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Siebel CRM Siebel Security Guide
Siebel Innovation Pack 2015
E24814-01
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About Parameters in the eapps.cfg File

The eapps.cfg file contains parameters that control interactions between the Siebel Web Engine and the Siebel Web Server Extension (SWSE) for all Siebel Business Applications deploying the Siebel Web Client. The eapps.cfg file is located in the SWEAPP_ROOT\bin directory after you apply a SWSE logical profile, where SWEAPP_ROOT is the directory in which you installed the SWSE.

The eapps.cfg file includes sections such as [swe], [defaults], and [connmgmt] and sections for individual Siebel Business Applications, such as [/prmportal_enu] and [/callcenter_enu]. Each parameter value in the [defaults] section is used by all individual applications, unless you override the parameter's value with an entry in an application's own section.

You can edit the parameters in the eapps.cfg file manually using a text editor or you can configure and apply a SWSE logical profile using the Siebel Configuration Wizard. When you edit configuration files, do not use a text editor that adds additional, nontext characters to the file. For information on using the Siebel Configuration Wizard to configure SWSE parameters, see Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using.

In a given eapps.cfg file, some parameters might not appear by default. Changes to the eapps.cfg file are not active until you restart the Siebel Server and the Web server.

For more detailed information on the eapps.cfg file parameters, see:

Sample Eapps.cfg File

The following is a portion of a sample eapps.cfg file. This sample includes some parameters that might not coexist. They are provided so you can see a range of authentication-related parameters. In the eapps.cfg sample, the AnonUserName and AnonPassword values in the [/prmportal_enu] section are used by Siebel Partner Portal instead of the values provided in the [defaults] section.

[swe]
Language = enu
Log = all
LogDirectory = D:\sba8x\SWEApp\log
ClientRootDir = D:\sba8x\SWEApp
IntegratedDomainAuth = FALSE

[defaults]
EncryptedPassword = TRUE
AnonUserName = GUESTCST
AnonPassword = fhYt8T*9N4e8&Qay
StatsPage = _492394stats.swe
SingleSignOn = TRUE
TrustToken = mR*739DAPw*94%O2

WebPublicRootDir = D:\sba8x\SWEApp\public\enu
SiebEntSecToken = fJq&29&58hJaY(A8!Z
UserSpec = REMOTE_USER
UserSpecSource = Server
DoCompression = TRUE
SessionTimeout = 900
GuestSessionTimeout = 300
SessionTimeoutWarning = 300

[/prmportal_enu]
AnonUserName = guestcp
AnonPassword = aGr^92!8RWnf7Iy1
ProtectedVirtualDirectory = /p_prmportal_enu
ConnectString = siebel.TCPIP.None.None://172.20.167.200:2320/SBA_8x/eChannelObjMgr_enu
SiebEntSecToken = ^s*)Jh!#7^s*)Jh!#7

[connmgmt]
CACertFileName = d:\siebel\admin\cacertfile.pem
CertFileName = d:\siebel\admin\certfile.pem
KeyFileName = d:\siebel\admin\kefile.txt
KeyFilePassword = ^s*)Jh!#7
PeerAuth = FALSE
PeerCertValidation = FALSE

Typically, password encryption is in effect by default for the eapps.cfg file, as determined by the setting EncryptedPassword = TRUE. In this case, values for SiebEntSecToken, AnonPassword, and TrustToken must be encrypted. For more information, see "Encrypted Passwords in the eapps.cfg File".


Note:

It is recommended that you set the value for StatsPage to a value other than the default value (_stats.swe).

Authentication-Related Parameters in Eapps.cfg

Table A-1 lists the parameters in the eapps.cfg file that relate to authentication. The authentication parameters can be defined in the [defaults] section of the file or in the sections for individual applications.

Table A-1 Authentication-Related Parameters in the Eapps.cfg File

Parameter Description

AnonUserName

This parameter specifies the user name required for anonymous browsing and initial access to the login pages. The user name selected as the anonymous user must be assigned access to views intended for anonymous browsing, but to no other views.

AnonPassword

The password corresponding to the value entered for AnonUserName.

ClientCertificate

When this parameter is set to TRUE in a Web SSO implementation, the user is authenticated through a digital certificate. For information, see "About Digital Certificate Authentication".

EncryptedPassword

When this parameter is set to TRUE, the password for the anonymous user and the Web update password are interpreted as encrypted passwords.

