 
     123=== Account Locking == = 
    120124 
    121 === ou=people === 
    122  
    123 Account passwords for most people can be changed via the ELMO interface.  This is  
    124 true whether the password is active or has expired, is known or is unknown.  As  
    125 stated earlier about account claiming, some guest accounts will be unsuccessful  
    126 utilizing ELMO and will be directed to the old AUTHSERV password change or self  
    127 reset CGI scripts/web pages: 
    128  
    129         * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/passwd_chg 
    130         * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/self_reset 
    131         * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/post_reset 
    132  
    133 When using the old AUTHSERV pages, the user either changes a known password or resets an  
    134 unknown/expired password.  When reset, passwords are set to a default value based on a  
    135 number and date (generally SSN and birthdate) supplied to the account creation process.   
    136 The post reset page prompts for that number and date and allows the user to establish a  
    137 new password. 
    138  
    139 === ou=resource === 
    140  
    141 Application account passwords can be changed by the account holder only by using the old  
    142 EDIR change_passwd CGI script/web page.  Application account password changes result in a  
    143 standard 400 day expiration, not the 2020 expiration established when the account is first  
    144 activated.  It is the application account holder's responsibility to insure the password  
    145 is changed before expiration.   
    146  
    147 There is currently no mechanism by which an application accounts can perform a self reset  
    148 should a password expire or become forgotten.  Expired application account passwords must  
    149 be reset/changed by an individual with shell access to the "e" boxes where the "reset_"  
    150 scripts are maintained. 
    151  
    152 == Account Locking ==  
    153  
    154 === ou=people === 
     125==== ou=people ==== 
    155126 
    156127Accounts for either people or applications can be locked via the AUTHSERV lock and  
     
    174145which results in the immediate suspension of account access. 
    175146 
    176 === ou=resource === 
     147==== ou=resource ==== 
    177148 
    178149Existing forms for locking accounts were designed to support locking of people accounts  
    179150and do not currently support the locking of application accounts. 
     151 
     152== Password Management == 
     153Although the password management scripts are still present on "E" boxes, they only change the EDIR LDAP password.  All authentication to University of Alaska applications and services is managed through ELMO and validated by both AD and EDIR.  Their is one case where passwords are reset local to EDIR only.  There are times when inexplicably the Active Directory password and the EDIR password become out of sync (even if they ar ethe same password) and users can not access servers to set up EDUROAM, e.g.  At that time, the reset capability is used so that synchronization is flagged as needed.  This triggers the synchronization. 
     154 
     155Otherwise, these scripts and URLs are not used. 
     156==== ou=people ==== 
     157 
     158Account passwords for most people can be changed via the ELMO interface.  This is  
     159true whether the password is active or has expired, is known or is unknown.  As  
     160stated earlier about account claiming, some guest accounts will be unsuccessful  
     161utilizing ELMO and may be directed to the old AUTHSERV password change or self  
     162reset CGI scripts/web pages: 
     163 
     164        * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/passwd_chg 
     165        * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/self_reset 
     166        * https://authservtest.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/post_reset 
     167 
     168However, these will only trigger the need for password synchronization  Generally, these functions are exercised now by the Help Desk to assist users. 
     169 
     170In the past, when using the old AUTHSERV pages, the user either changed a known password or reset an unknown/expired password.  When reset, passwords were set to a default value based on a number and date (generally SSN and birthdate) supplied to the account creation process.  The post reset page prompted for that number and date and allowed the user to establish a  
     171new password. 
     172 
     173==== ou=resource ==== 
     174 
     175Application account passwords can be changed by the account holder only by using the old  
     176EDIR change_passwd CGI script/web page.  Application account password changes result in a  
     177standard 400 day expiration, not the 2020 expiration established when the account is first  
     178activated.  It is the application account holder's responsibility to insure the password  
     179is changed before expiration.   
     180 
     181There is currently no mechanism by which an application accounts can perform a self reset  
     182should a password expire or become forgotten.  Expired application account passwords must  
     183be reset/changed by an individual with shell access to the "e" boxes where the "reset_"  
     184scripts are maintained. 
     185 
    180186 
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