Onboard devices using your own root certificate authority and Group Policy

In this topic, you will learn how to create your own certificate authority in Windows Server, generate user certificates using Group Policy, and then use these certificates to onboard devices.

Note: These instructions assume a very simple Windows Server configuration. We recommend that you follow Microsoft documentation on the Certificate Group Policy, the Certification Authority console, and Group Policy to learn more and adjust these instructions to your specific environment.

Create a Certification Authority

In this section, you will learn how to configure Windows Server with an Active Directory Certificate Services role, and create and configure the Certification Authority (CA).

  1. In the Server Manager > Dashboard window, click on the Manage top menu and select the Add Roles and Features option to open the Add Roles and Features Wizard.

    1. In the Installation Type step, select the Role-based or feature-based installation option and then click on the Next button.
    2. In the Server Selection step, select the server to configure from the list and then click on the Next button.
    3. In the Server Roles step, activate the Active Directory Certificate Services checkbox.

    4. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard pop-up, click on the Add Features button. Then, click on the Next button in the parent window.

    5. In the Features step, leave the default values, and then click on the Next button.
    6. In the AD CS step, read the warning information, and then click on the Next button.
    7. In the Role Services step, make sure that the Certification Authority checkbox is selected, and then click on the Next button.

    8. In the Confirmation step, click on the Install button.

    Result: The Active Directory Certificate Services will be installed in the background.

  2. In the Server Manager > Dashboard window, click on the AD CS option in the left-hand side menu, and then click on the More link in the warning notification.

  3. In the All Servers Task Details and Notifications window, click on the Configure Active Directory Certificate Services link to open the AD CS Configuration wizard.

    1. In the Credentials step, select the credentials to configure AD CS and click on the Next button.
    2. In the Role Services step, activate the Certification Authority checkbox and then click on the Next button.

    3. In the Setup Type step, select the Enterprise CA option and then click on the Next button.

    4. In the CA Type step, select the Root CA option and then click on the Next button.

    5. In the Private Key step, select the Create a new private key option and then click on the Next button.

    6. In the Cryptography step, select the desired cryptographic provider and hash algorithm for the new private key, and then click on the Next button.

      You can leave the default values for the provider and hash algorithm.

    7. In the CA Name step, enter a name for your CA, and then click on the Next button.

      Important: The name of your CA should be exactly the same as the name of your tenant in Portnox Cloud. Otherwise, you will not be able to import and use the root CA certificate.
    8. In the Validity Period step, enter a validity period for your CA certificate and then click on the Next button.

      Note: We recommend a long validity period of at least 5 years. If the CA certificate expires, all devices will have to renew their certificates, which may cause organizational problems.
    9. In the Certificate Database step, leave the default values and then click on the Next button.
    10. In the Confirmation step, click on the Configure button and then in the Results step, click on the Close button.

Create a certificate template

In this section, you will learn how to create a certificate template, which you will later distribute via GPO to client devices so they can request certificates from the CA.

  1. In the Windows search bar, start typing certification authority and then click on the Certification Authority app icon.

  2. In the Certification Authority app window, expand your CA node, right-click on the Certificate Templates entry, and from the context menu, select the Manage option.

  3. In the Certificate Templates Console window, scroll down to the User entry, right-click on it, and from the context menu, select the Duplicate Template option.

  4. In the Properties of New Template window, in the General tab, enter a name for the new user template.

    If you change the Template display name, the Template name field changes accordingly.

    In this example, we used the name Vorlon but you can use any name you like.

  5. In the Subject Name tab, make sure that the Build from this Active Directory information option is selected and that the Include e-mail name in subject name checkbox is active.

    Important: All users that you want to automatically enroll with a certificate need to have an email address specified in their Active Directory. If there is no email specified for a given user, enrollment will fail.
  6. In the Security tab, make sure that any users that you want to automatically enroll with a certificate have an active checkbox in the Autoenroll row in the Allow column.

  7. Click on the OK button to close the Properties of New Template window and close the Certificate Templates Console window.
  8. In the Certificate Authority app window, expand your CA node, right-click on the Certificate Templates entry, and from the context menu, select the New > Certificate Template to Issue option.