This parameter is added to the eapps.cfg file (with a value of TRUE) when you apply a SWSE logical profile using the Siebel Configuration Wizard for SWSE. However, if the parameter is not defined in the file, this is equivalent to a value of FALSE. For additional information, see "Encrypted Passwords in the eapps.cfg File".

EncryptSessionId

When this parameter is set to TRUE (the default), the session ID is encrypted. When it is FALSE, the session ID is not encrypted. For a Siebel Web Client, the session ID is used in the session cookie (in cookie-based mode) or in the application URL (in cookieless mode). For more information about cookies, see "About Using Cookies with Siebel Business Applications".

GuestSessionTimeout

The time, in seconds, that a connection open for anonymous browsing can remain idle before it times out. The default is 300 seconds (5 minutes).

Guest sessions are used for anonymous browsing. They permit users to navigate portions of the site without logging in. In contrast to anonymous sessions, guest sessions are associated with an individual Siebel Web Client. These sessions are opened when an unregistered user starts navigating the site, and they remain open until the Web client logs out or times out due to inactivity.

When deciding the value to specify for guest user timeout, the primary consideration is whether or not anonymous browsing is being used. If it is, then set guest user timeouts to be greater than the average time users need to deliberate their next action. In other words, this is the time allowed between user actions.

Both guest and anonymous sessions use the AnonUserName and AnonPassword parameters to log in.

SessionTimeout

The time, in seconds, from the user's last browser request until the user's connection times out. The default is 900 seconds (15 minutes).

Standard sessions are those where users log in using their registered user name and password. Otherwise, standard sessions share many of the same characteristics as guest sessions.

For guidelines on setting a value for the SessionTimeout parameter, see "About the SessionTimeout Parameter".

SessionTimeoutWarning

Before a session times out, a prompt is displayed allowing users to choose whether or not to extend the session. The time at which this prompt appears is determined by the value selected for the SessionTimeoutWarning parameter. The default value is 60 seconds.

Note: The SessionTimeoutWarning functionality is supported with Siebel standard-interactivity applications only; it is not supported with Siebel high-interactivity applications or with Siebel Open UI.

The time at which the timeout warning prompt is displayed is calculated by subtracting the value of the SessionTimeoutWarning parameter from the value of the SessionTimeout parameter.

For example, if the SessionTimeout parameter is set to the default value of 900 seconds, and the SessionTimeoutWarning parameter is set to a value of 300 seconds, the timeout warning prompt is displayed after 600 seconds of inactivity (900 minus 300 equals 600).

If the user selects OK in response to the timeout warning prompt, then the session timer is reset to zero and is only activated again after another 600 seconds of inactivity have elapsed. If the user selects Cancel, then the session is terminated once the session timeout period is reached.

If you do not want users to see a timeout warning prompt, then set the value of the SessionTimeoutWarning parameter to one of the following:

  • - (minus symbol)

  • never

  • 0

SingleSignOn

The SWSE operates in Web SSO mode when this parameter is TRUE. For more information, see Chapter 6, "Web Single Sign-On Authentication."

SubUserSpec

In a Web SSO environment that implements digital certificate authentication, a value of CN specifies that the Siebel user ID is to be extracted from the certificate's CN (Common Name) attribute. For more information, see "Configuring the User Specification Source".

TrustToken

In a Web SSO environment, this token string is a shared secret between the SWSE and the security adapter. It is a measure to protect against spoofing attacks. This setting must be the same on both the SWSE and the security adapter. For more information, see Chapter 6, "Web Single Sign-On Authentication."

UserSpec

In a Web SSO implementation, this variable name specifies where the SWSE looks for a user's user name within the source given by UserSpecSource. The value, REMOTE_USER, by default is populated by the authentication filter.

If digital certificate authentication is implemented on Windows or AIX, then use the value CERT_SUBJECT, a variable that contains the certificate name. For example, UserSpec/SubUserSpec is CERT_SUBJECT/CN. For other UNIX operating systems, use REMOTE_USER for UserSpec. The SubUserSpec setting is disregarded.

For more information, see "Configuring the User Specification Source".

UserSpecSource

In a Web SSO implementation, this parameter specifies the source from which the SWSE derives the user credentials: Server, if from the usual Web server user name field; Header, if the variable is within the HTTP request header. For more information, see "Configuring the User Specification Source".

ProtectedVirtualDirectory

Defined in the section for each individual Siebel application in eapps.cfg. Do not define in the [defaults] section.

