Using VPN Security Suite

Active connections

This section allows you to view and manage all active connections between users and devices. In order to connect to a device please refer to OpenVPN connection chapter.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Close connection - Close the selected active connection between the user and the device.

Device-to-network connections

This section allows you to view and manage all active device-to-network connections. Device-to-network connections do not expire and are managed by enabled devices that support device-to-network connection functionality (i.e. Monitoring system device). In order to close them, please disable the connected device.

Devices

This section allows you to manage existing devices. Please be aware that by default only a few selected columns are visible, you can adjust them by using the visible columns functionality.

Mass actions

You can perform the following mass actions:

  1. Disable

  2. Enable

  3. Reinstall primary config

  4. Reinstall secondary config

  5. Reinstall tertiary config

  6. Reinstall primary firmware

  7. Reinstall secondary firmware

  8. Reinstall tertiary firmware

  9. Request config data

  10. Request diagnose data

  11. Add variable

  12. Delete variable

  13. Set template - Please refer to the Applying a template section for more information

  14. Add access tags

  15. Delete access tags

  16. Add labels

  17. Delete labels

  18. Delete

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Details - Open details about a device. Please refer to the Details section for more information.

  2. Certificates - Expandable group of actions connected to certificate management of the selected device. Visible only for devices that support certificate types.

    1. Upload separate files - Opens a dialog that allows you to upload a public key, private key and CA certificate.

    2. Upload single file (.p12, .pfx) - Opens a dialog that allows you to upload a public key, private key and CA certificate as a single PKCS #12 file.

    3. Delete certificate - Delete certificates after they are uploaded as separate files or a PKCS #12 file.

    4. Generate certificate - Generate certificate using PKI Server. Available only for certificate types that support PKI certificates.

    5. Revoke certificate - Revoke certificate using PKI Server. Available only for certificate types that support PKI certificates.

    6. Download certificate - Download public key as .crt file.

    7. Download private key - Download private key as .key file.

    8. Download CA certificate - Download CA certificate as .crt file.

    9. Download .p12 - Download PKCS #12 file containing public key, private key and CA certificate.

  3. VPN - Expandable group of actions connected with VPN functionalities. You can read more about connections and OpenVPN in the OpenVPN connection chapter. Visible only for devices that support VPN.

    1. Connect - Establish a connection between the currently logged-in user and the selected device.

    2. Connect to all - Establish a connection between the currently logged-in user, the selected device and all its endpoint devices. Available only for devices that have at least one endpoint device.

    3. Close my connection - Close the connection between the currently logged-in user and the selected device.

    4. Close multiple connections - Close multiple connections for the selected device. Opens a dialog that allows you to select multiple connections to close.

    5. Download OpenVPN configuration - Download OpenVPN configuration file for the selected device.

  4. Logs - Expandable group of actions connected with logs. Visible only for devices that support logs.

    1. Communication logs - View communication logs for the selected device

    2. Device commands - View device commands for the selected device

    3. Config logs - View config logs for the selected device

    4. Diagnose logs - View diagnose logs for the selected device

    5. VPN logs - View VPN logs for the selected device

Applying a template

The template contains a common setup for many devices. When applying a template you can choose what parts of a template will be overwritten in a device. You can select from the following options:

  • Device description

  • Overwrite endpoint devices and virtual subnet size

  • Variables

  • Overwrite masquerading

  • Access tags

  • Labels

Overwriting means that i.e. in case of variables, existing ones will be removed and variables from the template will be copied into the device. A similar pattern applies to overwriting endpoint devices.

While applying a template you can also choose to reinstall configs and firmwares that are supported in this template.

Applying a template to a specific device also means that the communication protocol will use configs and firmwares directly from the applied template.

After applying a template to a device, you can change the device description, endpoint devices, virtual subnet size, variables, masquerading, access tags and labels. This will not affect the template itself or other devices using the same template. The same rule applies from the template perspective. You can change device description, endpoint devices, virtual subnet size, variables, masquerading, access tags and labels in the template. For the changes to be transferred to devices, you have to apply the template to a device. Changing config or firmware in the template will affect all devices that are using this template.

Templates support versions. Each template can have one version assigned to “Staging” and one version assigned to “Production”. Devices that have the “Staging” flag set to true will use the “Staging” version of a template. In case the “Staging” version does not exist, such a device will use the “Production” version.

