Password release request workflow
One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Passwords provides secure control of administrative accounts by storing account passwords until they are needed, and releases them only to authorized persons. Then, Safeguard for Privileged Passwords automatically updates the account passwords based on configurable parameters.
Typically, a password release request follows this workflow.
- Request: Users that are designated as an authorized user of an entitlement can request passwords for any account in the scope of that entitlement's policies.
- Approve: Depending on how the Security Policy Administrator configured the policy, a password release request will either require approval by one or more Safeguard for Privileged Passwords users, or be auto-approved. This process ensures the security of account passwords, provides accountability, and provides dual control over the system accounts.
- Review: The Security Policy Administrator can optionally configure an access request policy to require a review of completed password release requests for accounts in the scope of the policy.
The following topics explain the entire end-to-end password release process from request to approval to review.
Requesting a password release
If you are designated as an authorized user of an entitlement, you can request passwords for any account in the scope of the entitlement's policies.
You can configure One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Passwords to notify you of pending password release workflow events, such as when a password release request is pending, denied, or revoked, and so forth. For more information, see Configuring alerts.
To request a password release
- Go to the new access request page:
- (web client): Click Home or My Requests, then click New Request.
- (desktop client): Go to the Home page, then click New Request.
NOTE: You can also submit an access request from your Favorites pane, if you previously saved it as a favorite.
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On Asset Selection, select the assets to be included in the access request. The assets available for selection are based on the scope defined in the entitlement's access request policies. There is a limit of 50 assets.
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On Account & Access Type Selection, select the accounts to be included in the access request and the type of access being requested for each selected account. The accounts include linked accounts, if any.
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Asset: The display name of the managed system.
- Account: The available account appears in the Account column. When an asset has multiple accounts available, either Select Account(s) or the account name appears as a hyperlink in the Account column. Click the hyperlink in the Account column to display a list of accounts available and select the accounts to be included in the access request.
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Access Type: The type of access request appears in the Access Type column. If the type is a hyperlink, multiple access request types are available. Select the hyperlink and select the access type.
You can remove an asset or account from the list. Select the entry in the grid and click Delete.
- On Request Details, configure the following settings, which will apply to all of the selected assets and accounts:
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Normal Access: If the policy has emergency access enabled, select this option to gain normal access to this password. Normal access ensures the access request goes through the entire end-to-end access release process from request to approval to review as defined in the policy by the Security Policy Administrator.
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Emergency Access: If the policy has emergency access enabled, select this option to gain immediate emergency access to this password. When you use Emergency Access, the request requires no approval.
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Request Immediately: If selected, the request is immediately created. You can clear this option to enter a specific date and time for the request in the user's local time.
- Checkout Duration: Based on the policy, do one of the following:
- View the Checkout Duration.
- If the Allow Requester to Change Duration option is enabled in the policy, you can set the days, hours, and minutes that you want to use the password. This overrides the Checkout Duration set in the access request policy.
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Ticket Number: If the policy requires a ticket number, enter a ticket number. If multiple accounts are in the request and one or more require a ticket number, the ticket number is applied to all of the requests associated with this access request. This feature is set up through the desktop client.
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Reason: If the policy requires a reason, enter a reason. If multiple accounts are in the request and one or more require a reason. The reason is applied to all of the requests associated with this access request.
Select the Description down arrow to view the description defined for the selected reason.
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Comment: If required, enter information about this request. When multiple accounts are specified in the request, if any of the selected accounts require a comment, you must enter a comment. The comment will be applied to all of the requests associated with this access request. The limit is 255 characters.
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To save the access request as a favorite, click the Add to Favorites button.
Add to Favorites displays, allowing you to specify a name and description for the access request. It also allows you to assign a color to the request's icon.
This access request is then added to your Favorites. How you manage favorites depends on your interface:
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After entering the required information, click Submit Request.
The Results dialog displays the access requests submitted and whether a request was successful.
When the request has been approved, you can use the password. For more information, see Taking action on a password release request.
Taking action on a password release request
The actions that can be taken on a password release request depends on the state of the request and the client interface you are using.
(web client) To take action on a password release request
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From the web client, click My Requests. Use any of the following methods to control the request displayed:
- Click Sort By then select to sort by Account Name, Asset Name, Due Next, Expiring Next, Most Recent, or Status.
