Elevating Access using AD Domain Controller
Manage elevated access to Active Directory using Privileged Cloud
Overview
In this guide, you'll learn how to elevate Active Directory user permissions using KeeperPAM. This guide covers just-in-time privilege elevation to resources in an environment where a domain controller is the acting identity provider.
With Keeper Privileged Cloud, users request access through a shared PAM resource. After approval, KeeperPAM grants temporary group-based elevation in the domain controller for the approved time window and removes it automatically when access expires.
Use this model when the domain controller manages authentication and authorization directly and access must be approved, time-bound, and fully auditable.
Prerequisites
This guide assumes the following tasks have already taken place:
A Keeper Secrets Manager application has been created
Your Keeper Gateway is online
Domain Controller Environment Setup has been completed and is using LDAPS (port 636)
The Keeper Gateway is able to connect to your Active Directory via LDAPS (port 636)
1. Setup a PAM User Record
Keeper PAM will use the credentials in this PAM User record to manage other accounts in your directory. This account does not need to be a domain admin account, but needs to be able to successfully change group memberships for accounts within the domain.
The PAM User record needs to be in a shared folder that is shared to the KSM application created in the pre-requisites. Only the KSM application needs access to this privileged account, it does not need to be shared with any users.
PAM User Record Fields
Record Type
PAM User
Title
Keeper record title
Login
The username of the Active Directory admin. The format of the username depends on the target system and type of service.
Examples:
DOMAIN\Administrator
Administrator@domain.local
Password
Password of the admin user on the Active Directory.
Distinguished Name
Full Distinguished Name (DN) of the admin user on the Active Directory.
2. Setup a PAM Configuration
A PAM Configuration associates an environment with a Keeper Gateway and credentials. If you don't have a PAM Configuration set up yet for this use case, create one.
Title
Configuration name, example: Active Directory Example
Environment
Select: Domain Controller
Gateway
Select the Gateway that has access to your directory server
Application Folder
Select the Shared folder that contains the PAM User record created in step 1.
Administrative Credential
Select the PAM User record created in step 1.
Hostname or IP Address
Enter the domain or IP address of your Active Directory domain.
Port
Enter 636 (LDAPS)
Use SSL
Ensure this checkbox is checked if using LDAPS
3. Setup PAM records
Configure and Share the PAM Machine Resource
In the example below, a PAM Machine record is configured to grant elevated access through Active Directory. Select Edit in PAM Settings to configure Workflow and JIT.
These directions can also be used to elevate a user for accessing a LDAP connected database.
See SSH Connections for more detailed configuration information
JIT Settings
JIT settings define how access is granted after approval. In this example, the record uses group-based privilege elevation. Because this machine authenticates through Active Directory, enable authentication through the identity provider. The group name must match the corresponding group in the domain controller. After approval, the user receives temporary elevation for the configured duration. Role-based elevation is not supported through identity-provider elevation at this time.
Workflow Settings
Workflow settings define the approval controls for the record. In this example, the record requires approval and limits access to 5 minutes, which overrides the expiration in the JIT settings. When the access window ends, any active session closes and the temporary elevation is removed. You can also require a reason and ticket number with each request.
See Workflow for more information.
Requesting Access
Once the PAM Machine record is shared and JIT and Workflow settings are configured, the user can submit an access request from the Keeper Vault or from Commander.
See Access Workflow for a full workflow.
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