My Support
  1. AskF5 Home
  2. Knowledge Centers
  3. BIG-IP LTM
  4. BIG-IP System and SafeNet Luna SA HSM: Implementation
  5. Implementing the SafeNet Luna HSM with BIG-IP Systems
Manual Chapter : Implementing the SafeNet Luna HSM with BIG-IP Systems

Applies To:

Show Versions Show Versions

BIG-IP DNS

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0

BIG-IP AFM

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0

BIG-IP ASM

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0

BIG-IP AAM

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0

BIG-IP APM

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0

BIG-IP LTM

  • 14.1.2, 14.1.0
Manual Chapter
Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>

Implementing the SafeNet Luna HSM with BIG-IP Systems

Overview: Setting up the SafeNet Luna SA HSM with BIG-IP systems, using a script

The Gemalto SafeNet Luna SA HSM is an external hardware security module that is available for use with BIG-IP® systems. Because it is network-based, you can use the SafeNet solution with all BIG-IP platforms, including VIPRION® Series chassis and appliances and BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE). You can also configure multiple HSMs as an HA (high availability) group to use with BIG-IP systems.

Note: SafeNet Luna is now produced by Gemalto.
Note: The BIG-IP system, when in appliance mode, does not support the SafeNet SA HSM installation/uninstallation.

Both RSA-based and ECDHE-ECDSA cipher suites use the network HSM. After installation on the BIG-IP system, the SafeNet Luna SA HSM is compatible with Access Policy Manager® and Application Security Manager™, without additional configuration steps.

For information about using the iControl® interface to configure the Luna SA HSM with BIG-IP systems, consult the F5 DevCentral site (https://devcentral.f5.com/icontrol/).

For additional information about using the Luna SA HSM, contact Gemalto SafeNet Technical Support (https://supportportal.gemalto.com).

Prerequisites for setting up SafeNet Luna SA HSM with BIG-IP systems

Before you can use SafeNet Luna SA HSM with the BIG-IP® system, you must make sure that:

  • The SafeNet device is installed on your network.
  • The SafeNet device and the BIG-IP system can communicate with each other.
  • The SafeNet device has a virtual HSM (HSM Partition) defined before you install the client software on the BIG-IP system.
  • The BIG-IP system is licensed for external interface and network HSM.

Additionally, before you begin the installation process, make sure that you have access to:

  • The Luna SA Client software. See the Interoperability Matrix for BIG-IP TMOS with SafeNet Clients and HSM supplemental document available on AskF5 for supported SafeNet client and HSM versions with BIG-IP TMOS versions information.
  • The Luna SA Customer Documentation.
Note: If you install the Luna SA HSM (external HSM) on a system with a FIPS card (internal HSM) installed, the Luna SA HSM takes precedence. You cannot use the SafeNet Luna SA HSM on a BIG-IP system that is running another external HSM.
Note: BIG-IP TMOS with SafeNet Luna SA HSM only supports IPv4.

Preparing to install the Luna SA client on the BIG-IP system

Before you can set up the SafeNet Luna SA client software on a BIG-IP system, you must obtain a valid Gemalto SafeNet Luna SA client license.

To use the Luna SA HSM, you need to obtain the software tarball from Gemalto SafeNet, and install the Luna SA client software onto the BIG-IP system.
  1. Log in to the Gemalto (SafeNet) support portal.
    https://supportportal.gemalto.com
  2. Download the appropriate document, using the download password F5Clientdownload!.
    Note: For supported SafeNet client and HSM versions with BIG-IP TMOS versions information, see the Interoperability Matrix for BIG-IP TMOS with SafeNet Clients and HSM supplemental document available on AskF5.
  3. Log in to the command-line interface of the BIG-IP system using an account with administrator privileges.
  4. Create a directory under /shared named safenet_install.
    mkdir /shared/safenet_install
  5. Copy the software tarball to /shared/safenet_install

Installing and registering the Luna SA client

You install and register the Luna SA client so that you can use the Luna SA device with the BIG-IP system. You provide the passwords for your Luna SA device during the installation process. If you are setting up the Luna SA client on a VIPRION system, you run the configuration script only on the primary blade, and then the system propagates the configuration to the additional active blades.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the system using administrator privileges.
  2. If you are installing the Luna SA client on a VIPRION system, and you are using the management network to connect to the HSM, disable ip check on the HSM. If you are not installing on a VIPRION system, or you are using a self IP address to communicate with the HSM, skip this step.
    tls ipcheck disable
    service restart ntls
    This step allows the same certificate to be used from multiple IP addresses, identifying multiple blades.
  3. Install and register the Luna SA client on the BIG-IP system, using the parameters indicated.
    nethsm-safenet-install.sh
    • Parameters for a typical installation or on the primary blade of a VIPRION system.
      --hsm_ip_addr=<luna_sa_device_IP_address>
[--image=<Luna_x.x_Client_Software.tar>]