Details

The screen provides detailed information about a single device. The contents of this screen may differ between devices because they may support different functionalities.

You have access to similar actions as described in the “Row actions” section. You can additionally use the “Configs” button which allows you to view generated config for this device. It is only visible for devices that support at least one config.

Device details

Templates

This section allows you to manage existing templates.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Details - Open details about a template. Please refer to the Details section for more information.

Details

The screen provides detailed information about a single template.

Templates can have multiple versions. Each template can have one version assigned as “Staging” and one version assigned as “Production”. Please refer to the Applying a template section for more information about using a template with a device.

When using the “Set as staging” or “Set as production” buttons a dialog will be shown with the possibility to reinstall supported configs and firmwares for all connected devices. For the “Staging” version this will only affect devices that have this template selected and their “Staging” flag is set to true.

A similar possibility is presented when editing the currently selected “Staging” version. When changing configs or firmwares you will see an option to change the connected reinstall flag.

You can also quickly show or edit selected config in the “Staging” version by using buttons in corresponding rows.

The selected “Production” version is not editable to avoid accidental modification of the production environment and keep track of past versions.

Template details

Configs

This section allows you to manage existing configs.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show - Open a dialog with the contents of the selected config.

  2. Duplicate - Duplicate selected config.

Content with variables

The content supports variables. This allows you to use a single config for multiple devices (through templates).

There are many predefined variables for every device that supports variables. You can also define custom variables in a device. You can view both defined and predefined variables on the device details screen.

Variables are available inside content as a Twig or PHP (deprecated) variable.

Generators

SMART EMS currently supports two ways of generating configs.

  1. Twig config generator - Config is generated using the Twig template engine.

  2. PHP config generator - Config is generated by evaluating PHP code (deprecated).

Config generators can be enabled or disabled via Settings. By default PHP config generator is disabled.

You can find more information about the Twig template engine here Twig.

Firmwares

This section allows you to view a manage existing firmwares.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Download - Download uploaded firmware.

  2. Show URL - Open a dialog with the external URL of the selected firmware.

  3. Duplicate - Duplicate selected firmware.

Logs

Login attempts

This section allows you to view a list of login attempts.

Device failed login attempts

This section allows you to view a list of device failed login attempts.

Secret logs

This section allows you to view a list of secret logs.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show message - Open a dialog with the contents of a message of the selected secret log.

  2. Show updated secret - Open a dialog with the updated device secret value of the selected secret log.

  3. Show previous secret - Open a dialog with the previous device secret value of the selected secret log.

Communication logs

This section allows you to view a list of device failed login attempts. Please be aware that by default only a few selected columns are visible, you can adjust them by using the visible columns functionality.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show message - Open a dialog with the contents of a message of the selected communication log.

  2. Show content - Open a dialog with the contents of a request or response that is connected to the selected communication log.

Device commands

This section allows you to view a list of device commands. Please be aware that by default only a few selected columns are visible, you can adjust them by using the visible columns functionality.

Config logs

This section allows you to view a list of config logs. Please be aware that by default only a few selected columns are visible, you can adjust them by using the visible columns functionality.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show content - Open a dialog with the contents of the selected config log.

  2. Communication logs - Redirects to communication log screen with rows associated with selected config log.

Diagnose logs

This section allows you to view a list of diagnose logs.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show content - Open a dialog with the contents of the selected diagnose log.

Audit logs

This section allows you to view a list of audit logs.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show values - Open a dialog with the logged values. Depending on type of change dialog will show:

    • New values for create

    • New and old values for update. You can choose way of presenting those values: full difference, only changes, old values or new values.

    • Old values for delete

VPN logs

This section allows you to view a list of VPN logs.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Show message - Open a dialog with the contents of a message for the selected VPN log.

Users

This section allows you to manage existing users.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Certificates - Expandable group of actions connected to certificate management of the selected user. Visible only for supported certificate types.

    1. Upload separate files - Opens a dialog that allows you to upload a public key, private key and CA certificate.

    2. Upload single file (.p12, .pfx) - Opens a dialog that allows you to upload a public key, private key and CA certificate as a single PKCS #12 file.

    3. Delete certificate - Delete certificates after they are uploaded as separate files or a PKCS #12 file.

    4. Generate certificate - Generate certificate using PKI Server. Available only for certificate types that support PKI certificates.

    5. Revoke certificate - Revoke certificate using PKI Server. Available only for certificate types that support PKI certificates.