  9. In the Enable Certificate Templates window, scroll to the newly created template, select it, and then click on the OK button.

Configure certificate enrollment via Group Policy

In this section, you will learn how to configure the Group Policy to automatically enroll client devices with user certificates.

  1. In the Windows search bar, start typing group policy management and then click on the Group Policy Management app icon.

  2. In the Group Policy Management app window, expand: your forest > Domains > your domain, then right-click on the Group Policy Objects entry, and from the context menu, select the New option.

  3. In the New GPO window, enter the name for the new group policy object, and then click on the OK button.

    In this example, we used the name Certificate policy but you can use any name you like.

  4. Right-click on the newly created group policy object, and from the context menu, select the Edit option.

  5. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand User Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings, click on the Public Key Policies option, and in the right-hand side pane, right-click on the Certificate Services Client - Auto-Enrollment entry and from the context menu, select the Properties option.

  6. In the Certificate Services Client - Auto-Enrollment Properties window, in the Configuration Model section, select the Enabled option, activate the checkboxes Renew expired certificates, update pending certificates, and remove revoked certificates and Update certificates that use certificate templates, and then click on the OK button.

  7. Close the Group Policy Management Editor window.
  8. In the Group Policy Management window, right-click on your domain name, and from the context menu, select the Link an Existing GPO option.

  9. In the Select GPO window, select the GPO you just created, and then click on the OK button.

Export the root CA certificate

In this section, you will export the root CA certificate so that you can upload this certificate to Portnox™ Cloud. This will let Cloud verify the validity of certificates issued by your CA.

  1. In the Windows search bar, start typing certification authority and then click on the Certification Authority app icon.

  2. In the Certification Authority app window, right-click on your CA node, and select the Properties option to open the Properties window.

  3. In the Properties window, in the General tab, click on the View Certificate button to open the Certificate window.

  4. In the Certificate window, go to the Details tab, and then click on the Copy to File button to open the Certificate Export Wizard.

  5. In the Certificate Export Wizard window, click on the Next button to go to the Export File Format step, and select DER encoded binary X.509 (.CER) format, then click on the Next button.

  6. In the next step, select a file to export to, click on the Next button, and then click on the Finish button to finish exporting the certificate.

Result: Your root CA certificate will be exported to a file with a cer extension, in the DER encoded binary X.509 format.

Upload the root CA certificate to Cloud

In this section, you will upload the exported root CA certificate as a tenant CA certificate to Portnox™ Cloud. This will let Cloud recognize and authenticate your devices that have user certificates, which you generated using your own root CA.

  1. Open the Portnox Cloud portal.
  2. In the Cloud portal top menu, click on the Settings option.

  3. In the right-hand side pane, find and click on the CLEAR GENERAL SETTINGS heading.

    More options appear under the CLEAR GENERAL SETTINGS heading and description.

  4. Scroll down to the TRUSTED ROOT CERTIFICATES section and click on the Upload trusted root certificate generated by “Your tenant name” link. Then, select the file using the  ↥  button and click on the Save button to upload the file.

Create a GPO for wired network authentication

If you want to control your wired network configuration using a GPO, you can create a GPO object to configure the wired network.

  1. In the Windows search bar, start typing group policy management and then click on the Group Policy Management app icon.

  2. Create a GPO for wired network configuration.
    1. In the Group Policy Management app window, expand: your forest > Domains > your domain, then right-click on the Group Policy Objects entry, and from the context menu, select the New option.

    2. In the New GPO window, enter a Name for the new wired configuration GPO, and click on the OK button.

      In this example, we used the name Wired network configuration but you can use any name you like.
  3. Configure the new wired network configuration GPO:
    1. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management window, right-click on the Group Policy Object that you just created and select the Edit option from the context menu.

    2. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand the Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings nodes, and then left-click on the System Services node. In the right-hand pane, scroll down to the Wired AutoConfig entry.

    3. Double-click on the Wired AutoConfig entry to open the Wired AutoConfig Properties window, activate the Define this policy setting checkbox, and select the Automatic option. Then, click on the OK button.

