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Network Management Card 4: Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x

The Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook outlines security features and protocols for firmware versions 6.x, 15.x, and 18.x, emphasizing user management, authentication, and encryption methods. It includes guidelines for secure access, vulnerability reporting, and secure disposal of devices, along with best practices for network security. The publication serves as a resource for evaluating data center design and construction while disclaiming liability for any issues arising from its use.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
23 views29 pages

Network Management Card 4: Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x

The Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook outlines security features and protocols for firmware versions 6.x, 15.x, and 18.x, emphasizing user management, authentication, and encryption methods. It includes guidelines for secure access, vulnerability reporting, and secure disposal of devices, along with best practices for network security. The publication serves as a resource for evaluating data center design and construction while disclaiming liability for any issues arising from its use.

Uploaded by

shady.abbas42
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Network Management Card 4

Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and


18.x
990-6121M-001
Publication Date: January, 2025
Schneider Electric IT Corporation Legal Disclaimer
The information presented in this manual is not warranted by the Schneider Electric IT Corporation to be
authoritative, error free, or complete. This publication is not meant to be a substitute for a detailed operational
and site specific development plan. Therefore, Schneider Electric IT Corporation assumes no liability for
damages, violations of codes, improper installation, system failures, or any other problems that could arise
based on the use of this Publication.
The information contained in this Publication is provided as is and has been prepared solely for the purpose of
evaluating data center design and construction. This Publication has been compiled in good faith by Schneider
Electric IT Corporation. However, no representation is made or warranty given, either express or implied, as to
the completeness or accuracy of the information this Publication contains.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION, OR ANY PARENT, AFFILIATE OR
SUBSIDIARY COMPANY OF SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION OR THEIR RESPECTIVE
OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, OR EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL,
PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR
LOSS OF BUSINESS, CONTRACT, REVENUE, DATA, INFORMATION, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
RESULTING FROM, ARISING OUT, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS
PUBLICATION OR THE CONTENT, EVEN IF SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION HAS BEEN
EXPRESSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT
CORPORATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES OR UPDATES WITH RESPECT TO OR IN
THE CONTENT OF THE PUBLICATION OR THE FORMAT THEREOF AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.
Copyright, intellectual, and all other proprietary rights in the content (including but not limited to software, audio,
video, text, and photographs) rests with Schneider Electric IT Corporation or its licensors. All rights in the
content not expressly granted herein are reserved. No rights of any kind are licensed or assigned or shall
otherwise pass to persons accessing this information.
This Publication shall not be for resale in whole or in part.
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Content and Purpose of this Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

User Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Types of User Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Security Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Secure Shell (SSH), Secure FTP (SFTP) and Secure Copy (SCP) for the Command Line
Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Transport Layer Security (TLS) for the Web interface . . . . . . . .8
Creating and Installing Digital Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Choosing a Method for your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Firewalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Vulnerability Reporting and Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11


How to report a vulnerability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Command Line Interface Access and Security. . . . . . . . 12


Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Secure Shell (SSH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Web Interface Access and Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13


HTTP and HTTPS (with TLS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

RADIUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Supported RADIUS Functions and Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Supported functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Supported RADIUS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Configure the Management Card or Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
RADIUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Configure the RADIUS Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Supported IETF (RFC2865) Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Supported APC Vendor Specific Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x i
Secure Disposal Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Delete device contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Dispose of physical device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Appendix 1: Network Management Card Security Deployment


Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Best Practices for the Network Management Card . . . . . . . . . 19

Physical Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Description of Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Device Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Software Patch Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Privileged Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Use of Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Minimum Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SSH Host Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
No Unattended Console Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
No Unnecessary Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Network Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Firewalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Background and Description of Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Network Segmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Other Security Detection and Monitoring Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Validate Security Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Appendix 2: Security Hardening Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . 23

ii Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Introduction

Content and Purpose of this Guide


This guide documents security features for firmware version 6.x and 13.x for Schneider Electric® Network
Management Card 4, which enables the devices to function remotely over the network.
This guide documents the following protocols and features, how to select which ones are appropriate for
your situation, and how to set up and use them within an overall security system:
• Secure Shell v2 (SSH)
• Transport Layer Security (TLS) v1.1, v1.2, and v1.3
• RADIUS
• Extensible Authentication Protocol over LAN (EAPoL)
• SNMPv1 and SNMPv3

User Management
Types of User Accounts
The Network Management Card has five basic levels of access:
• A Super User: can use all of the management menus available in the Web interface and all of the
commands in the command line interface.
• Administrator: can use all of the management menus available in the Web interface and all of the
commands in the command line interface.
• A Device User: can access the event log (but cannot delete the contents of the log), and can use
the device-related menus and commands.
• Network-Only User: can only access information that is not device-related.
• A Read-Only User: can access the event log, and device-related menus, but cannot change
configurations, control devices, delete data, delete the contents of the log, or use file transfer
options.
Note: A Super User is an Administrator account which is persistent and cannot be deleted, but can still be
enabled or disabled.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 1
Note: The Event Log records actions performed by users such as logging in to any interface, changing
configuration values and modifying settings of the attached device. These entries contain the username, a
timestamp, and what action was taken by the user.
User Feature Privilege Table
Feature Super User Administrator Device User Network-Only Read-Only
Network
Status ✔ ✔ X ✔ X

Network/
Security ✔ ✔ X ✔ X
Configuration
Network
Control ✔ ✔ X ✔ X

Device Status ✔ ✔ ✔ X ✔
Device
Configuration ✔ ✔ ✔ X X

User
Management ✔ ✔ X X X

View Event
Log ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Delete Event
Log ✔ ✔ X X X

Configure
Event Log ✔ ✔ ✔ X X

File Transfer ✔ ✔ ✔ X X

Security
Security Features

Protection of passwords and passphrases


No password or passphrases are stored on the Network Management Card in plain text.
• Passwords are salted and hashed using bcrypt.
• Passphrases, which are used for authentication and encryption, are encrypted before they are
stored on the Network Management Card.

