Home
Configuration Guide
Learn how to configure BigFix according to your needs.
Configuring secure communication
Configuring custom certificates
Things to consider when configuring custom certificates.
Generating a Self-Signed Certificate
Procedure to generate a self-signed certificate (cert.pem) from a certificate request file (cert.csr).

Configuration Guide
Learn how to configure BigFix according to your needs.
- Introduction
  This guide explains additional configuration steps that you can run in your environment after installation.
- BigFix Site Administrator and Console Operators
  In BigFix there are two basic classes of users.
- Integrating with LDAP
  You can add Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) associations to BigFix.
- Enabling SAML V2.0 authentication for LDAP operators
  Starting from Version 9.5.5, BigFix supports SAML V2.0 authentication via LDAP-backed SAML identity providers.
- Disabling local operators
  Starting from BigFix Version 10.0.8, this feature provides a mechanism where the creation and use of any local operator is prohibited in favor of LDAP-based operators.
- Using multiple servers (DSA)
  Some important elements of multiple server installations.
- Server object IDs
  The BigFix server generates unique ids for the objects that it creates: Fixlets, tasks, baselines, properties, analysis, actions, roles, custom sites, computer groups, management rights, subscriptions.
- Customizing HTTPS for Gathering
- Using the DHE/ECDHE key exchange method
  By default, BigFix 10.0 Patch 1 components use the DHE/ECDHE key exchange method if the version of the BigFix component on the other side of the SSL communication allows it.
- Configuring secure communication
  - Configuring custom certificates
    Things to consider when configuring custom certificates.
    - Private key and certificate format
      Ensure that the private key and the certificate files have the following format and structure.
    - Creating a Certificate Signing Request (csr)
      Procedure to register a certificate.
    - Generating a Self-Signed Certificate
      Procedure to generate a self-signed certificate (cert.pem) from a certificate request file (cert.csr).
    - Requesting a Certificate from a Certificate Authority
      To encrypt HTTPS Web Reports with a certificate that browsers implicitly trust, request a signed certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (or CA) such as Verisign as follows.
  - Customizing HTTPS on Web Reports
  - Customizing HTTPS on REST API
    The BigFix root server is configured to use HTTPS by default when it gets installed and creates its own certificate during the installation. If you want to replace it, you need to configure HTTPS manually.
- Real Time AV Exclusions
  BigFix Console, Server and Relay components of the architecture perform high volume file operations. This activity is a substantial part of the functionality that these BigFix architecture components provide.
- Downloading files in air-gapped environments
  In air-gapped environments, to download and transfer files to the main BigFix server, use the Airgap utility and the BES Download Cacher utility.
- Getting client information by using BigFix Query
  The BigFix Query feature allows you to retrieve information and run relevance queries on client workstations from the WebUI BigFix Query Application or by using REST APIs.
- The Plugin Portal
  The Plugin Portal is a new component introduced in BigFix 10 to help manage cloud devices as well as modern devices such as Windows 10 and MacOS endpoints enrolled to BigFix. For details on modern client management, see the Modern Client Management documentation.
- Extending BigFix management capabilities
  BigFix 10 delivers a few significant new functions for enhancing the visibility and management of devices on your network regardless of whether the devices are physical or virtual.
- Persistent connections
  The capability to establish persistent connections was added to the product.
- Relays in DMZ
  The capability to establish a persistent TCP connection between the parent relay in the more secure zone and its child relay inside the DMZ network was added to the product. This allows you to manage systems in a demilitarized zone (DMZ network).
- Working with PeerNest
  The BigFix Client includes a new feature named PeerNest, that allows to share binary files among Clients located in the same subnet. The feature is available starting from BigFix Version 9.5 Patch 11.
- Archiving Client files on the BigFix Server
  You can collect multiple files from BigFix clients into an archive and move them through the relay system to the server.
- BigFix Configuration Settings
  A number of advanced BigFix configuration settings are available that can give you substantial control over the behavior of the BigFix suite. These options allow you to customize the behavior of the BigFix server, relays, and clients in your network.
- Additional configuration steps
  These topics explain additional configuration steps that you can run in your environment.
- Migrating the BigFix Server (Windows/MS-SQL)
  This section details the steps and operational procedures necessary for migrating the BigFix Server from existing hardware onto new computer systems.
- Migrating the BigFix Server (Linux)
  This section provides basic information on migrating your BigFix Server from existing Linux hardware onto new systems.
- Server audit logs
  The BigFix Server generates a server audit log file which contains the access information (login/logout) and information about the actions performed through the Console or the WebUI by the different users.
- List of advanced options
  The following lists show the advanced options.
- Security Configuration Scenarios
  BigFix provides the capability to follow the NIST security standards by configuring an enhanced security option.
- Client certificate
  To comply with the modern industry standards, starting from product version 10.0.7, the client certificate of the BigFix Agent will have a validity period of 13 months.
- Client Authentication
  Client Authentication (introduced in version 9) extends the security model used by BigFix to encompass trusted client reports and private messages.
- Maintenance and Troubleshooting
  If you are subscribed to the Patches for Windows site, you can ensure that you have the latest upgrades and patches to your SQL server database servers.

Generating a Self-Signed Certificate

Procedure to generate a self-signed certificate (cert.pem) from a certificate request file (cert.csr).

Perform the following steps:

Create a Certificate Signing Request (cert.csr).
Create a certificate file (cert.pem) from your private key (nopwdkey.pem) and certificate request file (cert.csr) using the following command (valid for 365 days):
```
openssl x509 -in cert.csr -out cert.pem -req -signkey nopwdkey.pem -days 365
```
Important: The following steps explain how to combine the private key file with the signed certificate file for convenience in later configuration steps. If you prefer, you can use them separately and skip the following steps.

Note: You can use a key pair generated for BigFix Inventory and License Metric Tool also for Web Reports only if the private key is not password protected.
Open up your private key file nopwdkey.pem in Notepad++, or another text editor.

Copy the contents and paste them below the certificate in cert.pem, as in the following example:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
...
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
...
-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

where ... represents any text.

Refer to cert.pem on your Web Reports server in the certificate path registry setting as described in Customizing HTTPS on Web Reports.