HP Web Jetadmin - Security and HP Web Jetadmin

Figure 9—Active clients task module

NOTE The I/O column represents the communication direction with respect to the HP Web Jetadmin

server host. HP Web Jetadmin uses random source ports when communicating with ports on

remote IP addresses.

NOTE HP Web Jetadmin uses ports 7627, 3702, and 3910 internally to communicate with devices.

To ensure proper communication, these ports must be kept open for communication directly

with the device and with the internal HPWSProAdapter service.

NOTE HP Web Jetadmin uses the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) in the discovery process.

HP Web Jetadmin sends an ICMP echo request to determine if the IP is active.

HPWJA service

HPWJA Service is core to the HP Web Jetadmin application and runs under the low privilege

Microsoft user account “NT Authority\Network Service.” Many environments require applications like

HP Web Jetadmin not to have administrative access to the operating system.

SQL server (HPWJA)—database access and authentication

A SQL Server 2005 Express database instance is created at install time and accessed by HP Web

Jetadmin using Windows credentials. The service for this instance runs under user

NT Authority\Network Service and is named SQL Server (HPWJA). HP Web Jetadmin uses the

Network Service account within the local Windows system to access SQL. Sensitive information such

as device credentials and other settings data identities are encrypted and stored securely within SQL

data tables.

NOTE As of November 2009, version 10.2.62227, HP Web Jetadmin can be configured to use a

remote instance of SQL Server and authenticate by using a SQL user account. Windows

authentication to the SQL Server instance and/or secure, certificates based authentication are

not currently possible, which may be considered a security vulnerability in some

environments. During SQL authentication, the SQL username and password are hidden to

prevent casual observation, but HP Web Jetadmin use on un-trusted networks may be a

concern to some administrators.

Active Clients task module

The Active Clients task module can be activated and viewed within the Task Module Docking area or

from Application Management > Overview. This task module shows clients that are logged into

HP Web Jetadmin, as well as the

number of active client applications

that are being run by each client. This

feature helps the administrator

determine which clients are logged

into the system prior to running

Product Updates or performing tasks

that may burden the system and cause

slow performance. A short custom

message can be sent to clients by

using Tools > Broadcast Message

which is available from Application

Management (see Figure 9).