Summary of access methods


Local access to the command line interface.
Security Access Description

Access by user name, Always enabled. Access level depends on user type.
user type, and password

An overview of the current configuration is available in the CLI banner displayed after log on, or in the
Web UI at the following path: Configuration > Network > Summary.

2 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Remote access to the command line interface
Security Access Description

Available methods: For high security, use SSH.


• User name and • Enabling SSH provides encrypted access to the
password
command line interface, to provide additional
• Selectable server port
• Access protocols that protection from attempts to intercept, forge, or
can be enabled or alter data during transmission.
disabled.
• Secure Shell (SSH)

SNMPv1 and SNMPv3


Security Access Description

Available methods For both SNMPv1 and SNMPv3, the host name restricts
(SNMPv1)*: access to the Network Management System (NMS) at that
• Community Name location only, and the NMS IP filters allow access only to the
• Host Name
NMSs specified by one of the IP address formats in the
• NMS IP filters
• Agents that can be following examples:
enabled or disabled • 159.215.12.1: Only the NMS at the IP address
• Four access 159.215.12.1.
communities with read/
• 159.215.12.255: Any NMS on the 159.215.12
write/disable capability
segment.
Available methods
• 159.215.255.255: Any NMS on the 159.215
(SNMPv3):
• Four User Profiles segment.
• Authentication through • 159.255.255.255: Any NMS on the 159 segment.
an authentication
passphrase • 0.0.0.0: Any NMS.
• Encryption through a • SNMPv3 has additional security features that
privacy passphrase include the following:
• SHA or MD5
authentication – An authentication passphrase to ensure that
• AES or DES encryption an NMS trying to access the Management
algorithm Card or device is the NMS it claims to be.
• NMS IP filters – Encryption of data during transmission, with a
privacy passphrase required for encrypting
and decrypting.

* SNMPv2c can also be used using the configured SNMPv1 settings.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 3
File transfer protocols
Security Access Description

Available methods: Available methods:


• User name and
• FTP
password
• Selectable server port – With FTP, the user name and password are
• Access protocols that transmitted as plain text, and files are
can be enabled or transferred without encryption.
disabled. • SFTP and SCP
• Secure FTP (SFTP)
• Secure Copy (SCP) – Use SFTP and SCP to encrypt the user name
and password and the files being transferred,
such as firmware updates, configuration files,
log files, Transport Layer Security (TLS)
certificates, EAPoL certificates, and Secure
Shell (SSH) host keys. If you choose SFTP or
SCP as your file transfer protocol, enable
SSH and disable FTP. Note: FTP is disabled
by default.

Web Server
Security Access Description

Available methods: In basic HTTP authentication mode, the user name and
• User name and password are transmitted as plain text (with no encoding or
password encryption).
• Selectable server port TLS is available on Web browsers supported for use with the
• Web interface access Management Card or network-enabled device and on most
that can be enabled or Web servers. The Web protocol HyperText Transfer Protocol
disabled over Secure Sockets Layer (HTTPS) encrypts and decrypts
• Transport Layer Security page requests to the Web server and pages returned by the
(TLS) Web server to the user.

RADIUS
Security Access Description

Available methods: RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is an


• A server secret shared authentication, authorization, and accounting service used to
between the RADIUS centrally administer remote access for each Management
server and the Card or device. (Schneider Electric supports the
Management Card or authentication and authorization functions.)
device
• The RADIUS server
name or IP address (IPv4
or IPv6) and port

4 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
EAPoL (802.1X Security)
Security Access Description

Available methods: Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) over LAN (EAPoL) is


• Access to network ports a network port authentication protocol used in 802.1X (port-
based on RADIUS based Network Access Control).
authorization
Supported EAP methods: EAP-TLS

Supported TLS versions: v1.0, v1.1, and v1.2 with a


recommendation to set-up minimum and maximum to v1.2 on
the RADIUS server side.

Syslog
Security Access Description

Available methods Syslog is a message logging standard using the Syslog


(standard): protocol, which was standardized by RFC 5424. It works using
• Message transmission a client-server model, where the Network Management Card
over TCP or UDP (NMC) is the client who sends message logs to your external
• Configurable server Syslog server, using TCP or UDP.
hostname or IP address
• Selectable server port

Security Access Description

Available methods Secure Syslog behaves the same way as standard Syslog,
(secure): except the messages are encrypted using Transport Layer
• Configurable server Security (TLS) before being transmitted. The NMC supports
hostname or IP address both one-way and two-way authentication between the client
• Selectable server port (the NMC) and your external Syslog server. Secure Syslog
• Transport Layer Security can only be used with TCP.
message transmission
(over TCP only)
• Allows one or two-way
authentication

Change default Super User password


At first login to the NMC, you will be prompted to change the default Super User password of apc. You
cannot change the user name of the Super User. It is recommended that the Super User account is
disabled, once any additional Administrator accounts are created.
Note: If you forget the Super User password, you can reset it back to its default of apc by holding down
the Reset button on the NMC’s faceplate for 15 seconds. The NMC’s Status LED will flash orange three
times in a short burst to indicate that the reset was successful. This action is logged to the Event Log.
Alternatively, you can reset the Super User password back to its basics in the Web UI (Control > Network
> Reset NMC Settings) or through the CLI interface (resetToDef). To reset the Super User password,
Administrator, or Network user privileges are required. Reset-related actions are logged to the Event Log.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 5
Note: This will reset the Management Card to its default values and remove all information. If you are
copying your configuration to another NMC, it is recommended you export your config.ini file before
resetting the device.

