Configure KMES Series 3
This section shows you how to configure TLS communication between the KMES Series 3 and the Futurex PKCS #11 (FXPKCS11) module installed on the computer that runs Venafi TPP. Then, it covers general configurations on the KMES Series 3 to enable Venafi to use the KMES Series 3 as a Root of Trust for storage encryption and to protect private keys through the Futurex PKCS #11 (FXPKCS11) module.
Perform the following tasks to configure TLS communication between the KMES Series 3 and the Venafi TPP instance:
- Create a certificate authority.
- Generate a CSR for the System/Host API connection pair.
- Sign the System/Host API CSR.
- Export the Root CA and signed System/Host API certificates.
- Load the exported certificates into the System/Host API connection pair.
- Issue a client certificate for Venafi TPP.
- Export the signed Venafi TPP certificate.
The following sections describe how to perform these tasks.
Log in to the KMES Series 3 application interface with the default Admin identities.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities and select [ Add CA ] at the bottom of the page.
In the Certificate Authority window, enter a name for the certificate container, leave all other fields set to the default values, and select [ OK ].
Right-click the certificate container you just created and select Add Certificate > New Certificate.
On the Subject DN tab, select the Classic preset and set a Common Name for the certificate, such as System TLS CA Root.
On the Basic Info tab, leave all settings as the default values.
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the Certificate Authority profile and select [ OK ].
The root CA certificate now displays under the Certificate Container you created.
Go to Administration > Configuration > Network Options.
In the Network Options window, go to the TLS/SSL Settings tab.
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.
In the Application Public Keys window, select [ Generate ].
When warned that SSL will not be functional until new certificates are imported, select [ Yes ] to continue.
In the PKI Parameters window, leave the fields set to the default values and select [ OK ].
The Application Public Keys window now shows that a PKI Key Pair is Loaded.
Select [ Request ].
On the Subject DN tab, you can leave the default Common Name value set to System/Host API.
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the TLS Server Certificate profile.
On the PKCS #10 Info tab, select a save location for the CSR and select [ OK ].
When notified that the certificate signing request was successfully written to the location you specified, select [ OK ].
Select [ OK ] again to save the Application Public Keys settings.
In the main Network Options window, the System/Host API connection pair now shows Loaded next to PKI keys.
Select [ OK ] to save and close the Network Options menu.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
Right-click the System TLS CA Root certificate and select Add Certificate > From Request.
In the file browser, select the CSR you generated for the System/Host API connection pair.
After it loads, don't modify any settings for the certificate. Select [ OK ].
The signed System/Host API TLS certificate now shows under the System TLS CA Root certificate on the Certificate Authorities page.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
Right-click the System TLS CA Root certificate and select Export > Certificate(s).
In the Export Certificates window, change the encoding to PEM and select [ Browse ].
In the file browser, navigate to the location where you want to save the root CA certificate. Specify a name for the file and select [ Open ].
Select [ OK ].
A message box states that the PEM file was successfully written to the location you specified.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
Right-click the System/Host API certificate and select Export > Certificate(s).
In the Export Certificates window, change the encoding to PEM and select [ Browse ].
In the file browser, navigate to the location where you want to save the signed System/Host API TLS certificate. Specify a name for the file and select [ Open ].
Select [ OK ].
A message box states that the PEM file was successfully written to the location you specified.
Go to Administration > Configuration > Network Options.
In the Network Options window, select the TLS/SSL Settings tab.
Under the System/Host API connection pair, select [ Edit ] next to Certificates in the User Certificates section.
Right-click the System/Host API SSL CA X.509 Certificate Container and select [ Import ].
Select [ Add ] at the bottom of the Import Certificates window.
In a file browser, select both the root CA certificate and the signed System/Host API certificate, and select [ Open ].
The certificate chain appears in the Verified section.
Select [ OK ] to save the changes.
In the Network Options window, the System/Host API connection pair now shows Signed Loaded next to Certificates in the User Certificates section.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
Right-click the System TLS CA Root certificate and select Add Certificate > New Certificate.
