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This section shows you how to configure TLS communication between the KMES Series 3 and the Microsoft SQL Server instance. Then, it covers general configurations on the KMES to enable Microsoft SQL Server to integrate with the KMES through the FXCL EKM library, for Transparent Data Encryption. Every step in this section requires you to log in to the KMES Series 3 application interface with the default Admin identities.

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Configure TLS communication

Perform the following tasks to configure TLS communication between the KMES Series 3 and the Microsoft SQL Server instance:
  1. Create a certificate authority.
  2. Generate a CSR for the System/Host API connection pair.
  3. Sign the System/Host API CSR.
  4. Export the Root CA and signed System/Host API certificates.
  5. Load the exported certificates into the System/Host API connection pair.
  6. Issue a client certificate for Microsoft SQL Server.
  7. Export the signed Microsoft SQL Server certificate.
The following sections describe how to perform these tasks.

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Create a CA

Perform the following steps to create a Certificate Authority (CA):
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities and select [ Add CA ] at the bottom of the page.
2
In the Certificate Authority window, enter a name for the certificate container, leave all other fields set to the default values, and select [ OK ]*.
The certificate container that you just created now displays in the Certificate Authorities menu.
3
Right-click the certificate container and select Add Certificate > New Certificate.
4
On the Subject DN tab, change the Preset drop-down option to Classic and specify a Common Name for the certificate, such as System TLS CA Root.
5
On the Basic Info tab, leave all fields set to the default values.
6
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the Certificate Authority profile and select [ OK ].
The root CA certificate now displays under the previously created certificate container.

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Generate a CSR

Perform the following steps to generate a CSR for the System/Host API connection pair:
1
Go to Administration > Configuration > Network Options.
2
In the Network Options window, go to the TLS/SSL Settings tab.
3
Under the System/Host API connection pair, uncheck the Use Futurex certificates checkbox and select [ Edit ] next to PKI keys in the User Certificates section.
4
In the Application Public Keys window, select [ Generate ].
5
When warned that SSL will not be functional until new certificates are imported, select [ Yes ] to continue.
6
In the PKI Parameters window, leave the fields set to the default values and select [ OK ]*.
The Application Public Keys window now shows that an HSM-trusted asymmetric key is loaded.
7
Select [ Request ].
8
On the Subject DN tab, set a Common Name for the certificate, such as KMES.
9
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the TLS Server Certificate profile.
10
On the PKCS #10 Info tab, select a save location for the CSR and select [ OK ].
11
When prompted that the certificate signing request was successfully written to the file location that was selected, select [ OK ].
12
Select [ OK ] again to save the Application Public Keys settings.
The main Network Options window now shows Loaded next to PKI keys for the System/Host API connection pair.
13
Select [ OK ] to save.

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Sign the CSR

Perform the following steps to sign the System/Host API CSR:
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
2
Right-click the root CA certificate you created and select Add Certificate > From Request.
3
In the file browser, select the CSR that you generated for the System/Host API connection pair.
4
After it loads, select [ OK ] without modifying any settings for the certificate.
The signed System/Host API certificate should now show under the root CA certificate on the Certificate Authorities page.

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Export the Root CA and signed System/Host API certificates

Perform the following steps to export the Root CA and signed System/Host API certificates:
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
2
Right-click the System TLS CA Root certificate and select Export > Certificate(s).
3
In the Export Certificate window, change the encoding to PEM and select [ Browse ].
4
In the file browser, go to the location where you want to save the root CA certificate. Specify a unique name for the file, such as root_cert.pem, and select [ Open ].
5
Select [ OK ].
A message box states that the PEM file was successfully written to the location that you specified.
6
Move the root CA certificate to the computer where the Microsoft SQL Server instance is running.A later section shows you how to configure and use it for TLS communication with the KMES Series 3.
7
Right-click the KMES certificate and select Export > Certificate(s).
8
In the Export Certificate window, change the encoding to PEM and select [ Browse ].
9
In the file browser, go to the location where you want to save the signed System/Host API certificate. Specify a unique name for the file, such as signed_kmes_cert.pem, and select [ Open ].
10
Select [ OK ].
A message box states that the PEM file was successfully written to the location that you specified.

