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Securing
This section describes security features, including execution control lists, IDs, and TLS.
The execution control list
You use an execution control list (ECL) to configure workstation data security. An ECL protects user workstations against active content from unknown or suspect sources, and can be configured to limit the action of any active content that does run on workstations.
Administration ECLs
When you set up the first server in a domain, HCL Domino® creates a default administration ECL, which you can then customize to create other named administration ECLs.
Creating administration ECLs
Before you register users, edit the administration ECL to create a template for user workstation ECLs. Creating and deploying an administration ECL provides a good starting point for managing and maintaining secure workstation ECLs.

Securing
This section describes security features, including execution control lists, IDs, and TLS.
- Overview of Domino security
  Setting up security for your organization is a critical task. Your security infrastructure is critical for protecting your organization's IT resources and assets. As an administrator, you need to give careful consideration to your organization's security requirements before you set up any servers or users. Up-front planning pays off later in minimizing the risks of compromised security.
- Server access for Notes® users, Internet users, and Domino® servers
  To control user and server access to other servers, Domino® uses the settings you specify on the Security tab in the Server document as well as the rules of validation and authentication. If a server validates and authenticates the Notes® user, Internet user, or server, and the settings in the Server document allow access, the user or server is allowed access to the server.
- The database access control list
  Every .NSF database has an access control list (ACL) that specifies the level of access that users and servers have to that database. Although the names of access levels are the same for users and servers, those assigned to users determine the tasks that they can perform in a database, while those assigned to servers determine what information within the database the servers can replicate. Only someone with Manager access can create or modify the ACL.
- Domino® server and Notes® user IDs
  Domino® uses ID files to identify users and to control access to servers. Every Domino server, Notes® certifier, and Notes user must have an ID.
- The execution control list
  You use an execution control list (ECL) to configure workstation data security. An ECL protects user workstations against active content from unknown or suspect sources, and can be configured to limit the action of any active content that does run on workstations.
  - ECL security access options
    There are three categories of access options for ECLs.
  - Administration ECLs
    When you set up the first server in a domain, HCL Domino® creates a default administration ECL, which you can then customize to create other named administration ECLs.
    - Default ECL settings
      When you first edit the ECL, it includes the following signatures and access options. By default, the ECL does not allow access to protected operations for active content that is unsigned, or for active content that is signed by a signer who is not listed in the ECL.
    - Creating administration ECLs
      Before you register users, edit the administration ECL to create a template for user workstation ECLs. Creating and deploying an administration ECL provides a good starting point for managing and maintaining secure workstation ECLs.
    - Editing administration ECLs
      You can configure the default admin ECL in the Domino® Directory. This edits the default admin ECL used to create workstation ECLs. You may want to maintain multiple admin ECLs to apply to different groups of users.
    - Collecting information for a new administration ECL
      Before you can create an Admin ECL to distribute, identify the individual people and/or organizations that you can trust to create and sign active content.
    - Administration ECL key
      In order to provide more flexibility to users, especially in organizations that do not allow users to modify their own ECLs, administrators can set the execution rights of the current ECL owner during workstation ECL refresh and replace.
  - Deploying and updating workstation ECLs
    If you create an Admin ECL prior to registering users, that Admin ECL is deployed automatically to user workstations when users run the Notes® setup during install. You can also deploy and maintain ECLs through the use of policies, which allow you to deploy create and deploy ECLs on a group or organizational basis, as well as define the frequency and extent to which workstation ECLs are updated.
- Domino® server-based certification authority
  You can set up a Domino® certifier that uses the CA process server task to manage and process certificate requests. The CA process runs as a process on Domino servers that are used to issue certificates. When you set up a Notes® or Internet certifier, you link it to the CA process on the server in order to take advantage of CA process activities. Only one instance of the CA process can run on a server; however, the process can be linked to multiple certifiers.
- TLS security
  Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a security protocol that provides communications privacy and authentication for Domino® server tasks that operate over TCP/IP.
- TLS and S/MIME for clients
  Clients can use a Domino® certificate authority (CA) application or a third-party CA to obtain certificates for secure TLS and S/MIME communication.
- Encryption
  Encryption protects data from unauthorized access.
- Web-based authentication
  Define and set up authentication methods for web users, for example through basic password authentication, passkeys, time-based one-time password, or single sign-on.
- Using Domino as an OIDC provider
  The Domino HTTP task can act as an OIDC identity provider. This feature allows administrators to leverage their existing Domino HTTP authentication experience -- including passkeys, TOTP, custom domcfg login forms, and external identity providers -- to authenticate end users with applications, servers, and services that support OIDC.
- Using a credential store to store credentials
  A Domino® server can use a credential store application as a secure artifact repository. Examples of secure artifacts include authentication credentials and security keys.
- History of supported key sizes in Notes and Domino
  Understand the RSA key sizes supported by Notes® and Domino® from past releases to the current release.

Creating administration ECLs

Before you register users, edit the administration ECL to create a template for user workstation ECLs. Creating and deploying an administration ECL provides a good starting point for managing and maintaining secure workstation ECLs.

About this task

You can deploy and maintain ECLs on a group and organizational basis through the use of policies. For more information, see Creating a Security policy settings document.

Procedure

Edit the Administration ECL.
Deploy the new ECL to user workstations. This happens automatically when HCL Notes® client software is first installed on user workstations.
Update user workstation ECLs, as required.