On the Subject DN tab, set Venafi as the Common Name for the certificate.
Leave all fields on the Basic Info tab set to the default values.
On the V3 Extensions tab, select the TLS Client Certificate profille and select [ OK ].
The Venafi certificate now displays under the System TLS CA Root certificate.
A later section of the guide shows you how to modify the Futrex PKCS #11 configuration file to use the client certificate you create for Venafi TPP in this section.
To export the Venafi client certificate as a PKCS #12 file, you must go to Administration > Configuration > Options and enable the Allow export of certificates using passwords setting.
Go to PKI > Certificate Authorities.
Right-click the Venafi certificate and select Export > PKCS#12.
Set a password for the PKCS #12 file, select Export Selected Certificate, and select [ Next ].
In the file browser, select a location for the PKCS #12 file and select [ Open ].
A message box notifies you that the PKCS #12 export was successful.
Move both the Venafi certificate and the root CA certificate exported in the Export the Root CA certificate section to the computer that runs the Venafi TPP instance.
The next section shows you how to configure and use them for TLS communication with the KMES Series 3.
Perform the following tasks to configure the KMES Series 3 for communication with the Venafi TPP instance:
- Create a new role and identity with the required permissions.
- Create a new instance with the Venafi role.
- Enable Host API commands.
The following sections show you how to complete these tasks.
Go to Identity Management > Roles and select [ Add ] at the bottom of the page.
On the Info tab of the Role Editor window, set the Type to Application, the Name to Venafi, select the Hardened checkbox, and set the Logins Required to 1.
On the Permissions tab, enable the following permissions:
Permission
Subpermission
Certificate Authority
Add, Export
Cryptographic Operations
Encrypt, Decrypt, Wrap, Unwrap
Keys
Add, Export
Secure Key Functions
Import PKI, No Usage Wrap, Remove Security, Strength Bypass
On the Advanced tab, set Allowed Ports to Host API only.
Select [ OK ] to finish creating the role.
Go to Identity Management > Identities.
Right-click anywhere in the window and select Add > Client Application.
On the Info tab of the Identity Editor window, set the Storage type to HSM and specify a Name for the identity.
On the Assigned Roles tab, select the Venafi role.
On the Authentication tab, remove the default Hardened API Key mechanism and select [ Add ].
In the Configure Credential window, the Hardened Password mechanism populates by default. Select [ Change ], configure a password, and select [ Save ]. Select [ OK ] to finish configuring the new credential.
Select [ OK ] to finish creating the identity.
Because the Futurex PKCS #11 library connects to the Host API port on the KMES, you must define which Host API commands to enable for Futurex PKCS #11. To set the enabled commands, complete the following steps:
Go to Administration > Configuration > Host API Options.
Enable the following commands:
Command
Description and subcommand (if applicable)
ATKG
Manipulate HSM trusted asymmetric key group
- add - Add HSM trusted asymmetric key group
- modify - Modify HSM trusted asymmetric key group
- delete - Delete HSM trusted asymmetric key group
- get - Retrieve HSM trusted asymmetric key group
ATTR
Generic Attribute Operations
- get - Retrieve generic attributes
- put - Set generic attributes
- patch - Patch generic attributes
ECHO
Echo text
RAFA
Filter Issuance Policy
RAND
Generate Random Number
RKCK
Create HSM Trusted Key
RKCP
Get Command Permissions
- get - Retrieve enabled commands
- modify - Update enabled commands
RKCS
Create Symmetric HSM Trusted Key Group
RKDK
Delete HSM Trusted Key
RKDP
Delete Asymmetric HSM Trusted Key
RKED
Encrypt or Decrypt Data
RKEP
PKI Encrypt Public Key
RKGP
Export Asymmetric HSM Trusted Key
RKLN
Lookup Objects
RKLO
Login User
RKPK
Pop Generated Key
RKRC
Get HSM Trusted Key
RKRW
Get HSM Trusted Key
TIME
Set Time
Select [ Save ] to finish.