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Securing
This section describes security features, including execution control lists, IDs, and TLS.
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.
Notes® ID vault
The ID vault is an optional, server-based database that holds protected copies of Notes® user IDs. An ID vault allows administrators and users to easily manage Notes user IDs. Users are assigned to a vault through policy configuration, and copies of user IDs are uploaded to a vault automatically once the policy has taken effect.
Maintaining ID file synchronization
When passwords on Notes® client IDs become different from the passwords on the IDs in the ID vault, synchronization of ID information between clients and the ID vault stops. You can enable automatic restarting of synchronization when the passwords get out of sync. You can use the Query Vault console command or the Domino Administrator to monitor and manage ID synchronization.

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.
  - Certificates
    A certificate is a unique digital signature that identifies a user or server. Server and user IDs contain one or more HCL Notes® certificates. In addition, user IDs may contain one or more Internet certificates that identify users when they use TLS to connect to an Internet server or send a signed S/MIME mail message.
  - Notes clients and two-factor authentication
    HCL Notes client authentication with a Notes ID provides built-in, automatic, two-factor authentication.
  - Password-protection for Notes® and Domino® IDs
    To ensure the security of the Domino® system, password-protect all Notes® and Domino IDs -- certifier, server, and user. When you password-protect an ID, a key that is derived from the password encrypts the data on the ID. Then, when you attempt to access mail, open a server-based database, or examine ID file information, you are prompted to enter a password.
  - The password quality scale
    When creating passwords for user, server, or certifier IDs, you need to understand the criteria by which Domino® measures password strength and security. Domino measures this criteria according to the level assigned on its password quality scale. The scale assigns a minimum level of quality to the password on an ID file. Domino bases the password quality on the number and variety of characters in the password.
  - Verifying user passwords during authentication
    You can enable password verification so that a Notes® user can authenticate with a server only after providing the correct password that is associated with the user ID.
  - Setting up password verification
    You can enable password verification through the use of a security policy settings document, which allows you to enable this feature for multiple users, or you can enable password verification on an individual basis through the Domino® Directory.
  - Custom password policies
    Information protection and data privacy laws include specific requirements for the selection of secure passwords for identity verification. To help users comply with these laws, HCL Domino® includes the ability to implement password restrictions on a policy basis. Administrators can enforce password requirements that will fit almost any set of corporate or government security requirements.
  - Assigning multiple passwords to server and certifier IDs
    To assign multiple passwords to server and certifier IDs, all of the administrators whose passwords will be assigned to the ID must be present. Then, during the procedure of assigning multiple passwords, each administrator completes a series of steps.
  - Using Notes® Shared Login to suppress password prompts
    Notes® Shared Login (NSL) allows users to start Notes without having to provide Notes passwords. Instead, they only need to log in to Microsoft™ Windows™ using their Windows passwords.
  - Using Nomad Shared Login to suppress password prompts
    Starting in HCL Domino 12.0.2, HCL Nomad Shared Login allows Nomad Web users to authenticate with Domino servers without having to provide Notes® ID file passwords after initial setup. This feature is enabled by default for Nomad deployments starting with Nomad 1.0.8.
  - Using Notes Shared Login to secure server ID files
    Starting with HCL Domino 12.0.1, you can secure the server ID files of Domino servers on Windows using the Notes Shared Login (NSL) functionality.
  - Notes® ID vault
    The ID vault is an optional, server-based database that holds protected copies of Notes® user IDs. An ID vault allows administrators and users to easily manage Notes user IDs. Users are assigned to a vault through policy configuration, and copies of user IDs are uploaded to a vault automatically once the policy has taken effect.
    - How an ID vault works
      This topic describes common vault operations.
    - ID vault security
      An ID vault provides several layers of security.
    - Planning an ID vault deployment
      The topics in this section provide information to help you plan an ID vault deployment.
    - ID vault FAQs
      Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the ID vault.
    - Creating and configuring an ID vault