    4. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management Editor window, left-click on the Wired Network (IEEE 802.3) Policies node. In the right-hand pane, right-click on the empty space, and then select the Create a New Wired Network Policy for Windows Vista and Later Releases option from the context menu.

    5. In the New Wired Network Policy Properties window, in the General tab, enter a name for this new policy.

      In this example, we used the name Wired network configuration but you can use any name you like.
    6. In the Security tab, in the Select a network authentication method field, select the Microsoft: Smart Card or other certificate option, in the Authentication Mode field, select the User or Computer authentication option, and then click on the Properties button.

    7. In the Smart Card or other Certificate Properties window, select the Use a certificate on this computer option, activate the Use simple certificate selection (Recommended) checkbox, activate the Verify the server’s identity by validating the certificate checkbox, and in the Trusted Root Certificate Authorities list, select the DigiCert Trusted Root G4 certificate (the Cloud RADIUS server’s root CA certificate).

    8. Click on the OK button in the Smart Card or other Certificate Properties window and then click on the OK button in the New Wired Network Policy Properties window to create the new wired network policy.
  4. Link the wired network configuration GPO to an organizational unit or domain:
    1. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management window, right-click on a domain or an organizational unit, and select the Link an Existing GPO option.

    2. In the Select GPO window, click on the wired network configuration GPO you created and then click on the OK button.

Create a GPO for wireless network authentication

If you want to control your wireless network configuration using a GPO, you can create a GPO object to configure the wireless network.

  1. In the Windows search bar, start typing group policy management and then click on the Group Policy Management app icon.

  2. Create a GPO for wireless network configuration.
    1. In the Group Policy Management app window, expand: your forest > Domains > your domain, then right-click on the Group Policy Objects entry, and from the context menu, select the New option.

    2. In the New GPO window, enter a Name for the new wireless configuration GPO, and click on the OK button.

      In this example, we used the name Wireless network configuration but you can use any name you like.
  3. Configure the new wireless network configuration GPO:
    1. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management window, right-click on the Group Policy Object that you just created and select the Edit option from the context menu.

    2. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand the Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings nodes, and then left-click on the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies node. In the right-hand pane, right-click on the empty space, and then select the Create a New Wireless Network Policy for Windows Vista and Later Releases option from the context menu.

    3. In the New Wireless Network Policy Properties window, in the General tab, enter a name for this new policy.

      In this example, we used the name Wireless network configuration but you can use any name you like.
    4. Click on the Add button and select the Infrastructure option.

    5. In the New Profile properties window, in the Profile field, select a name for this profile, in the Network Name(s) (SSID) field, enter the SSID of your network, and then click on the Add button.

      In this example, we used the profile name Vorlon but you can use any name you like.

    6. In the Security tab, in the Authentication field, select the WPA2-Enterprise option, in the Select a network authentication method field, select the Microsoft: Smart Card or other certificate option, in the Authentication Mode field, select the User or Computer authentication option, and then click on the Properties button.

    7. In the Smart Card or other Certificate Properties window, select the Use a certificate on this computer option, activate the Use simple certificate selection (Recommended) checkbox, activate the Verify the server’s identity by validating the certificate checkbox, and in the Trusted Root Certificate Authorities list, select the DigiCert Trusted Root G4 certificate (the Cloud RADIUS server’s root CA certificate).

    8. Click on the OK button in the Smart Card or other Certificate Properties window to close it.
    9. In the Network Permissions tab, click on the Add button. In the New Permission Entry pop-up, in the Network Name (SSID) field, enter the SSID of your network, in the Network Type field, select Infrastructure, and in the Permission field, select Allow. Then, click on the OK button.

    10. Click on the OK button in the New Profile properties window to create the new wireless network policy.
  4. Link the wireless network configuration GPO to an organizational unit or domain:
    1. In the left-hand pane of the Group Policy Management window, right-click on a domain or an organizational unit, and select the Link an Existing GPO option.

    2. In the Select GPO window, click on the wireless network configuration GPO you created and then click on the OK button.