Port assignments
If the FTP server, SSH/SFTP/SCP, or the Web server uses a non-standard port, a user must specify the
port in the command line or Web address used to access the Management Card or device. A non-
standard port number provides an additional level of security. The ports are initially set at the standard
“well known ports” for the protocols. To increase security, change the ports to any unused port numbers
from 5001 to 32768 for the FTP server and from 5000 to 32768 for the other protocols and servers. (The
FTP server uses both the specified port and the port one number lower than the specified port.)

User names, passwords, and community names with SNMPv1


All user names, passwords, and community names for SNMPv1 are transferred over the network as plain
text. A user who is capable of monitoring the network traffic can determine the user names and passwords
required to log on to the accounts of the command line interface or Web interface of the Management
Card or network-enabled device. If your network requires the higher security of the encryption-based
options available for the command line interface and Web interface, disable SNMPv1 access or set its
access to Read. (Read access allows you to receive status information and use SNMPv1 traps.)
SNMPv1 is disabled by default. To check SNMPv1 settings, go to Configuration > Network > SNMPv1 >
Access. Clear the Enable SNMPv1 access check box and click Apply.
To set SNMPv1 access to Read, perform the following steps: On the Configuration tab select Network.
Select SNMPv1 and then Access Control. For each configured Network Management System (NMS),
click the community names and set the Access Type to Read. Select Apply.

Secure Boot with Root of Trust


Secure Boot with Root of Trust provides enhanced security at the NMC hardware level. The NMC's
processor uses ECDSA to verify the bootloader's signature using a known public key, and the bootloader
also uses ECDSA to verify firmware signatures using Schneider Electric's Firmware Signing CA public
key stored in the bootloader.

Automatic Logout
By default, users will be automatically logged out of the NMC Web UI and CLI interfaces after 3 minutes of
inactivity. The default logout time for user accounts can be adjusted through the Web UI: Configuration >
Security > Local Users > Default Settings.

Authentication
You can choose security features for the Management Card or network-enabled device that control
access by providing basic authentication through user names, passwords, and IP addresses, without
using encryption. These basic security features are sufficient for most environments in which sensitive
data are not being transferred.
As an added layer of security, network-based port access via EAPoL can also be utilized to request
network access at the individual port level via the network’s switch or router (where applicable) which the
Management Card is connected.

6 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Password Requirements and Recommendations
Strong passwords are enabled by default for all NMC user accounts. Provided passwords must be
between 8 and 64 characters in length. In addition, provided passwords cannot include:
• Your user name as part of the password
• Commonly-used sequences like qwerty1234 or passw0rd
Strong passwords can be disabled for user accounts in the Web UI (Configuration > Security > Local
Users > Default Settings), however, this is not recommended.
For enhanced security, it is recommended that you also configure the Password Change Interval and Bad
Login Attempts features in the Web UI (Configuration > Security > Local Users > Default Settings).
• Password Change Interval: If enabled, all user account passwords must be changed after a user-
specified duration between 0 - 365 days. The default value is 0, never.
• Bad Login Attempts: This feature mitigates brute force attacks by locking user accounts after a
user-specified number of unsuccessful logins between 0 - 99. The default value is 5. When a user
account is locked, it must be re-enabled by the Super User account, or a user account with
Administrator privileges.
If additional password policies or configurations are required, external authentication services such as
RADIUS are recommended. For example, a configurable user lockout time.

SNMP GETS, SETS, and Traps


For enhanced authentication when you use SNMP to monitor or configure the Management Card or
network-enabled device, choose SNMPv3. The authentication passphrase used with SNMPv3 user
profiles ensures that a Network Management System (NMS) attempting to communicate with the
Management Card or device is the NMS it claims to be, that the message has not been changed during
transmission, and that the message was not delayed, copied, and sent again later at an inappropriate
time. SNMPv3 is disabled by default.
The Schneider Electric implementation of SNMPv3 allows the use of the SHA-1 or MD5 protocol for
authentication.

Web interface and command line interface


To ensure that data and communication between the Management Card or network-enabled device and
the client interfaces (the command line interface and the Web interface) cannot be intercepted, you can
provide a greater level of security by using one or more of the following encryption-based methods:
• For the Web interface, use the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol
• To encrypt user names and passwords for command line interface access, use the Secure Shell
(SSH) protocol
• To encrypt user names, passwords, and data for the secure transfer of files, use the Secure FTP
(SFTP) or Secure Copy (SCP) protocol.
Note: For more information on encryption-based security, see Encryption.

