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Manual Chapter : Setting Up the Thales HSM

Applies To:

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BIG-IP AAM

  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1

BIG-IP APM

  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1

BIG-IP GTM

  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1

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  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1

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Manual Chapter
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Setting Up the Thales HSM

Overview: Setting up the Thales HSM

The Thales nShield Connect is an external HSM that is available for use with BIG-IP® systems. Because it is network-based, you can use the Thales nShield Connect solution with all BIG-IP platforms, including VIPRION® Series chassis and BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE).

The Thales nShield Connect architecture includes a component called the Remote File System (RFS) that stores and manages the encrypted key files. The RFS can be installed on the BIG-IP system or on another server on your network.

The BIG-IP system is a client of the RFS, and all BIG-IP systems that are enrolled with the RFS can access the encrypted keys from this central location. The RFS helps automate the key distribution process, but you are not required to use RFS with this solution.

Only RSA-based cipher suites use the network HSM.

After you install the Thales nShield Connect client on the BIG-IP system, the keys stored in the Thales HSM and the corresponding certificates are available for use with Access Policy Manager® and Application Security Manager™.

For additional information about using Thales nShield Connect, refer to the Thales website:

                  
https://www.thales-esecurity.com/products-and-services/products-and-services
/hardware-security-modules/general-purpose-hsms/nshield-connect
Note: The BIG-IP system does not support Thales nShield Connect in Appliance mode.

Prerequisites for setting up Thales nShield Connect with BIG-IP systems

Before you can use Thales nShield Connect with the BIG-IP® system, you must make sure that these requirements are in place:

  • The Thales nShield Connect device is installed on your network.
  • The Network HSM interface is licensed.
  • The IP address of the BIG-IP client that is visible to the Thales HSM is on the allowed list of clients on the Thales nShield Connect device. If you are implementing Thales nShield Connect with a VIPRION® system, you need to add the cluster management IP address and the cluster member IP address for each blade installed in the chassis to the allowed list.
  • The RFS server is installed. This could be an external server on your network or on the local BIG-IP system.
  • The Thales nShield Connect device, the RFS, and the BIG-IP system can initiate connections with each other through port 9004 (default).
  • You have created the Thales Security World (security architecture).
  • The BIG-IP system is licensed for "External Interface and Network HSM."
Important: If the BIG-IP system contains an internal HSM (FIPS Cavium card), you cannot use internal and external HSMs at the same time. In this case, the external HSM takes precedence. To use the internal HSM, you must uninstall the Thales HSM client.

Additionally, before you begin the installation process, make sure that you can locate these items on the installation DVD that ships with the Thales hardware unit:

  • The Thales Security World Software for Linux 64bit (Release 11.40 or higher)
  • The nShield_Connect_and_netHSM_User_Guide.pdf

Task summary

The implementation process involves preparation of the Thales nShield Connect device.

Task list

Installing Thales nShield Connect components on the BIG-IP system

Before you can set up the Thales nShield Connect components on a BIG-IP® system, you must obtain the Thales 64-bit Linux ISO CD and copy files from the CD to specific locations on the BIG-IP system using secure copy (SCP). F5 Networks has tested these integration steps with Thales security World Software for Linux 64bit v11.40. We expect later versions to be compatible. For questions about Thales components, consult your Thales representative.

You can install files from the Thales 64 bit Linux ISO CD to the BIG-IP system.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Create a directory under /shared named thales_install/amd64/nfast.
    mkdir -p /shared/thales_install/amd64/nfast
  3. In the new directory, create subdirectories named ctls, hwcrhk, hwsp, and pkcs11.
  4. Copy files from the CD and place them in the specified directories:
    File to copy from the CD Location to place file on BIG-IP
    /linux/libc6_3/amd64/nfast/ctls/agg.tar /shared/thales_install/amd64/nfast/ctls/agg.tar
    /linux/libc6_3/amd64/nfast/hwcrhk/user.tar /shared/thales_install/amd64/nfast/hwcrhk/user.tar
    /linux/libc6_3/amd64/nfast/hwsp/agg.tar /shared/thales_install/amd64/nfast/hwsp/agg.tar
    /linux/libc6_3/amd64/nfast/pkcs11/user.tar /shared/thales_install/amd64/nfast/pkcs11/user.tar

Setting up the RFS on the BIG-IP system (optional)

Before you set up the Remote File System (RFS) on the BIG-IP® system, make sure that the Thales nShield Connect device is installed on your network.
Note: Setting up the RFS on the BIG-IP system is optional. If the RFS is running on another server on your network, you do not need to perform this task.
If the RFS is not running on another server in your network, you need to set up the RFS on the BIG-IP® system.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the BIG-IP system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Run the script to set up the RFS.
    nethsm-thales-rfs-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr=<Thales_nShield Connect device IP address> --rfs_interface=<local interface name>
    This example sets up the RFS to run on the BIG-IP system, where the IP address of the Thales nShield Connect device has an IP address of 192.27.13.59:

    nethsm-thales-rfs-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr=192.168.13.59 --rfs_interface=eth0

After you set up the RFS on the BIG-IP system, you must set up the Thales nShield Connect client on each BIG-IP system that you want to use with the Thales nShield Connect device.

