Taking action on a session request
The actions a user authorized to request access to a privileged session can take depends on the state of the request and the client interface you are using.
(web client) To take action on a session request
- From the web client, click
My Requests.
- Search to find what you need. For more information, see Search box.
- Click
Filters to filter by the status.
- All: Requests in all states.
- Available: Approved requests that are ready (that is, a session that can be launched).
- Pending Approval: Requests that are waiting for approval.
- Approved: Requests that have been approved, but the check out time has not arrived.
- Revoked: Approved requests retracted by the approver.
- Expired: Requests for which the Checkout Duration has elapsed.
- Denied: Requests denied by the approver.
- Click
or 
to see more or less information on the request.
- You can take the following actions on session requests, depending on the state.
- Available: If the password changes while you have it checked out, and your current request is still valid, select either
Copy or 
Show again to obtain the new password, if enabled by your Administrator. Seconds Remaining shows you how long you have to copy information to use to log in.
- For SSH and RDP accounts:
- For telnet or TN3270/TN5250 over telnet accounts, the fields needed are based on the terminal service application in use:
- For a terminal service application that uses an inband connection string (like telnet), click Copy to copy the Hostname Connection string and check out the password. Then, paste the information in the log in screen.
- If the terminal service application requires more information for log in (for example, TN3270/TN5250 over telnet):
- Click Show to display values that may include Vault Address (the SPP address), a one-time Token, Username, Asset, and Sessions Module (the SPS address).
- Click Copy by any of the values to copy a single value. Or, you can click Copy at the right of all values to copy the entire the connection string, if that is required by your terminal service application.
- Paste the necessary information into your terminal service application.
- Click
Check-In to complete the password check out process. This makes the session request available to reviewers.
- Click
Hide to conceal the information from view.
- Approved: Select
Cancel to remove the request. A session 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: Click Cancel to remove the request.
-
Revoked:
- Click
Resubmit Request to request the password again.
- Click
Remove to delete the request from the list.
- Expired: Click Remove to delete the request from the list.
-
Denied:
- Click Resubmit Request to request the password again.
- Click Remove to delete the request from the list.
(desktop client) To take action on a session request
- From your
Home page, use any of these controls on the Requests widget, as needed. You can enable or disable the Home page widgets in the 
Settings (desktop client) menu.
- Select
(expand down) to open the list of active requests.
- Select
Popout. You can then select and drag the pane to any location on the console and re-size the window to float the Requests pane.
-
Open the list of requests and select one of these view filters. The number indicates how many requests are in that state.
- All: Requests in all states
- Available: Approved requests that are ready (that is, a session that can be launched)
- Approved: Requests that have been approved, but the check out time has not arrived
- Pending Approval: Requests that are waiting for approval
- Revoked: Approved requests retracted by the approver
-
The approver can revoke a request between the time the requester launches the session and checks it back in.
-
When a user with Security Policy Administrator permissions revokes a live session, the active session is terminated.
- Expired: Requests for which the Checkout Duration has elapsed.
- Denied: Requests denied by the approver.
- Select an account to see the details of the session request.
-
You can take the following actions on session requests, depending on the state.
Approving a session request
Depending on how the Security Policy Administrator configured the policy, a sessions request will either require approval by one or more Safeguard for Privileged Passwords users, or be auto-approved.
You can configure Safeguard for Privileged Passwords to notify you of an access request that requires your approval. For more information, see Configuring alerts.
(web client) To approve or deny a session 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 sessions 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 these view filters:
| All |
Requests in all states |
| Pending |
Requests that are waiting for approval |
| Approved |
Requests that have been approved, but not yet available to the requester |
Note: The number indicates how many requests are in that state.
- Once you open the list, select the requester's name to see the details of the sessions request.
-
Take the following actions on sessions requests:
| Pending |
Select  to Approve or Deny a sessions request.
Optionally, enter a comment of up to 255 characters. |
| Pending Additional Approvers |
Select to Deny a sessions request.
Optionally, enter a comment of up to 255 characters. |
| Approved |
Select to Deny or Revoke an approved request.