    6. Download certificate - Download public key as .crt file.

    7. Download private key - Download private key as .key file.

    8. Download CA certificate - Download CA certificate as .crt file.

    9. Download .p12 - Download PKCS #12 file containing public key, private key and CA certificate.

  2. Download OpenVPN configuration - Download OpenVPN configuration file for the selected user.

  3. Enable - Allows you to enable the selected user.

  4. Disable - Allows you to disable the selected user.

  5. Change password - Allows you to change password for the selected user.

  6. Reset secret - Allows you to reset secret for the selected user. Only available when two-factor authentication is enabled in the system.

  7. Reset login attempts - Allows you to reset login attempts for the selected user. Only visible when the user exceeded the configured limit for failed login attempts.

Access restrictions

Administrator permissions

Users with administrator permissions have access to all functionalities and see all data.

SMART EMS permissions

Users with SMART EMS permissions are restricted to the following screens:

  1. Devices

  2. Templates

  3. Configs

  4. Firmwares

  5. Logs

    1. Communication logs

    2. Device commands

    3. Config logs

    4. Diagnose logs

This user has limited access to devices based on access tags. Users with SMART EMS permissions will have access to a device when at least one access tag that he has assigned is also assigned to a device.

Templates, firmwares, configs and logs are also limited to only those that are connected to visible devices. User with SMART EMS permissions will not be able to change templates, firmwares and configs that are also used in devices that he does not have access.

VPN permissions

Users with VPN permissions are restricted to the following screens:

  1. Active connections

  2. Devices

  3. Logs

    1. VPN logs

Users with VPN permissions has limited access to devices and their endpoint devices based on access tags. Having access to a device means that at least one access tag that user has assigned is also assigned to a device. The same logic applies to endpoint devices.

Users with VPN permissions have following access to a device:

  • View - when user has access to an endpoint device that is assigned to a device without access.

  • Edit - when user is not allowed to manage endpoint device and has access to a device. Allows to modify labels and description.

  • Edit with managing endpoint devices - when user is allowed to manage endpoint devices and has access to a device. Allows to modify labels, description and endpoint devices. Endpoint devices are visible according to user access to them. This access level also allows creating endpoint devices.

Users with VPN permissions have following access to an endpoint device:

  • Edit - when user is not allowed to manage endpoint devices and has access to an endpoint device. Allows to modify description.

  • Edit with managing endpoint devices - when user is allowed to manage endpoint devices and has access to an endpoint device. Allows to fully modify endpoint device or delete it.

Logs are also limited to only those that are connected to visible devices. Active connections are limited only to his connections.

Disabled users

Disabled users will not be able to log in to the system. They will be informed that their account is disabled on the login screen.

Device authentication

This section allows you to manage existing devices authentication.

Access restrictions

Permitted devices

Device authentication has to be restricted to one or more device types. This will allow the device authentication to be used only for permitted device types.

Disabled users

Disabled device authentication will not be able to log in to the system. The system will respond with a 401 Unauthorized response status code.

Access tags

This section allows you to manage existing access tags.

Access tags are used to restrict access for users with SMART EMS permissions and VPN permissions. Please refer to SMART EMS permissions and VPN permissions sections for more information.

Labels

This section allows you to manage existing labels.

Labels are intended to be used as a way to freely group devices.

Import

Devices

This section allows you to import devices using an Excel file. The process is divided into steps.

Step 1

Form with the possibility to upload an import Excel file. You can find more information about the expected column structure on the screen.

Import step 1

Step 2

The uploaded file is parsed and you are presented with rows that will be imported. Each row also includes a status which can be “Valid”, “Warning” or “Invalid”. Please click on the status icon to see more detailed information.

You can adjust imported rows by changing the data using inputs in columns or using mass actions.

After the imported rows data is ready, please click “Start import”. A dialog will be shown with an option to decide whether variables and access tags should be overwritten from selected templates. After clicking “Submit” the import process will start.

Import step 2

Step 3

This step informs you about import progress. As soon as it finishes you will be redirected to the next step.

Import step 3

Step 4

You can view details about imported rows for this specific import.

Import step 4

History

This section allows you to view a list of imports.

Row actions

You can perform the following extra actions on a single row:

  1. Details - Open details about an import. Depending on the status it will redirect you to a proper step.

  2. Continue - Continue importing rows. It will redirect you to step 3.