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Load the System/Host API connection pair certificates

Perform the following steps to load the exported certificates into the System/Host API connection pair:
1
Go to Administration > Configuration > Network Options.
2
In the Network Options window, go to the TLS/SSL Settings tab.
3
Select [ Edit ] next to Certificates in the User Certificates section.
4
Right-click the System/Host API SSL CA X.509 certificate container and select [ Import ].
5
Select [ Add ] at the bottom of the Import Certificates window.
6
In the file browser, select both the root CA certificate and the signed System/Host API certificate and select [ Open ]. Select [ OK ] to save the changes.
In the Network Options window, the System/Host API connection pair shows Signed loaded next to Certificates in the User Certificates section.
7
Select [ OK ] to save and exit the Network Options window.

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Issue a client certificate

Perform the following steps to issue a client certificate for Microsoft SQL Server:
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
2
Right-click the System TLS CA Root certificate and select Add Certificate > New Certificate.
3
In the Subject DN tab, set a Common Name for the certificate.
4
Leave all fields in the Basic Info tab set to the default values.
5
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the TLS Client Certificate profile and select [ OK ].
The Microsoft SQL Server client certificate now displays under the System TLS CA Root certificate.

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Export the signed client certificate

To perform the following steps, you must go to Administration > Configuration > Options and enable the Allow export of certificates using passwords option.
Perform the following steps to export the signed Microsoft SQL Server client certificate:
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
2
Right-click the Microsoft SQL Server client certificate and select Export > PKCS12.
3
Set a password for the PKCS12 file, select the Export Selected Certificate option, and select [ Next ].
4
Enter a name for the file, select a location in the file browser to save to, and select [ Open ].
5
Select [ OK ].
6
Move the signed Microsoft SQL Server client certificate to the computer where the SQL Server instance is running.Later we will show you how to define it in the FXCL KMES EKM configuration file for TLS communication with the KMES Series 3.

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Configure general KMES settings

Perform the following tasks to configure the KMES Series 3 for communication with Microsoft SQL Server:
  1. Create a Microsoft SQL Server role and identity with the required permissions and settings.
  2. Enable Host API commands.
  3. Grant the Microsoft SQL Server role the “Use” permission on the CA tree.
The following sections show you how to complete these tasks.

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Create a role and identity

The following sections show you how to create a new role and identity for Microsoft SQL Server on the KMES Series 3:

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Create a new role

Perform the following steps to create a new role:
1
Go to Identity Management > Roles and select [ Add ].
2
On the Info tab of the Role Editor window, specify a Name for the role and change the number of logins required to 1. Leave all other fields set to the default values.
3
On the Permissions tab, select the following permissions:
PermissionSubpermission
Certificate AuthorityAdd, Export
Cryptographic OperationsEncrypt, Decrypt
KeysAdd, Delete
4
On the Advanced tab, set Allowed Ports to only Host API. Leave the other fields set to the default values.
5
Select [ OK ] to finish creating the role.

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Create a new identity

Perform the following steps to create a new identity:
1
Go to Identity Management > Identities, right-click anywhere in the window, and select Add > Client Application.
2
On the Info tab, specify SqlServer in the Name field. Leave all other fields set to the default values.
The name you choose for this identity must match the Common Name that you set for the Microsoft SQL Server client certificate.
3
On the Assigned Roles tab, select the Microsoft SQL Server role.
4
On the Authentication tab, select [ Add ].
5
In the Configure Credential window, select Password in the Type drop-down list. Select [ Change ], set a password for the credential, and select [ Save ].
6
Select [ OK ] to finish configuring the password credential.
7
Remove the default API Key mechanism, leaving only the Password credential, and select [ OK ] to save.

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Enable the Host API commands

Because FXCL EKM connects to the Host API port on the KMES Series 3, you must define which Host API commands to enable for execution by FXCL EKM. To set the enabled commands required for the Microsoft SQL Server operation, complete the following steps:
1
Go to Administration > Configuration > Host API Options and enable the following commands:
CommandDescription or subcommand (if applicable)
RKGPExport Asymmetric Key
RKLNLookup Objects
RKDPDelete Asymmetric Key
RKLOLogin User
RKCKCreate Asymmetric Key
RKRERSA Encrypt
RKRDRSA Decrypt
RKPKPop Generated Key
CLKYRetrieve HSM protected key
  • Get
2
Select [ Save ].

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Grant the permission

Perform the following steps to grant the Microsoft SQL Server role the Use permission on the CA tree:
1
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
2
Right-click the CA container you created in the Create a Certificate Authority (CA) section and select [ Permission ].
3
Grant the Microsoft SQL Server role the Use permission, select Apply to children recursively, and select [ OK ]* to save.

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