# Security for System Administration

In the hands of a trained and responsible administrator or technician, server administration functions can be used to provide convenient and full-featured service to mailbox owners and callers, and to keep the server functioning smoothly. In the wrong hands, the same functions can be used to take over mailboxes, disrupt service, and even shut down the server. Security for the administration function is extremely important. However, when Functionally Partitioned System Administration (FPSA) is employed, server security is assured because access can be restricted to authorized persons only.

## System Maintenance Console (Text and Web Consoles)

The system maintenance console—the main point of entry for configuration and administration—is one of the most critical factors in security. Console access is protected by a login sequence of User ID and Passcode to verify a user before allowing access to menus.

## FPSA User ID

The FPSA user ID is a unique representation of a person’s identity within the system, consisting of up to 14 alphanumeric characters. Each user ID is associated with one real name, although a single real name can be assigned multiple user IDs.

During the login sequence, you are identified by your user ID, the terminal device, and the module where you log in. Each subsequent activity you perform during a session at a server maintenance console can be recorded in the audit trail.

An FPSA user can perform the following tasks:

- Log in/out of Web or Text Console

- Change password in Web or Text Console

- Display privileges in Web Console

## System Superuser

The system superuser (a system administrator who logs in as "root" or "admin") can display, on a system maintenance console, all current user IDs, along with the names, passcodes, permission categories, and other statistics associated with the IDs.

The system superuser can perform following user-maintenance tasks:

- Configure FPSA parameters in Web or Text Console

- Add, delete and unlock FPSA users in Web or Text Console

- Modify FPSA user permission categories in Web or Text Console

- Reset FPSA user passwords in Web or Text Console

- Display a list of FPSA users in Web or Text Console

- Start an audit trail in Web or Text Console

- Generate an audit trail report in Web or Text Console

Note: The system superuser’s login user IDs ("root" and "admin") cannot be changed.

## Console Passcode

A user ID can be verified by entering an optional passcode consisting of a mix of alphabetic, numeric and punctuation characters. The same passcode can be used with different user IDs. The system superuser and FPSA users each have their own passcode.

## FPSA Passcode Restrictions

FPSA passwords:

- must contain at least one alphabetic, one numeric and one punctuation character (3!CALDA@) in the first eight characters.

- must be between six and 64 characters log for Web Console access, and between six and 30 characters long for Text Console access.

- cannot be reused.

- cannot contain accented characters.

- cannot contain a substring (four or more characters) of the user ID. For example, the user ID "mark61" cannot have the console passcode "markey4!" or "n=ark60" because each contains a substring that is part of the user ID (indicated in bold characters).

Each time you log in the system displays the date and time of your last login and the number of unsuccessful attempts, if any, since your last login.

## Modem

A modem on a serial port of the system can be used by you, or anyone else, to gain access to all system maintenance and configuration capabilities. You must protect this access point from abuse. The same login sequence described in the previous section applies to any remote access that uses the modem.

## Administrator’s Mailbox

The administrator’s mailbox can be used to perform several administration functions, including the creation and deletion of mailboxes.

To protect the administrator’s mailbox:

- Change the mailbox number to any number up to 11 digits (you do not have to keep the default setting). If you do change the administrator’s mailbox to a number with several digits, be sure the Dial Plan allows it (or change the plan).

- Make a passcode a condition for successful login.

- Note: The administrator’s mailbox must have a passcode; it cannot be the same as the mailbox number, and it cannot be a trivial passcode (such as, 1234 or 8888).

- Set the FCOS to require an access code before callers can leave a message. If the administrator’s mailbox number is not an integrated extension number, you must access the mailbox by calling the system: press the * key (star) at the first greeting, enter the administrator’s mailbox number, press the * key (star), and enter the passcode.

- If the FCOS requires an access code, you must enter it before you can press the second * (star), thus adding a second level of passcode-type protection.

- Use FCOS settings to further restrict mailbox access to certain ports, or to deny login to the mailbox (FCOS Category 2).

- Note: If you deny login to the mailbox, you must use the system console to allow login prior to performing any administration by phone.

Parent topic: Description