      The following example sets up the version 6.2 client where the Luna SA device has an IP address of 172.27.13.59:

      nethsm-safenet-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr=172.27.13.59 --image=Luna_6.2_Client_Software.tar
      Note: The VIPRION system propagates the configuration to additional active blades, but you need to reload the PATH environment variable on any blades with already-open sessions:source ~/.bash_profile
    • Parameters when multiple HSMs are configured as an HA group.
      --hsm_ip_addr="<SafeNet HSM1_IP_address> <SafeNet HSM2_IP_address>"
--hsm_ha_group=<Label name for the SafeNet HSM HA group>]
[--image=<Luna_x.x_Client_Software.tar>]

      The following example sets up the version 6.2 client for an HA group named luna_ha_test where the Luna SA devices in the group have IP addresses of 10.10.10.100 and 10.10.10.101:

      nethsm-safenet-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr="10.10.10.100 10.10.10.101" --hsm_ha_group=luna_ha_test --image=Luna_6.2_Client_Software.tar
    Install all components when prompted. During the installation, you will register your client IP address with the SafeNet device and assign the Luna SA client to a previously defined HSM partition. For an HA configuration, this must be the first slot.
    Note: By default, the script sets up the SafeNet Luna SA client software to use 20 threads. To adjust this number, run this command before you restart the pkcs11d service: tmsh sys crypto fips external-hsm num-threads <integer>. Changing the number of threads affects performance.

Setting up the Luna SA client on a newly added or activated blade

After you set up the Luna SA client on the primary blade of a VIPRION system, the system propagates the configuration to the additional active blades. If you subsequently add a secondary blade, activate a disabled blade, or power-on a powered-off blade, you need to run a script on the new secondary blade.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Run this script on any new or re-activated secondary blade:
    safenet-sync.sh <HSM partition password> -v
  3. If you make the new blade a primary blade before running the synchronization script, you need to run the regular client installation and registration procedure on the new primary blade only.
    nethsm-safenet-install.sh

Generating a key/certificate using tmsh

You can use the Traffic Management Shell (tmsh) to generate a key and certificate.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Open the TMOS Shell (tmsh).
    tmsh
  3. Generate the key.
    create sys crypto key <key_name> gen-certificate common-name <cert_name> security-type nethsm

    This example generates an external HSM key named test_key and a certificate named test_safenet.com with the security type of nethsm:

    create sys crypto key test_key gen-certificate common-name test_safenet.com security-type nethsm
  4. Verify that the key was created.
    list sys crypto key test_key.key
    Information about the key displays:
                               
sys crypto key test_key.key {
key-id <32-digit string>
key-size 2048
key-type rsa-private
security-type nethsm
}
When you generate a key/certificate using tmsh, the system creates a HSM private key. It also creates a local key, which points to the HSM key, residing in the HSM.

Creating a self-signed digital certificate

If you are configuring the BIG-IP system to manage client-side HTTP traffic, you perform this task to create a self-signed certificate to authenticate and secure the client-side HTTP traffic. If you are also configuring the system to manage server-side HTTP traffic, you must repeat this task to create a second self-signed certificate to authenticate and secure the server-side HTTP traffic.
  1. On the Main tab, click System > Certificate Management > Traffic Certificate Management .
    The Traffic Certificate Management screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
  3. In the Name field, type a unique name for the SSL certificate.
  4. From the Issuer list, select Self.
  5. In the Common Name field, type a name.
    This is typically the name of a web site, such as www.siterequest.com.
  6. In the Division field, type your department name.
  7. In the Organization field, type your company name.
  8. In the Locality field, type your city name.
  9. In the or State or Province field, type your state or province name.
  10. From the Country list, select the name of your country.
  11. In the E-mail Address field, type your email address.
  12. In the Lifetime field, type a number of days, or retain the default, 365.
  13. In the Subject Alternative Name field, type a name.
    This name is embedded in the certificate for X509 extension purposes.
    By assigning this name, you can protect multiple host names with a single SSL certificate.
  14. From the Security Type list, select NetHSM.
  15. From the Key Type list, RSA is selected as the default key type.
  16. From the Size list, select a size, in bits.
  17. Click Finished.