Encryption

SNMP, GETS, SETS, and Traps


For encrypted communication when you use SNMP to monitor or configure the Management Card or
network-enabled device, choose SNMPv3. The privacy passphrase used with SNMPv3 user profiles
ensures the privacy of the data (by means of encryption, using the AES or DES encryption algorithm) that
an NMS sends to or receives from the Management Card or device.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 7
Secure Shell (SSH), Secure FTP (SFTP) and Secure Copy (SCP) for the Command Line
Interface

The Secure Shell protocol


SSH provides a secure mechanism to access computer consoles, or shells, remotely. The protocol
authenticates the server (in this case, the Management Card or network-enabled device) and encrypts all
transmissions between the SSH client and the server.
• SSH is a high-security alternative to Telnet. SSH protects the user name and password, which are
the credentials for authentication, from being used by anyone intercepting network traffic.
• To authenticate the SSH server (the Management Card or network-enabled device) to the SSH
client, SSH uses a host key unique to the SSH server. The host key is an identification that cannot
be falsified, and it prevents an invalid server on the network from obtaining a user name and
password by presenting itself as a valid server.
Note: For information on supported SSH client applications, see Secure Shell (SSH).
The Management Card or device supports SSHv2, which provides protection from attempts to intercept,
forge, or change data during transmission.

Secure FTP and Secure Copy


SFTP and SCP are secure file transfer applications that you should use instead of FTP. SFTP and SCP
use the SSH protocol as the underlying transport protocol for encryption of user names, passwords, and
files.
• When you enable and configure SSH, you automatically enable and configure SFTP and SCP. No
further configuration of SFTP or SCP is needed.
• FTP is disabled by default. FTP settings can be reviewed at Configuration > Network > FTP
Server. To disable FTP, clear the Enable check box and click Apply.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) for the Web interface


For secure Web communication, enable Transport Layer Security (TLS) by selecting HTTPS as the
protocol mode to use for access to the Web interface of the Management Card or network-enabled
device. HyperText Transfer Protocol over Secure Sockets Layer (HTTPS) is a Web protocol that encrypts
and decrypts page requests from the user and pages that are returned by the Web server to the user. The
Management Card or network-enabled device supports TLS versions 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3.
Note: Secure Socket Layer (SSL) version 3 is not supported.
Note: The Management Card automatically negotiates to use the highest supported protocol or cipher
suite that is supported by the Management Card and the client.
Note: When TLS is enabled, your browser displays a small lock icon.
TLS uses a digital certificate to enable the browser to authenticate the server (in this case, the
Management Card or device). The browser verifies the following:
• The format of the server certificate is correct.
• The expiration date and time of the server certificate have not passed.
• The DNS name or IP address specified when a user logs on matches the common name in the
server certificate.
• The server certificate is signed by a trusted certifying authority. Each major browser manufacturer
distributes CA root certificates of the commercial Certificate Authorities in the certificate store
(cache) of its browser so that it can compare the signature on the server certificate to the signature
on a CA root certificate.

8 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Note: See Creating and Installing Digital Certificates for a summary of how these certificates are used.
TLS also uses various algorithms and encryption ciphers to authenticate the server, encrypt data, and
ensure the integrity of the data, i.e., that it has not been intercepted and sent by another server.
Note: Web pages that you have recently accessed are saved in the cache of your Web browser and allow
you to return to those pages without re-entering your user name and password. Always close your
browser session before you leave your computer unattended.

Creating and Installing Digital Certificates

Purpose
For network communication that requires a higher level of security than password encryption, the Web
interface of the Management Card or network-enabled device supports the use of digital certificates with
the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. Digital certificates can authenticate the Management Card or
device (the server) to the Web browser (the TLS client).
Note: You can generate a 1024-bit key or a 2048-bit key - choose a 2048-bit key for increased security.
The sections that follow summarize the two methods of creating, implementing, and using digital
certificates to help you determine the most appropriate method for your system.
• Method 1: Use the default certificate auto-generated by the Network Management Card or network-
enabled device (2048-bit). Users with sufficient privileges can also regenerate certificates.
• Method 2: Generate your own certificate. The system requires a Privacy-Enhanced Mail (PEM)
encoded public certificate and a PEM encoded private key. Both files should have a .pem file
extension.

Choosing a Method for your System


Using the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, you can choose any of the following methods for using
digital certificates.
Method 1: Use the default certificate auto-generated by the Network Management Card or
network-enabled device
TLS is enabled by default. During booting, if no server certificate exists, the Management Card or device
generates a default server certificate that is self-signed but that you cannot configure.
Method 1 has the following advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
• Before they are transmitted, the user name and password and all data to and from the
Management Card or device are encrypted.
• You can use this default server certificate to provide encryption-based security while you are
setting up either of the other two digital certificate options, or you can continue to use it for the
benefits of encryption that TLS provides.
• A user with sufficient privileges can choose to re-generate the self-signed certificate at any time via
the Web UI. This option can be used for example, to re-generate a certificate that has expired.

Disadvantages:
• This method does not include the authentication provided by a CA certificate (a certificate signed
by a Certificate Authority). There is no CA Certificate cached in the browser. Therefore, when you
log on to the Management Card or device, the browser generates a security alert, indicating that a
certificate signed by a trusted authority is not available, and asks if you want to proceed. To avoid
this message, you must install the default server certificate into the certificate store (cache) of the
browser of each user who needs access to the Management Card or device, and each user must

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 9
always use the fully qualified domain name of the server when logging on to the Management Card
or device.
• The default server certificate has the serial number of the Management Card or device in place of a
valid common name (the DNS name or the IP address of the Management Card or device).
Therefore, although the Management Card or device can control access to its Web interface by
user name, password, and account type (e.g., Super User, Administrator, Device-Only User,
Network-Only, or Read-Only User), the browser cannot authenticate which Management Card or
device is sending or receiving data.
• The length of the public key (RSA key) that is used for encryption when setting up a TLS session is
2048-bit, by default.

