Overview
Security policies are enforced by NTMC security manager
integrated into all NTMC components. Security policies are
defined in NTMC security database. Master Controller
Security Administrator (MCSA) is the NTMC security database
editor. It only needs to run when one is changing security database.
Two of the most important security functions are user authentication and user
authorization. Authentication means to ensure that users really are who they
claim to be. Authorization means allowing users access only to
system resources they are entitled to according to the prevailing security
policy.
All these rules are defined in security database. Administrators create and
maintain the database by using MCSA. Security database is encrypted. Only MCSA
and security manager are able to read the database. MCSA and security manager
know if any outside source changes the database files. The files are declared
corrupted, and access to NTMC resources is denied.
Groups
One part of security database is a list of user groups. Each group is a
collection of rules specifying which NTMC resources are
available, and what activities are permissible with respect to those resources.
For example, one particular group may deny any kind of access to load management
load points, but may allow
limited access to demand points.
It may allow users who are members of that group to see the demand point
readings, but not to see and edit demand point configuration parameters.
MCSA has a group called Administrators built in. The group gas all privileges,
and can not be modified or deleted.
Please click here to see how to
implement this.
User Accounts
Another part of security database is a list of user accounts. Each user is
assigned one user account defined by username and password (used for
authentication purposes), and by user first name, last name, and user group
membership. The latter defines users privileges, while first name and last name
are used for event logs and displays.
MCSA has an account called Administrator built in. Administrator
is a member of group Administrators, and can not be modified or deleted.
Please click here to see how to
implement this.
Object Classes and Objects
NTMC Object classes are the types of high
level objects found in NTMC systems. A load
point, for example, is an object of type (class) Load. One can
obviously have multiple objects of the same class in any one system. For
example, there are usually hundreds of load points (i.e. objects of class
Load) in an NTMC system. Most security policies defined
in groups are with respect to object classes, and not specific objects. For example,
if a certain group specifies read-only access for object class Load, it means
that all objects of class Load (i.e. all load points) are read-only for users
of that group.
Please click here to see how to
implement this.
Object Ownership (Owner Access Only)
Of course there is an exception to every rule. Users can also own specific NTMC objects (load points, meters,
etc). If those objects are declared to be accessible by owners only (Owner
Access Only), only users owning those objects are able to access the objects.
While NTMC objects are defined in WebLink, it is via MCSA
that one defines object ownership. Security manager enforces ownership rules at
run time.
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implement this.
Log-On / Off
When a user logs on to NTMC he / she must specify the correct password. This
does authentication. User account association with a particular user group
defines users privileges which are later used for authorization purposes.
Successfully logged-on user is issued a unique token which is used to identify
him / her in all subsequent communications with the server until he / she logs
off. When the user logs off he / she surrenders the token given at log-on
time, and the session ends. That token, from then on is no longer valid.
Please click here to see how to
implement this.
Activity Audits
An audit trail of user's activities is recorded in event logs. All manual
actions which affect the system (manual polls, manual control point operations,
etc) are recorded in event logs, specifying not only actions taken, but also who
took them, when, and from what machine. User host computer is identified by
NetBios name if available, or by IP address (internet hosts). Log-on and log-off are also recorded. All event logs, as
usual, can be analyzed with MCEV.
Please click here to see how to
implement this.
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