RSA NetWitness Endpoint - How to configure permissions when SQL and NWE are on separate servers

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Article Number

000034594

Applies To

RSA Product Set: NetWitness Endpoint (ECAT)
RSA Product/Service Type: NetWitness Endpoint (ECAT)
RSA Version/Condition: 4.1.x.x, 4.2.x.x
Platform: Windows
Platform (Other): SQL 2014 Standard/Enterprise, SQL 2012 Standard/Enterprise, SQL 2008 Standard/Enterprise

Issue

It is recommended that NetWitness Endpoint and Microsoft SQL Server be installed on the same physical server. However, this is not always  feasible for various reasons.  When NetWitness Endpoint is installed on a physically separate server from the SQL database, permissions become more complicated. The following details the permissions requirements for Windows/Active Directory and Microsoft SQL Server when NWE and SQL are on separate servers.

Task

There are 4 services accounts that must have appropriate permissions, 3 folders that require configuration and SQL privileges that must be correct if NetWitness Endpoint is to function correctly. You must also share both the QueuedData and Files directories to allow ConsoleServer, SQL Server and SQL Agent to access them remotely. The API Server service does not need access to these shares.  In cases where Console Server and API Server services are running under the same account the additional permissions do not impact performance. Remote users of the UI will need access to the Files directory as well.

SERVICE ACCOUNTS

• RSA ECAT API Server
• RSA ECAT Console Server
• SQL Server
• SQL Server Agent

DATABASE PERMISSIONS

• API Server and ConsoleServer service accounts require sysadmin
• SQL Server and SQL Agent service accounts require sysadmin
• User accounts do not require sysadmin

FOLDER PERMISSIONS

• QueuedData folder: ConsoleServer service account needs Full control, SQL Server & SQL Agent service accounts require read access. Additionally, the SQL Server service account may need to have delegation enabled to access the QueuedData share on the NetWitness Endpoint server; otherwise an "Access Denied" error occurs when SQL Server tries to bulk load the kerneldata.csv file.  Delegation and Kerberos double-hop authentication are detailed in the following KB:  Access denied error is logged in RSA NetWitness Endpoint when SQL attempts to insert KernelData.csv file 
• Files folder:  ConsoleServer service account must have Full Control, user accounts need read access
• Root folder (C:\ProgramFiles\RSA\ECAT\Server by default in 4.2, C:\ECAT\Server in 4.1): API server and ConsoleServer service accounts needs full control

 SHARING QueuedData folder

• QueuedData folder must be shared
• ConsoleServer.exe.config must be updated with the UNC path.  for example: <add key="QueuedDataPath" value="\\NWEServer\QueuedData"/>
• ConsoleServer service account needs full control
• SQL Agent and SQL server service accounts need read access

SHARING Files folder                

• Files folder must be shared (can be on a network share if desired)
• Console Server service account must have FULL control
• User accounts must have READ access

In most cases, the SQL and SQL Agent services are run under the same service account.  It is also common for the Console Server and API Server services to be run under the same account (not the same account as SQL and SQL Agent services).  This is not a requirement but does simplify initial configuration.

Resolution

Example of limiting ‘sysadmin’ privileges:
For the purpose of installing, the user will need to be sysadmin.  Let’s call him Adam. Adam will then be able to login to NetWitness Endpoint UI because he is sysadmin on the DB. Adam should create another user within “Users and Roles” in the NetWitness Endpoint UI - let’s call him Bob, and add the role of ECAT Admin to him. Then we can drop the sysadmin rights from Adam. Bob can create a new user from within the ECAT UI for Adam and give him the role of ECAT Admin. These two users will then be able to add users and change roles at will. Not a single human will have sysadmin.