Method 2: Add a valid certificate to the system


Generate a certificate signing request (CSR) file (a .csr file) to send to a Certificate Authority. This can be
created using OpenSSL, Certreq.exe or any tool that generates a CSR. The Certificate Authority returns a
signed certificate (a .crt file or .cer file typically) based on information you submitted in your request. If this
file is not in .pem format, you must covert the file to .pem format. The below OpenSSL command takes a
file in .pfc format and converts it to .pem format:
openssl pkcs12 -in client_ssl.pfx -out client_ssl.pem -clcerts
For a full list of commands, see the OpenSSL documentation. You can then upload the certificate to the
Network Management Card together with its private key.
Note: You can also use Method 2 if your company or agency operates its own Certificate Authority. Use
your own Certificate Authority in place of a commercial Certificate Authority.
Method 2 has the following advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
Before they are transmitted, the user name and password and all data to and from the Management Card
or device are encrypted.
• You have the benefit of authentication by a Certificate Authority that already has a signed root
certificate in the certificate cache of the browser. (The CA certificates of commercial Certificate
Authorities are distributed as part of the browser software, and a Certificate Authority of your own
company or agency has probably already loaded its CA certificate to the browser store of each
user’s browser.)
• You choose the length of the public key (RSA key) that is used for setting up a TLS session (use
2048-bit which is the default setting, or use 4064-bit to provide complex encryption and a high level
of security).
• The server certificate that you upload to the Management Card or device enables TLS to
authenticate that data are being received from and sent to the correct Management Card or device.
This provides an extra level of security beyond the encryption of the user name, password, and
transmitted data.
• The browser matches the digital signature on the server certificate that you uploaded to the
Management Card or device with the signature on the CA root certificate that is already in the
browser’s certificate cache to provide additional protection from unauthorized access.

Disadvantages
Setup requires the extra step of requesting a signed root certificate from a Certificate Authority.
• An external Certificate Authority may charge a fee for providing signed certificates.

10 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Firewalls
Although some methods of authentication provide a higher level of security than others, complete
protection from security breaches is almost impossible to achieve. Well-configured firewalls are an
essential element in an overall security scheme.
Logs: The Active Firewall Policy Log lists the most recent firewall events, including the protocol, traffic,
action, and rule priority, in reverse chronological order.
Note: This log is not persistent and can hold up to 2000 events.
Configuration: Enable or disable the overall firewall functionality.
Active Rules: Lists the individual rules that are being enforced based on the current active policy.
Test Policy: Temporarily enforce the rules of a policy.

Vulnerability Reporting and Management


How to report a vulnerability
Cybersecurity incidents and potential vulnerabilities can be reported via the Schneider Electric website -
Report a Vulnerability.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 11
Command Line Interface Access and
Security

Introduction
Users with Super User, Administrator, Device User, Network-Only, Read-Only accounts can access the
command line interface through Secure Shell (SSH). (A Super User or Administrator can enable these
access methods by selecting the Configuration > Network > Console > Access.) SSH is enabled by
default.

SSH for high-security access. If you use the high security of TLS for the Web interface, use Secure
Shell (SSH) for access to the command line interface. SSH encrypts user names, passwords and
transmitted data.

To use SSH, you must first configure SSH and have an SSH client program installed on your computer.

Secure Shell (SSH)


SSH is enabled by default. Enabling SSH automatically enables SFTP and SCP.
Note: When SSH is enabled and its port is configured, no further configuration is required to use Secure
FTP (SFTP) or Secure Copy (SCP). SFTP and SCP use the same configuration as SSH. To use SSH, you
must have an SSH client installed. Most Linux and other UNIX® platforms include an SSH client, but
Microsoft Windows operating systems do not. SSH clients are available from various vendors.
To configure the options for Secure Shell (SSH):
• On the Configuration tab of the Web interface, select Network on the top menu bar, and select
Access under the Console heading.
• Configure the port settings for SSH.
Note: For information on the extra security a non-standard port provides, see Port assignments.
• Select: Configuration > Network > Console > SSH Host Key. specify a host key file previously
created with OpenSSL.
• If you do not specify a host key file here, if you install an invalid host key, or if you enable SSH with
no host key installed, the Management Card or device generates a 2048-bit RSA host key.
• Display the fingerprint of the SSH host key for SSH version 2. Most SSH clients display the
fingerprint at the start of a session. Compare the fingerprint displayed by the client to the fingerprint
that you recorded from the Web interface or command line interface of the Management Card or
device.