This parameter specifies a Web server virtual directory that represents the protected location of the Siebel application. This parameter must have a value in a Web SSO implementation, and is optional in other implementations. For more information, see "About the Protected Virtual Directory Parameter".

IntegratedDomainAuth

Defined in the [swe] section of eapps.cfg.

To support Windows Integrated Authentication for Web SSO, set this parameter to TRUE. This setting causes SWSE to strip out the domain name from HTTP headers, which allows the application to integrate with Windows Integrated Authentication.


About the SessionTimeout Parameter

SessionTimeout is the time, in seconds, from the user's last browser request until the user's connection times out. Table A-2 offers guidelines for setting this parameter.

Table A-2 Guidelines for Setting Session Timeouts

Session Type Condition Recommended Setting

Anonymous session

  • Large numbers of users logging in within a short period of time (login spikes)

  • Frequent logins and logouts

Greater than 30 minutes.

Guest

  • Long intervals between user actions

  • Login view is used for logins

  • Logout occurs on a logout view

Greater than 30 minutes.

Less than 5 minutes.

Less than 5 minutes.

Regular

  • Employee applications

  • Customer applications

  • High security requirements

  • High continuity (low interaction) with the browser

  • Lightly loaded system

Greater than 30 minutes.

1-15 minutes.

Less than 5 minutes.

Greater than 30 minutes.

Greater than 30 minutes.


All the session timeouts mentioned in Table A-2, "Guidelines for Setting Session Timeouts" refer to session inactivity. That is, if session timeout is set to 3600 seconds, then it requires one hour of session inactivity for that session to time out. Session inactivity means no request is made to the Siebel Server on that session. Any act that sends a ping request to the Siebel Server, such as sending notifications, resets the session timeout period. If the update interval is less than the SessionTimeout set in the eapps.cfg file, then the session never times out.

If you use the Siebel Portal Framework to implement portal views, then note that the Siebel application times out if user activity in the portal view exceeds the time that is specified by SessionTimeout. Note also that, by default, portal views send a ping status request to their server every 120 seconds (2 minutes) to keep their session alive. For more information about the Siebel Portal Framework, see Siebel Portal Framework Guide.

About the Protected Virtual Directory Parameter

The ProtectedVirtualDirectory parameter specifies a Web server virtual directory that represents the protected location of the Siebel application. This parameter is required in a Web SSO implementation.

The protected directory allows you to configure your Web server or third-party authentication software to require user authentication to access specific Siebel application views. Requests for any views that require explicit login are redirected to this virtual directory. For more information, see "(Optional) Creating Protected Virtual Directories".

For example, if you used the suggested name for the protected virtual directory for Siebel eService, enter:

[/eservice_enu]
ProtectedVirtualDirectory = /p_eservice

If your Web SSO implementation is not configured for anonymous browsing, then set this value to the same directory as your application. For example:

[/eservice_enu]
ProtectedVirtualDirectory = /eservice

Otherwise, a Web Authentication Failed message might appear in the application's log file.


Note:

You use examples like those above to secure an entire application. However, if some parts of the application do not require authentication, you must be able to authenticate users when they access a secured part of the application. In this case, set the parameter to an alias where the Web SSO credentials are passed. The Siebel application redirects the authentication request.

TLS-Related Parameters in Eapps.cfg

TLS-related parameters can be included in the [connmgmt] section of the eapps.cfg file if you are using TLS to encrypt SISNAPI communications between the Web server and the Siebel Server. Table A-3 describes these parameters. For more information on configuring TLS encryption, see "Configuring TLS Encryption for SWSE".

Table A-3 TLS Parameters in the Eapps.cfg File

Parameter Name Description

CACertFileName

Identifies the trusted authority who issued the certificate.

CertFileName

Specifies the name of the ASN.1/PEM certificate file.

KeyFileName

Specifies the name of the PEM private key file.

KeyFilePassword

Specifies the password to decrypt the private key file.

PeerAuth

Enables peer authentication during the TLS handshake. PeerAuth is FALSE by default. Set PeerAuth to TRUE to authenticate certificates from the Siebel Server. The SWSE requires the certifying authority's certificate to authenticate the certificate from the Siebel Server.

PeerCertValidation

Independently verifies that the hostname of the SWSE computer matches the hostname presented in the certificate.


For additional information on the eapps.cfg file, see "About Parameters in the eapps.cfg File" and "Authentication-Related Parameters in Eapps.cfg".