Requesting a certificate from a certificate authority

You perform this task to generate a certificate signing request (CSR) that can then be submitted to a third-party trusted certificate authority (CA).
Note: F5 Networks recommends that you consult the CA to determine the specific information required for each step in this task.
  1. On the Main tab, click System > Certificate Management > Traffic Certificate Management .
    The Traffic Certificate Management screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
  3. In the Name field, type a unique name for the SSL certificate.
  4. From the Issuer list, select Certificate Authority.
  5. In the Common Name field, type a name.
    This is typically the name of a web site, such as www.siterequest.com.
  6. In the Division field, type your department name.
  7. In the Organization field, type your company name.
  8. In the Locality field, type your city name.
  9. In the or State or Province field, type your state or province name.
  10. From the Country list, select the name of your country.
  11. In the E-mail Address field, type your email address.
  12. In the Lifetime field, type a number of days, or retain the default, 365.
  13. In the Subject Alternative Name field, type a name.
    This name is embedded in the certificate for X509 extension purposes.
    By assigning this name, you can protect multiple host names with a single SSL certificate.
  14. In the Challenge Password field, type a password.
  15. In the Confirm Password field, re-type the password you typed in the Challenge Password field.
  16. From the Security Type list, select NetHSM.
  17. From the Key Type list, RSA is selected as the default key type.
  18. From the Size list, select a size, in bits.
  19. Click Finished.
    The Certificate Signing Request screen displays.
  20. Do one of the following to download the request into a file on your system.
    • In the Request Text field, copy the certificate.
    • For Request File, click the button.
  21. Follow the instructions on the relevant certificate authority web site for either pasting the copied request or attaching the generated request file.
  22. Click Finished.
    The Certificate Signing Request screen displays.
The generated certificate signing request is submitted to a trusted certificate authority for signature.

Deleting a key from the BIG-IP

You perform this task to delete an existing key from the BIG-IP.
  1. On the Main tab, click System > Certificate Management > Traffic Certificate Management .
    The Traffic Certificate Management screen opens.
  2. From the SSL Certificate List, select the check box next to the key you wish to delete.
  3. Click Delete.
The key you selected is deleted from BIG-IP.
Note: The key stored in NetHSM is not deleted.

Creating a client SSL profile to use an external HSM key and certificate

After you have added the external HSM key and certificate to the BIG-IP system configuration, you can use the key and certificate as part of a client SSL profile. This task describes using the browser interface. Alternatively, you can use the Traffic Management Shell (tmsh) command-line utility.
  1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Profiles > SSL > Client .
    The Client screen opens.
  2. Click Create.
    The New Client SSL Profile screen opens.
  3. In the Name field, type a name for the profile.
  4. From the Parent Profile list, select clientssl.
  5. From the Configuration list, select Advanced.
    This selection makes it possible for you to modify additional default settings.
  6. For the Configuration area, select the Custom check box.
    The settings in the Configuration area become available for modification.
  7. Using the Certificate Key Chain setting, specify one or more certificate key chains:
    1. From the Certificate list, select the name of a certificate that you imported.
    2. From the Key list, select the name of the key that you imported.
    3. From the Chain list, select the chain that you want to include in the certificate key chain.
    4. Click Add.
  8. Click Finished.
After you have created the client SSL profile, you must assign the profile to a virtual server, so that the virtual server can process SSL traffic according to the specified profile settings.

Importing a pre-existing NetHSM key to the BIG-IP

  1. On the Main tab, click System > Certificate Management > Traffic Certificate Managment > SSL Certificate List > Import .
    The SSL Certificate/Key Source page opens.
  2. Within Import Type, select Key.
    The key name should be the same as the NetHSM key label.
  3. Within Key Name, select Overwrite Existing and from the drop-down menu, select the key you would like to overwrite.
  4. Within Key Source, select From NetHSM.
    For this option to be available, the system must have External HSM licensed, and either SafeNet/Thales External HSM configured.
  5. Click Import.
You can also import an existing key by using tmsh commands tmsh install sys crypto key nethsm_key_label from-nethsm security-type or tmsh install sys crypto key nethsm_key_label from-nethsm. Use the NetHSM key label as the key name. For example:
root@(ssl8519)(cfg-sync Standalone)(Active)(/Common)(tmos)# install sys crypto key nethsm_key_label (tab)
Options:
  from-editor       from-nethsm 
Properties:
  from-local-file   from-url    
root@(ssl8519)(cfg-sync Standalone)(Active)(/Common)(tmos)# install sys crypto key nethsm_key_label from-nethsm security-type nethsm
Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>

Have a Question?

Support and Sales >

About F5

Education

F5 Sites

Support Tasks

©2019 F5 Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Policies Privacy Trademarks