12 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Web Interface Access and Security

HTTP and HTTPS (with TLS)


HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides access by user name and password, but does not encrypt
user names, passwords, and data during transmission. HyperText Transfer Protocol over Secure Sockets
Layer (HTTPS) encrypts user names, passwords, and data during transmission, and provides
authentication of the Management Card or device by means of digital certificates.
Note: See Creating and Installing Digital Certificates to choose among the several methods for using
digital certificates.
To configure HTTP and HTTPS:
• On the Configuration tab, select Network on the top menu bar and Access under the Web tab.
• Enable either HTTP or HTTPS and configure the ports that each of the two protocols will use.
Changes take effect the next time you log on. When TLS is activated, your browser displays a
small lock icon.
Note: For information on the extra security a non-standard port provides, see Port assignments.
• Select: Configuration > Network > Web > SSL Certificate to determine whether a server
certificate is installed on the Management Card or device.
• In the Web interface, browse to the certificate file and upload it to the Management Card or device.
Note: A certificate that the Management Card or device generates has some limitations. See Method 1:
Use the default certificate auto-generated by the Network Management Card or network-enabled
device.
• If a valid digital server certificate is loaded, the Status field displays the link Certificate Valid. Click
the link to display the parameters of the certificate.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 13
Parameter Description

Common Name (CN): The IP Address or DNS name of the


Management Card or device. This field controls how you must
log on to the Web interface.
• If an IP address was specified for this field when the
certificate was created, use an IP address to log on.
• If the DNS name was specified for this field when the
certificate was created, use the DNS name to log on.

If you do not use the IP address or DNS name that was


specified for the certificate, authentication fails, and you
Issued To receive an error message asking if you want to continue. For
a server certificate generated by default by the Management
Card or device, this field displays the serial number of the
Management Card or device instead. Organization (O),
Organizational Unit (OU), and Locality, Country: The
name, organizational unit, and location of the organization
using the server certificate. For a server certificate generated
by default by the Management Card or device, the
Organizational Unit (OU) field displays “Internally Generated
Certificate.” Serial Number: The serial number of the server
certificate.

Common Name (CN): The Common Name as specified in


the CA root certificate. For a server certificate generated by
default by the Management Card or device, this field displays
the serial number of the Management Card or device instead.
Issued By
Organization (O) and Organizational Unit (OU): The name
and organizational unit of the organization that issued the
server certificate. If the server certificate was generated by
default by the Management Card or device, this field displays
“Internally Generated Certificate.”

Date Issued: The date and time at which the certificate was
Validity issued. Expiration Date: The date and time at which the
certificate expires.

Each of the two fingerprints is a long string of alphanumeric


characters, punctuated by colons. A fingerprint is a unique
identifier to further authenticate the server. Record the
fingerprints to compare them with the fingerprints contained in
the certificate, as displayed in the browser.
SHA1 Fingerprint: A fingerprint created by a Secure Hash
Fingerprints
Algorithm (SHA-1).
MD5 Fingerprint: A fingerprint created by a Message Digest
5 (MD5) algorithm.

Note: This does not represent the signature hash algorithm


used on the certificate.

14 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
RADIUS

Supported RADIUS Functions and Servers


Supported functions
Schneider Electric supports the authentication and authorization functions of Remote Authentication Dial-
In User Service (RADIUS). Use RADIUS to administer remote access for each Management Card or
network-enabled device centrally. When a user accesses the Management Card or device, an
authentication request is sent to the RADIUS server to determine the permission level of the user.
Note: For more information on permission levels, see Types of user accounts.

Supported RADIUS Servers


FreeRADIUS v2.x and v3.x, and Microsoft Server 2012 and 2019 Network policy Server (NPS) are
supported. Other commonly available RADIUS applications may work, but may not have been fully tested.

Configure the Management Card or Device

Authentication
On the Configuration tab, select Security on the top menu bar. Then, under Remote Users on the left
navigation menu, select authentication to define an authentication method:
• Local Authentication Only: RADIUS is disabled. Local authentication is enabled.
• RADIUS, then Local Authentication: Both RADIUS and local authentication are enabled.
Authentication is requested from the RADIUS server first; local authentication is used only if the
RADIUS server fails to respond.
• RADIUS Only: RADIUS is enabled. Local authentication is disabled.
Note: RADIUS configuration supports Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) and Challenge
Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) only.
Note: If RADIUS Only is selected, and the RADIUS server is unavailable, improperly identified, or
improperly configured, remote access is unavailable to all users. You must use a direct connection, via a
micro-USB cable (part number 960-0603), to change the RADIUS access setting to Local
Authentication Only or Radius, then Local Authentication to regain access.
To login serially to RADIUS, Remote Authentication Override (Configuration > Security > Session
Management) and Serial Remote Authentication Override (Configuration > Security > Local Users
> Management) must be enabled. If Override is not enabled, you cannot login serially.
Please see the “Local access to the web interface” section in the NMC 4 Installation Guide for more
information on how to gain local access to the command line interface. These instructions can also be
used to gain local access to the internal NMC using the IP address 169.254.251.1.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 15
RADIUS
To configure RADIUS, navigate to Configuration > Security > Remote Users > RADIUS on the Web UI.
Note: You can configure two RADIUS servers i) primary server, and ii) secondary server.
Settings Description

RADIUS The server name or IP address of the RADIUS server.

The port of the RADIUS server (1812 by default). The NMC


Port
also supports ports 1645, 1646, and 5000 - 32768.

The secret shared between the RADIUS server and the


Secret
Management Card or device.

The time in seconds that the Management Card or device


Reply Timeout
waits for a response from the RADIUS server.

Protocol to be used when authorizing a user with the RADIUS


Authentication Method
server. This is CHAP by default. The NMC also supports PAP.

Configure the RADIUS Server


You must configure your RADIUS server to work with the Management Card or device. The server
configuration is specific to the server in use and is out of the scope of this document.
RADIUS-based Authentication Authorization Accounting (AAA) is supported by the range of Schneider
Electric devices, and only a subset of Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs) are applicable.
• Add the IP address of the Management Card or device to the RADIUS server-client (NAS) list.
• Users should be configured with Service-Type attribute unless Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs)
are defined. If no Service-Type attribute is configured, the user has read-only access.