You can revoke a request between the time the requester views it and checks it in.
Any eligible approver can deny an access request after it has already been approved or auto-approved. Once disallowed, the requester will no longer be able to access the requested session, but they are given another opportunity to request that session again. The requester receives an email notifying them that the request was denied. For more information, see Configuring alerts. |
Launching the SSH client
Once an SSH session request becomes available, the requester can launch the SSH client to start the session. This is applicable for both the web client and desktop client user interfaces.
To launch the SSH client to begin your session then close your session
- If the User Supplied option is selected in the policy, you will be prompted to enter your user credentials. After entering the requested credentials, click Apply. This will retrieve the information (for example, Hostname Connection String) required to launch the SSH client.
- Click the
Launch button to the right of the asset name.
- In the web client, a session will launch if you have an application registered (ssh:// for SSH protocol).
- In the desktop client, clicking Launch displays the PuTTY Configuration dialog. The required information is populated, click Open to launch the SSH client. If the required information is not populated in the PuTTY Configuration dialog, use the following buttons to copy and paste the information into the dialog:
- Use the buttons to the right of the Hostname Connection String to perform the following tasks:
View: To view the hostname connection string
- Copy: To copy the value to your copy buffer, which can then be pasted into the Hostname field of the PuTTY Configuration dialog
Help: To copy the value into the Hostname field of the PuTTY Configuration dialog
- Use the buttons to the right of the Password to perform the following tasks.
-
In the SSH client, run the commands or programs on the target host.
If there is no activity in an open session for about 10 minutes, the session will be terminated. However, as long as the request is in an Available state, you can launch the session again to resume your tasks.
-
Once you are completed, log out of the target host and select Check in to complete the session request process.
This makes the session request available to reviewers. If the Record Sessions option is enabled in the policy, the reviewer can play back the recording as part of the review process. In addition, if the Enable Command Detection option is selected in the policy, the reviewer can view a list of the commands and programs run during the session.
Launching an RDP session
Once an RDP session request becomes available, the requester can launch the remote desktop connection to start the session. This is applicable for both the web client and desktop client user interfaces.
To launch a remote desktop connection
- If the User Supplied option is selected in the policy, you will be prompted to enter your user credentials. After entering the requested credentials, click Apply. This will retrieve the information (for example, Username Connection String) required to launch the remote desktop session.
-
Depending on your interface:
- (desktop client) Click the Launch button to the right of the asset name. Clicking this button displays the Remote Desktop Connection dialog. Click Connect to launch the remote desktop session.
- (web client) In the web client:
- If you have an application registered (rdp:// for RDP sessions), you can click the Launch button to the right of the asset name then click Connect . See KB 313918 for details on application registration. A password must be entered and we recommend sg. A blank password will cause the session to fail.
- If you do not have an application registered, download the RDP launch file instead of using the Launch button. A password must be entered and we recommend sg. A blank password will cause the session to fail.
NOTE: If the required information is not populated in the Remote Desktop Connection dialog, use the following buttons to copy and paste the information into the dialog:
-
Use the buttons to the right of the Username Connection String to perform the following tasks:
- View: To view the username connection string.
- Copy: To copy the value to your copy buffer, which can then be pasted into the Username field of the Remote Desktop Connection dialog.
- Help: To copy the value into the Username field of the Remote Desktop Connection dialog.
-
Use the buttons to the right of the Password to perform the following tasks:
NOTE: The Password field only appears if the Include password release with session requests option (Access Config tab) is selected in the entitlement's access request policy.
Begin your RDP session and close the session
-
In the remote desktop session, run the commands or programs on the target host.
If there is no activity in an open session for about 10 minutes, the session will be terminated. However, as long as the request is in an Available state, you can launch the session again to resume your tasks.
-
Once you are completed, log out of the target host and select Check in to complete the session request process.
This makes the session request available to reviewers. If the Record Sessions option is enabled in the policy, the reviewer can play back the recording as part of the review process. In addition, if the Enable Window Title Detection option is selected in the policy, the reviewer can view a list of the windows opened on the desktop during the session.