Setting up the Thales nShield Connect client on the BIG-IP system

Before you set up the Thales client, make sure that the Thales nShield Connect client is installed on the BIG-IP® system and that the Security World has been set up. Additionally, make sure that the RFS is installed and set up on either a remote server or on the BIG-IP system on your network. You will need to license the Network HSM interface.
Note: If the Thales nShield Connect client was installed on a BIG-IP system before the RFS was installed on the network, then you must reinstall the client on the BIG-IP system.
Note: The BIG-IP system IP address might not be the same as the IP address of the outgoing packet, such as when a firewall modifies the IP address.

To use the Thales nShield Connect device with the BIG-IP system, you must first set up the Thales client on the BIG-IP system. For the enrollment to work properly, the IP address of the BIG-IP system must be a client of the networked HSM. You set up the IP address using the front panel of the nShield Connect device, or by pushing the client configuration. For details about how to add, edit, and view clients, refer to the Thales documentation.

If you are setting up the Thales 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 BIG-IP system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Set the HSM vendor, including the password used to log in to the HSM:
    tmsh create sys crypto fips external-hsm vendor thales password <password>
  3. Verify that the F5 interface you will use to communicate with the nShield Connect has been entered on the front panel of the HSM; that is, the Thales nShield Connect must permit connections from the F5 source IP address.
  4. Set up the Thales nShield Connect client, using one of these options:
    • Option 1: Set up the client when the RFS is remote. 
      nethsm-thales-install.sh
--hsm_ip_addr=<nShield_Connect_device_IP_address>
--rfs_ip_addr=<remote_RFS_server_IP_address>
--rfs_username=<remote_RFS_server_username_for_SSH_login>
--interface=<Interface_name_of_Thales_client_on_BIG-IP>

      The following example sets up the client where the Thales nShield Connect device has an IP address of 192.168.13.59, the remote RFS has an IP address of 192.168.13.58, the user name for an SSH login to the RFS is root, and the Thales client interface is the management (eth0) interface:

      nethsm-thales-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr=192.168.13.59 --rfs_ip_addr=192.168.12.58 --rfs_username=root --interface=eth0

    • Option 2: Set up the client when the RFS is set up on the local BIG-IP system: 
      nethsm-thales-install.sh
--hsm_ip_addr=<nShield_Connect_device_IP_address>
--rfs_interface=<local_RFS_server_interface>

      The following example sets up the client where the Thales nShield Connect device has an IP address of 172.168.13.59 and the RFS is installed on the BIG-IP system using the eth0 interface:

      nethsm-thales-install.sh --hsm_ip_addr=172.168.13.59 --rfs_interface=eth0

  5. Reload the PATH environment variable.
    If you are installing the Thales nShield Connect on a VIPRION system, you need to reload the PATH environment variable on any blades with already-open sessions: source ~/.bash_profile .

Setting up the Thales nShield Connect client on a newly added or activated blade

After you set up the Thales nShield Connect 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:
    thales-sync.sh -v
  3. If you make the new blade a primary blade before running the synchronization script, you need to run the regular client setup procedure on the new primary blade only.
    nethsm-thales-install.sh

Configuring the Thales nShield Connect client for multiple HSMs in an HA group

Before starting this task, you need to set up the Thales nShield Connect client on the BIG-IP® system.
You can perform these additional steps to configure the Thales nShield Connect client for multiple HSMs.
  1. Log in to the command-line interface of the system using an account with administrator privileges.
  2. Enroll each additional HSM in the HA group.
    /opt/nfast/bin/nethsmenroll --force <HSM_ip_address> $(anonkneti <HSM_ip_address>)
    Perform this step for each of the additional HSMs in the HA group. For the enrollment to work properly, the IP address of the BIG-IP system must be a client of the networked HSM. You set up the IP address using the front panel of the nShield Connect device, or by pushing the client configuration. For details about how to add, edit, and view clients, refer to the Thales documentation.
  3. Update the permissions. 
                        chmod 755 -R /opt/nfast/bin
                    chown -R nfast:nfast /opt/nfast/kmdata/
                    chmod 700 -R /opt/nfast/kmdata/tmp/nfpriv_root
                    chown -R root:root /opt/nfast/kmdata/tmp/nfpriv_root
  4. Verify installation.
    /opt/nfast/bin/enquiry
    This command displays all the installed modules that have the status Operational. Note that three HSMs are operational in this example.
                            Server:
                        :
                        serial number        CB9E-745E-F901 A1D0-2DBE-AD98 5286-D07F-7601
                        mode                 operational
  5. Restart the pksc11 service.
    tmsh restart sys service pkcs11d
  6. Restart the TMM service.
    tmsh restart sys service tmm
  7. Wait until the TMM is active.
  8. Verify installation.
    /opt/nfast/bin/enquiry
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