Supported IETF (RFC2865) Attributes

Idle-Timeout
Configures a time in seconds that a user can remain idle for before being logged off.

Service-Type
Only the values listed in the below table are supported.

Name Value Description

Login 1 Equivalent of ReadOnly.

Administrator 6 Equivalent of Admin.

Providing any other value will result in the user having read-only access.

16 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Supported APC Vendor Specific Attributes
Vendor Specific Attributes (VSAs) take precedence over IETF RADIUS attributes. For an example of a
RADIUS dictionary file, please see dictionary.apc. The dictionary can be used in RADIUS server
configurations.

APC vendor identifierdisct


Vendor Identifier for APC is 318.

APC-Service-Type
APC-Service-Type VSA is of identifier equals to 1.
The attribute values supported by the Management Card or device are listed in the below table.

Name Value Description

Administrator 1 Full access to the Management Card or device.

Device 2 Read-write access to the device-related menus only.

ReadOnly 3 ReadOnly access.

Synonym of the Super User. Full access to the Management


Card 5
Card or device and can delete Administrator accounts.

Read-write access to the network-related menus only. The


NetworkOnly 6 Administrator account can enable or disable the Network-
Only user account.

Providing any other value will result in the user having read-only access.

Please see Knowledge Base article FA156083 for information on how to configure a RADIUS server to
authenticate with a Network Management Card.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 17
Secure Disposal Guidelines

Introduction
This topic outlines how to wipe the Network Management Card of all information and configurations.

Delete device contents


To wipe the Network Management Card or network-enabled device, hold down the Reset button on the
NMC’s faceplate for 60 seconds. The NMC’s Status LED will slowly flash green three times to indicate that
the reset was successful.
NOTE: This will reset the Management Card to its default values and remove all information. If
you are copying your configuration to another NMC, it is recommended you export your
config.ini file before resetting the device.
These secure disposal guidelines only apply to the external AP9644 card and not the internal
Network Management Card. Performing a 60-second reset on the internal NMC will render the
NMC and UPS device inoperable, and a field service engineer will be required to recover the
UPS.

Dispose of physical device


For information on how to physically dispose of the Network Management Card or network-enabled
device and destroy its volatile memory, please consult the Statement of Volatility document available on
the Schneider Electric website.

18 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Appendix 1: Network Management Card
Security Deployment Guide

Overview
As network security continues to grow and change in the fast-paced IT industry, user requirements for
security solutions are becoming a requirement for system delivery. The Network Management Card
(NMC) interfaces are implemented to provide users with as much flexibility as possible. Industry standard
security implementation coupled with the flexibility of the Network Management Card, enables products to
exist in different user environments.

Best Practices for the Network Management Card


To maintain security throughout the deployment lifecycle, Schneider Electric recommends reviewing the
following considerations for:
• Physical Security
• Device Security
• Network Security
Note: Different deployments may require different security considerations.
This document provides general security guidance to help you decide on an appropriate secure
deployment based on your specific security requirements.

Physical Security
Deploy the equipment in a secure location
Custodians should secure equipment from unauthorized physical access.
• Access should be restricted to those who require access to maintain the equipment.
• Restricted areas should be clearly marked for authorized personnel only.
• Restricted areas should be secured by locked doors.
• Access to the restricted areas should produce a physical or electronic audit trail.

Secure access to the device front panel and console port


Deploy the device in a rack or cage that can be locked with a suitable key, or other physical methods. This
will prevent access to the physical ports of the device.
To increase physical security, it is recommended to add tamper resistance mechanisms to the NMC, or to
the device in which it is installed. This ensures that visible or electronic evidence remains when a
tampering event occurs. For UPS devices, it is recommended to place tamper-proof stickers or seals on
the SmartSlot to detect unauthorized access to the device.

Description of Risk
Attackers with physical access to covered equipment can access the device without authorization.

Recommendations
Physical security must be in place to control physical access to restricted areas and facilities containing
devices. Devices should be locked behind cabinets or protected by physical restraints that prevent
unauthorized access or removal from restricted areas. Access to areas containing covered equipment
should only be granted to personnel who require access based on their job function.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 19
Restricted areas should display signs that clearly indicate access is for authorized personnel only.
Facilities containing covered devices should give minimum indication of their purpose, with no obvious
signs identifying the presence of related functions.
Physical access control devices, such as key card readers, doors and cabinet locks, should be tested
prior to use and on a periodic basis (e.g. annually). Resource custodians should produce physical or
electronic audit trails to record all personnel's physical access to restricted areas for security incident
investigation. Inventory of who has physical access to control devices should be regularly reviewed, and
any inappropriate access identified during the review should be promptly removed.

Device Security
Note: For more information on Device Security options, refer to Appendix 2: Security Hardening
Checklist.

Software Patch Updates


Schneider Electric strongly recommends that, prior to deployment, customers ensure their devices have
been updated with the latest firmware versions.
Customers are also strongly advised to review security bulletins that relate to their Schneider Electric
products. For information on new and updated security bulletins, visit the Schneider Electric Security
Bulletins web page.
Network Management Card devices must only run software for which security patches are made available
in a timely fashion. All currently available security patches must be applied on a schedule appropriate to
the severity of the risk they mitigate.

