Configuring the Agent

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

• assumes deployment of objects such as workflows and jobs, is not subject to compliance requirements such as non-repudiation.
• specifies HTTP connections which are used to expose unencrypted communication between Controller instances and Agent. Authentication is performed by hashed passwords.

Users who intend to operate a compliant and secure job scheduling environment should consider the descriptions below covering:

• 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.

• If the JOC Cockpit is operated for Security Level Low then a single X.509 private key assigned to the JOC Cockpit root account is used to sign all objects from any JOC Cockpit accounts.
• If the JOC Cockpit is operated for Security Level Medium or High then each account that deploys objects has to own an individual X.509 private key or PGP private key.

To verify the signature of an object, the Agent has to apply a public key or certificate that matches the private key used for signing with the JOC Cockpit.

• 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.

Agent Keystore and Truststore

• The Controller instance's private key has to be created for Server Authentication and Client Authentication extended key usages.
• 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 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 tp the Agent's private.conf configuration file. For details see the JS7 - Agent Configuration Items article.
  
  • Mutual Authentication
    • Agent Configuration for Mutual Authentication

      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:
    • Agent Configuration for Keystore and Truststore Locations

      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 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:

#!/bin/sh

docker run -dit --rm \
      ...
      --publish=16443:4443 \
      --env="RUN_JS_HTTPS_PORT=4443" \
      ...

Explanation:

• --publish The Agent image is prepared to accept HTTPS requests on port 4443. If the Agent is not operated in a Docker network then an outside port of the Docker host has to be mapped to the inside HTTPS port 4443. The same port has to be assigned the RUN_JS_HTTPS_PORT environment variable.
• --env=RUN_JS_HTTPS_PORT The port assigned this environment variable is the same as the inside HTTPS port specified with the --publish option.

Note:

• When using HTTPS connections consider dropping access to the Agent's HTTP port by omitting the following settings:
  • --publish=16445:4445 This mapping should be dropped in order to prevent incoming traffic to the Agent's HTTP port.