HP Web Jetadmin - Security and HP Web Jetadmin

The Credentials Store uses a portion of the HP Web Jetadmin SQL database that securely encrypts

and stores device credentials whenever a correct credential value is authenticated. These values are

stored on a per-credential and per-device basis. Here is a list of HP device credentials used by

HP Web Jetadmin:

• EWS Password—Blocks unauthorized access to the device-embedded HTTP interface and is

synchronized with the HP Jetdirect telnet password.

• PJL Password—Blocks unauthorized PJL command strings.

• File System Password—Protects the printer disk and other storage facilities from unauthorized

access.

• SNMPv3 Credentials—Consists of user name, passphrase1 and passphrase2, which are used

when SNMPv3 is enabled. This version of the Simple Network Management Protocol secures and

authenticates communication between management applications like HP Web Jetadmin and the

device. This protocol is used when strong security is a requirement.

• SNMP Set Community Name—Grouping mechanism for SNMPv1/v2 that has been adopted as a

security mechanism by many users. Device configuration is not possible without knowledge of the

Set name value. However, the Set name value traverses the network in clear text and can be

“sniffed,” or viewed, by eavesdroppers.

• SNMP Get Community Name—Sometimes used to prevent device discovery from other HP Web

Jetadmin installations. Devices do not respond to Get packets that do not contain the correct

value. However, the Get name value traverses the network in clear text and can be “sniffed” by

eavesdroppers.

Two actions cause the value of any credential to be stored:

• Configuration: The credential becomes stored once it has been configured onto the device.

• Use: The credential value becomes stored when used during a configuration and when the

credential was not previously stored by the software.

Stored credentials are reused by the application any time the requirement for them is encountered. A

user configuring a device that has had a credential stored is not required to re-enter the credential

into the application. The application uses the credential as a background operation in the HP Web

Jetadmin server’s steps to configure the device.

After a backup and restore, the contents of the Credential Store are retained if the restore occurs on

the same machine with the same OS. If the restore occurs on a different machine or the OS is rebuilt

between the backup and the restore, all credentials are lost.

NOTE Instructions and sample script files for backup and restore procedures can be found in the

HP Web Jetadmin install directory, which is typically at: [Drive]:\Program Files\Hewlett-

Packard\Web Jetadmin 10\WJABackupRestore.

Configuration of a device credential

Figure 10 shows the configuration item used to set the Embedded Web Server password.

Figure 10—EWS password configuration item