      To make an ID vault operational you must create the vault database on a server, create the vault ID file, specify at least one vault administrator, specify which user organizations trust the vault, assign password reset authority, and use policies to assign user IDs to the vault.
    - Deleting an ID vault
      You can delete an ID vault. Before doing that you must delete all replicas except the one on the vault primary server.
    - Viewing user IDs in a vault
      After users have been assigned to a vault through a policy, the next time they start Notes® after the policy has taken effect, their IDs are uploaded to the vault. Note that there may be a delay before policy changes take effect.
    - Maintaining ID file synchronization
      When passwords on Notes® client IDs become different from the passwords on the IDs in the ID vault, synchronization of ID information between clients and the ID vault stops. You can enable automatic restarting of synchronization when the passwords get out of sync. You can use the Query Vault console command or the Domino Administrator to monitor and manage ID synchronization.
      - Enabling automatic restart of ID file synchronization
        When a password on a Notes client ID doesn't match the password on the ID in the vault, ID synchronization between the client and the vault fails. When ID synchronization fails, changes made to the client ID, such as the addition of new encryption keys, are not changed in the ID in the vault. You can enable automatic archiving of ID vault user documents when this situation occurs for longer than seven days. Archiving renames the ID vault user documents, allowing ID files on clients to be uploaded again to the ID vault. This ensures that the most recent information stored in the local ID file is stored in the ID in the vault.
      - Monitoring ID synchronization
        Use the Query Vault (qvault) console command or the Domino Administrator to update Person documents with the last successful ID synchronization time. Also use qvault to archive user vault documents manually to restart ID synchronization and to manage archived user vault documents.
    - Managing the user IDs in an ID vault
      You can reset the password of an ID stored in a vault, specify the number of ID downloads a user is allowed, extract an ID from a vault for auditing purposes, delete an ID from a vault, or mark an ID in a vault as inactive.
    - Troubleshooting an ID vault configuration
      There are two ways to troubleshoot problems with an ID vault, do either or both of the following:
    - ID vault notes.ini settings
      The following notes.ini settings pertain to the ID vault.
  - ID recovery
    Use of the ID vault for ID recovery is strongly recommended. However, the ID recovery feature described in this topic is still supported.
  - Public key security
    Every Notes® user ID and Domino® server ID has a unique public key for the Notes certificate. The public key is stored in an ID file and in the Person or Server document for that ID in the Domino Directory. Notes and Domino use the public key to authenticate users and servers, verify digital signatures, and encrypt messages and databases. A Notes user ID can also have a unique public key for an Internet certificate.
  - User and server key rollover
    Key rollover is the process used to update the set of Notes® public and private keys that is stored in user and server ID files. Periodically, this set of keys may need to be replaced -- as a precaution against undetected compromise of the private key; as a remedy to recover from a known compromise of the private key; or to increase security by updating to a larger key.
  - Certificate authority key rollover
    HCL Domino® administrators can assign a new set of public and private keys to a Domino certificate authority (CA). These keys are used to certify the keys of OUs, servers, and users in that organization. The process of assigning news keys is known as key rollover.
  - Using cross-certificates to access servers and send secure S/MIME messages
    Domino® uses both Notes® and Internet cross-certificates. Notes cross-certificates allow users in different hierarchically-certified organizations to access servers and to receive signed mail messages. Internet cross-certificates allow users to receive signed mail messages and send encrypted mail messages.
  - Adding cross-certificates to the Domino® Directory or Contacts
    You can use several methods to obtain an HCL Notes® or Internet cross-certificate.
- 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.
- 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.

Maintaining ID file synchronization

When passwords on Notes® client IDs become different from the passwords on the IDs in the ID vault, synchronization of ID information between clients and the ID vault stops. You can enable automatic restarting of synchronization when the passwords get out of sync. You can use the Query Vault console command or the Domino Administrator to monitor and manage ID synchronization.

About this task

Note: You can disable this feature by adding the following setting to the server notes.ini file: IDV_ENABLE_VAULT_SCAN=0.