- Click sort up or sort down to sort in ascending or descending order.
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- Click Filters to filter by the status.
- All: Requests in all states.
- Available: Approved requests that are ready to view or copy.
- Pending Approval: Requests that are waiting for approval
- Approved: Requests that have been approved, but the check out time has not arrived. Or, for pending accounts restored when using the Safeguard for Privileged Passwords suspend feature.
- Revoked: Approved requests retracted by the approver. The approver can revoke a request after the request has become available.
- Expired: Requests for which the Checkout Duration has elapsed.
- Denied: Requests denied by the approver.
- For more information, see Search box.
- You can take any of the following actions on the password release request:
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Available request: Make selections on the request based on your user interface.
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Approved request: Select Cancel to remove the request.
A password release request changes from Approved to Available when the requested time is reached. It stays available until you either cancel the request or it reaches the end of the duration period.
- Pending request: Select Cancel to remove the request.
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Revoked request: Select Resubmit Request to request the password again.
Select Remove to delete the request from the list.
- Expired request: Select Remove to delete the request from the list.
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Denied request: Select Resubmit Request to request the password again.
Select Remove to delete the request from the list.
(desktop client) To take action on a password release request
- From your Home page, the Requests widget has these controls:
- Open the list of requests and select one of the following view filters. The number indicates how many requests are in that state.
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All: Requests in all states.
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Available: Approved requests that are ready to view or copy.
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Approved: Requests that have been approved, but the check out time has not arrived.
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Pending: Requests that are waiting for approval or for pending accounts restored when using the Safeguard for Privileged Passwords suspend feature.
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Revoked: Approved requests retracted by the approver. The approver can revoke a request between the time the requester views the password and checks it in.
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Expired: Requests for which the Checkout Duration has elapsed.
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Denied: Requests denied by the approver.
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Select an account to see the details of the password release request.
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Take the following actions on password release requests:
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Approved: Select Cancel to remove the request.
A password release request changes from Approved to Available when the requested time is reached. It stays available until you either cancel the request or it reaches the end of the duration period.
- Pending: Select Cancel to remove the request.
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Revoked: Select Resubmit Request to request the password again.
Select Remove to delete the request from the list.
Approving a password release request
Depending on how the Security Policy Administrator configured the policy, a password release request will either require approval by one or more Safeguard for Privileged Passwords users, or be auto-approved. This process ensures the security of account passwords, provides accountability, and provides dual control over the system accounts.
You can revoke a request between the time the requester views it and checks it in.
Any eligible approver can deny a password release request after it has already been approved or auto-approved. Once disallowed, the requester will no longer have access to the password, but they are given another opportunity to request that password again. The requester receives an email notifying them that the request was denied.
Safeguard for Privileged Passwords can be configured to notify you of a password release request that requires your approval. For more information, see Configuring alerts.
(web client) To approve or deny a password release request
If you are an approver, click Approvals on the left of the page to manage approvals. On the Approvals page, you can:
- View details: Select the request and the details display on the right of the page.
- Approve one or more request: Select the requests. Then, click to approve all the selected requests. Optionally, enter a comment.
- Deny one or more request: Select the requests. Then, click to deny all the selected requests. Optionally, enter a comment.
- Change the columns that display: Click and select the columns you want to see.
- Search: For more information, see Search box.
(desktop client) To approve or deny a password release request
- From your Home page, the Approvals widget has these controls:
- Select (expand down) to open the list of approvals.
- Select Popout to float the Approvals pane.
You can then select and drag the pane to any location on the console and re-size the window.
- Open the list of approvals and select one of the following view filters. The number indicates how many requests are in that state.
- All: Password release requests in all states.
- Pending: Requests that are waiting for approval.
- Approved: Requests that have been approved, but not yet available to the requester.
- Once you open the list, select the requester's name to see the details of the password release request.
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Take the following actions on password release requests:
- Pending: Select to Approve or Deny a password release request. Optionally, enter a comment of up to 255 characters.
- Pending Additional Approvers: Select to Deny a password release request. Optionally, enter a comment of up to 255 characters.
- Approved: Select to Deny or Revoke an approved request.