One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Sessions 6.0.3 - RADIUS Multi-Factor Authentication - Overview

Introduction

This document describes how you can use the services of RADIUS server (for example, RSA SecurID Access and FreeRADIUS) to authenticate the sessions of your privileged users with One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Sessions (SPS).

One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Sessions:

One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Sessions (SPS) controls privileged access to remote IT systems, records activities in searchable, movie-like audit trails, and prevents malicious actions. SPS is a quickly deployable enterprise device, completely independent from clients and servers — integrating seamlessly into existing networks. It captures the activity data necessary for user profiling and enables full user session drill down for forensic investigations.

SPS acts as a central authentication gateway, enforcing strong authentication before users access sensitive IT assets. SPS can integrate with remote user directories to resolve the group memberships of users who access nonpublic information. Credentials for accessing information systems can be retrieved transparently from SPS's local Credential Store or a third-party password management system. This method protects the confidentiality of passwords as users can never access them. When used together with RADIUS server (or another Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) provider), SPS directs all connections to the authentication tool, and upon successful authentication, it permits the user to access the information system.

Meet compliance requirements

ISO 27001, ISO 27018, SOC 2, and other regulations and industry standards include authentication-related requirements, (for example, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for accessing production systems, and the logging of all administrative sessions). In addition to other requirements, using SPS and RADIUS server helps you comply with the following requirements:

• PCI DSS 8.3: Secure all individual non-console administrative access and all remote access to the cardholder data environment (CDE) using MFA.

• PART 500.12 Multi-Factor Authentication: Covered entities are required to apply MFA for:

  • Each individual accessing the covered entity’s internal systems.

  • Authorized access to database servers that allow access to nonpublic information.

  • Third parties accessing nonpublic information.

• NIST 800-53 IA-2, Identification and Authentication, network access to privileged accounts: The information system implements MFA for network access to privileged accounts.

How SPS and RADIUS MFA work together

Figure 1: How SPS and RADIUS server work together

1. A user attempts to log in to a protected server.

2. Gateway authentication on SPS

   SPS receives the connection request and authenticates the user. SPS can authenticate the user to a number of external user directories, for example, LDAP, Microsoft Active Directory, or RADIUS. This authentication is the first factor.

3. Authentication using RADIUS server

   If gateway authentication is successful, SPS connects to the RADIUS server. Then SPS requests the second authentication factor from the user and sends it to the RADIUS server for verification.

4. If multi-factor authentication is successful, the user can start working, while SPS records the user's activities. (Optionally, SPS can retrieve credentials from a local or external credential store or password vault, and perform authentication on the server with credentials that are not known to the user.)

   Alternatively, the RADIUS server might request Access-Challenge response. The challenge is displayed to the user and they have to respond to the challenge. After a successful response, the user can start working. In RSA SecurID, this process is used for next token mode. This means that if the password is entered incorrectly several times, two subsequent RSA SecurID tokens have to be entered for a successful authentication.

Technical requirements

In order to successfully connect SPS with RADIUS server, you need the following components.

In RSA:

• An RSA Authentication Manager deployed.

• RADIUS access parameters, (for example, host, port, and an RSA shared secret). You will need it to configure the SPS plugin.

• Your users must be enrolled in RSA Authentication Manager.

• The users must be able to perform the authentication required for the factor (for example, possess the required RSA SecurID Hardware Token).

• Only CHAP and PAP authentication methods are supported.

In a generic RADIUS server:

• RADIUS access parameters, (for example, host, port, and a shared secret). You will need it to configure the SPS plugin.

• Your users must be enrolled in the RADIUS server or its backend.

• Only CHAP and PAP authentication methods are supported.

In SPS:

• A One Identity Safeguard for Privileged Sessions appliance (virtual or physical), at least version 5 F11.

• A copy of the SPS RADIUS (RSA) Multi-Factor Authentication plugin. This plugin is an Authentication and Authorization (AA) plugin customized to work with the RSA multi-factor authentication service.

• SPS must be able to access the RADIUS port of the RADIUS server.

• SPS supports AA plugins in the RDP, SSH, and Telnet protocols.

• In RDP, using an AA plugin together with Network Level Authentication in a Connection Policy has the same limitations as using Network Level Authentication without domain membership. For details, see "Network Level Authentication without domain membership" in the Administration Guide.

• In RDP, using an AA plugin requires TLS-encrypted RDP connections. For details, see "Enabling TLS-encryption for RDP connections" in the Administration Guide.

Availability and support of the plugin

The SPS RADIUS (RSA) Multi-Factor Authentication plugin is available as-is, free of charge to every SPS customer from the Plugin Page. In case you need any customizations or additional features, contact our Support Team.