Configuring the Agent

Note that it is not necessary to configure the Agent - it runs out-of-the-box. The default configuration:

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• deployment of objects with digital signatures that can be used to restrict and to verify who deploys a given object such as a workflow.
• HTTPS connections that encrypt communication and which include mutual authentication with certificates - without the use of passwords.

Compliance: Use of Signing Certificates

Agents accept deployments for a number of objects such as workflows from a Controller only if these objects are digitally signed.

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• If X.509 private keys are used for the signing of objects then the Root CA Certificate or Intermediate CA Certificate that was used to sign the respective private key has to be in place with the Agent.
• If PGP private keys are used for the signing of objects then the public key matching the signing key has to be in place with the Agent.
• The Agent expects certificates/public keys in the following locations:
  • X.509 Certificates
    • Location:
      • Windows: C:\ProgramData\sos-berlin.com\js7\agent\var_4445\config\private\trusted-x509-keys
      • Unix: /var/sos-berlin.com/js7/agent/var_4445/config/private/trusted-x509-keys
    • The expected X.509 certificate format is PEM. Certificates can be added from any file names with the extension .pem.
    • Note that instead of individual certificates for each signing key, the Root CA Certificate or Intermediate CA Certificate that was used to sign the private keys is sufficient.
  • PGP Public Keys
    • Location:
      • Windows: C:\ProgramData\sos-berlin.com\js7\agent\var_4445\config\private\trusted-pgp-keys
      • Unix: /var/sos-berlin.com/js7/agent/var_4445/config/private/trusted-pgp-keys
    • PGP public keys are expected in ASCII armored format. They can be added from any file names with the extension .asc.
    • Note that for each PGP private key that is used for signing, the corresponding public key has to be available with the Agent.
  • By default the Agent ships with an X.509 certificate from SOS that matches the default signing key available with the JOC Cockpit root account.
• In order to add individual certificates/public keys, add the relevant files to the locations specified above according to the key type. To revoke certificates/public keys accordingly remove the relevant files from the location specified above for the key type.
• The locations for certificates/public keys specified above can be accessed from the Docker volume specified with the --mount option for the Agent's container directory /var/sos-berlin.com/js7/agent/var_4445/config. The locations for X.509 certificates and PGP public keys are available from sub-directories.

Security: Use with HTTPS Connections

The Agent is prepared by default for connections by Controller instances using the HTTP and the HTTPS protocols. 

Note the following prerequisites before activating HTTPS.

Provide Keystore, Truststore and Configuration for Mutual Authentication

Connections to Agents are established from Controller instances. If the HTTPS protocol is used then, in addition to securing the communication channel, the Agent requires mutual authentication.

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Agent Keystore and Truststore

• The Controller instance's private key has to be created for Server Authentication and Client Authentication extended key use.
• The Agent is provided with:
  
  • a keystore that holds its private key, certificate, Root CA Certificate and optionally Intermediate CA Certificate.
  • a truststore that holds the certificate chain - consisting of the Root CA Certificate and optionally Intermediate CA Certificate - required to verify the Controller instance's certificate.
• Keystores and truststores are files in PKCS12 format, usually with a .p12 extension. They should be added to the following locations:
  • Keystore:
    • Windows: C:\ProgramData\sos-berlin.com\js7\agent\var_4445\config\private\https-keystore.p12
    • Unix: /var/sos-berlin.com/js7/agent/var_4445/config/private/https-keystore.p12
  • Truststore:
    • Windows: C:\ProgramData\sos-berlin.com\js7\agent\var_4445\config\private\https-truststore.p12
    • Unix: /var/sos-berlin.com/js7/agent/var_4445/config/private/https-truststore.p12

Agent Configuration

• The following configuration items have to be added to the Agent's private.conf configuration file. For details see the JS7 - Agent Configuration Items article.
  
  • Mutual Authentication

    • Code Block
      language bash title Agent Configuration for Mutual Authentication linenumbers true
      js7 { auth { # User accounts for https connections users { # Controller account for connections by primary/secondary Controller instance Controller { distinguished-names=[ "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=js7-controller-primary, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE", "DNQ=SOS CA, CN=js7-controller-secondary, OU=IT, O=SOS, L=Berlin, ST=Berlin, C=DE" ] } } }

    • This setting specifies the distinguished names that are available from the subjects of Controller instance certificates. Note that the common name (CN) attribute specifies the hostname of a Controller instance. The configuration authenticates a given Controller instance as the distinguished name is unique for a server certificate and therefore replaces the use of passwords.
  • Keystore and truststore locations:

    • Code Block
      language bash title Agent Configuration for Keystore and Truststore Locations linenumbers true
      js7 { 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 } truststores=[ { # Default: ${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12" file=${js7.config-directory}"/private/https-truststore.p12" store-password=jobscheduler } ] } } }

    • The configuration items described above specify the locations of the keystore and truststore.
    • Note the optional use of a key password and store password for keystores and the use of a store password for truststores.

Run the Agent Container for HTTPS Connections

The following additional arguments are required for HTTPS connections:

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