Manual Chapter : Overview: F5 Access for Chrome OS

Applies To:

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BIG-IP APM

  • 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.0, 15.1.9, 15.1.8, 15.1.7, 15.1.6, 15.1.5, 15.1.4, 15.1.3, 15.1.2, 15.1.1, 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.5, 14.1.4, 14.1.3, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.5, 13.1.4, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3
Manual Chapter

Overview: F5 Access for Chrome OS

What does F5 Access do for Chrome OS devices?

F5 Access for Chrome OS devices provides full network access through BIG-IP® Access Policy Manager®. With network access, users can run applications such as RDP, SSH, Citrix, VMware View, and other enterprise applications on their Chrome OS devices.
For information about how to use F5 Access, refer to the
F5 Access for Chrome OS User Guide
on your device.
F5 Access features include:
  • N-factor authentication (at least two input fields, password and passcode) support
  • User name and password and client certificate authentication
  • Multiple input field support
  • Credential caching support
  • Support for checking information from client devices
  • Logging support to report issues
  • Support for certificate-only authentication
  • Support client certificate for DTLS tunnels and SSL tunnels

About SAML support

F5 Access
app for
Chrome OS devices
provides the following SAML support:
  • Service provider-initiated access only, for example, APM acting as the service provider (SP)
  • Web Logon mode only
When you use
F5 Access
as a client performing SP-initiated access,
F5 Access
first connects to BIG-IP® Access Policy Manager® (APM®). Because there is no assertion, APM redirects the client to the IdP. The IdP then authenticates the user and redirects
F5 Access
back to the SP with assertion. APM then accepts the assertion and establishes a VPN connection. You can then access back-end resources through
F5 Access
.
You can configure a BIG-IP system by configuring APM as an SP. The access policy that is associated with the configuration assigns a SAML AAA resource followed by a Network Access Resource. For more information about SAML configurations, refer to the
BIG-IP® Access Policy Manager®: Authentication and Single Sign-On
guide.

About supported authentication types

F5 Access app for Chrome OS devices
provides these authentication types:
Authentication type
Description
Regular Logon
Provides the following two options:
  • User name and password
  • Client certificate + user name and password (prompt if password field is blank)
Certificate-only
Provides a certificate-only authentication without a user name and password by adding a certificate in the configuration, while leaving the user name field blank.
Web Logon
Provides the following two options:
  • User name and password
  • User name/password + RSA + any other server-side checks

About establishing VPN connections

You can use
F5 Access with a Chrome OS device
to establish a VPN tunnel connection.

About pre-logon checks supported for
Chrome OS
devices

Access Policy Manager® can check unique identifying information from
a Chrome OS
device. The supported session variables, which become populated with the
Chrome
device information, are gathered automatically, and can easily be combined with an LDAP or AD query to implement white-listing in a custom action to improve access context. This information allows the Access Policy Manager to perform pre-logon sequence checks and operations based on information about the connecting device. Using such information, the Access Policy Manager can perform the following tasks:
  • Deny access if the
    Chrome OS
    version is less than the required level.
This example displays an access policy with a custom action of Device ID Check to check the device's UDID.
Example of a custom action for checking device's UDID

About network integration on Chrome OS devices

Access Policy Manager® provides web application-level security to prevent malware attacks. As an administrator, you can enforce all web access through a secured gateway, as well as bypass secure gateways for internal resources. This is especially helpful, for example, when you have clients using corporate tablets, smart phones, or other mobile devices to browse the web.