Privileged Accounts
Privileged and super-user accounts (Administrator, root, etc.) must not be used for non-administrator
activities. Network services must run under accounts assigned the minimum necessary privileges.
Also minimize the number of local accounts.

Certificates

Replace the Default SSL/TLS Certificate


Default SSL/TLS certificates are created during the initial configuration of the device. These certificates
are not intended for use in production deployments and should be replaced. Schneider Electric
recommends that customers configure the device to use certificates either from a reputable Certificate
Authority (CA) or appropriate certificates from your enterprise CA.

Use of Authentication
Network services and local (console) device access must require authentication by means of passphrases
or other secure authentication mechanisms unless the explicit purpose of the service/device is to provide
unauthenticated access.

Minimum Protocol
Set the minimum allowed Transport Layer Security Protocol that Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure
Sockets Layer (HTTPS) uses to secure the communication between the browser and the device. This
should be set to TLS 1.2. (Configuration > Network > Webaccess)

SSH Host Key


Schneider Electric recommends the use of an SSH host key. An SSH host key authenticates the identity
of the server (the Management Card or device) each time an SSH client contacts that server. Each server
with SSH enabled must have an SSH host key on the server itself.

20 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Logging
Schneider Electric recommends enabling the generation (and therefore, the logging) of Syslog messages
for events that have Syslog configured as a notification method. To configure notification methods for
events, navigate to the Event Actions screen (Configuration > Notifications > Event Actions). Use the
available functionality to integrate with Syslog.

No Unattended Console Sessions


Devices must be configured to “lock” or log out and require a user to re-authenticate if left unattended for
more than a specified number of minutes. By default, this is set to 3 minutes. (Configuration > Security
> Local Users > Management - General User)

No Unnecessary Services
If a network service is not necessary for the intended purpose or operation of the device, ensure that
service is not running.

Network Security
When deploying a Network Management Card to a production environment, Schneider Electric strongly
recommends that the below key configuration changes are made.

Firewalls

Deploy a Network Layer Firewall


Schneider Electric strongly recommends that the device is not exposed to the public Internet and is
deployed behind an appropriate Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall.

Enable Device Firewall Software


The device’s Firewall software must be running and configured to block all inbound traffic that is not
explicitly required for the intended use of the device (default: deny). Use of a network-based firewall does
not obviate the need for host-based firewalls.
Use a ‘Default Deny’ policy.
Schneider Electric recommends that administrators configure the Application Firewall with a deny all
policy at the global level to block all requests that do not match the Application Firewall policy.

Background and Description of Risk


Insufficient restrictions on system access over the network increases exposure to attacks from viruses,
worms, and spyware, and may also facilitate undesired access to resources. Not having a rule in place
that denies incoming traffic unnecessarily exposes a system to compromise.

Recommendations

Log firewall activity


A firewall will reduce the likelihood of compromise, but cannot prevent all attacks. Firewall logs, if enabled,
can be used to identify successful attacks. In the event of a system compromise, these logs are used in
forensic analysis to determine the extent of the compromise and nature of the attack.
Enable logs; retain at least 30 days of data; and collect at least source and destination IP addresses and
ports, application, protocol, direction, date and time, and rule.
Log files should be read-only, and with write access granted only to the firewall service account.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 21
Allow incoming traffic from Information Security scanners
Configure your firewalls to allow network-based scanning by Information Security (IS) vulnerability
scanners. IS should scan hosts on the network and determine if hosts are vulnerable to common network
threats, or if a system appears to have been compromised.

Network Segmentation
Schneider Electric strongly recommends that network traffic to the device’s management interface is
separated, either physically or logically, from normal network traffic. A flat network architecture makes it
easier for malicious actors to move around within the network; whereas with network segmentation,
organizations can enhance network security by controlling access to sensitive data in the form of enabling
or denying network access. A strong security policy entails segmenting the network into multiple zones,
with varying security requirements, and rigorously enforcing the policy on what is allowed to move from
zone to zone.

Other Security Detection and Monitoring Tools


Schneider Electric recommends that the environment is protected and monitored by appropriate physical,
technical and administrative tools for network intrusion and monitoring such as IDS/IPS and appropriate
SIEM solutions.

Validate Security Settings


It is considered a best practice to validate configured security settings to ensure they work as intended.
Schneider Electric strongly recommends making this practice mandatory whenever security
configurations are modified. For example:
• Verify the configured firewall rules work by attempting to make a connection that is configured to be
denied and ensuring it is denied.
• Attempt to log in with an invalid user name or password and validate that the unsuccessful login
attempt is logged.
• Attempt to access the NMC via an insecure protocol (e.g. HTTP) and verify it's inaccessible.
• Attempt to change password to less than 8 characters.
• Ensure that you are logged out of NMC interfaces after the specified Session Timeout value, e.g. 5
minutes.

22 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Appendix 2: Security Hardening Checklist
This checklist contains recommended configuration changes to help provide a security hardening profile
for Network Management Card-enabled products.
Upload a custom HTTPS certificate
Your Network Management Card-enabled device creates an internally-generated HTTPS certification. It is
recommended that you create a custom certificate to help strengthen authentication.
Disable older versions of TLS
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol that provides communication security over the
internet. Ensure that older versions of TLS are disabled on your Network Management Card-enabled
device, and use the latest version available.
Disable FTP
Disable File Transfer Protocol (FTP) when it is not in use to help harden security on your device. If SSH is
enabled, SFTP and SCP, which are more secure than FTP, can be used for file transfers.
Configure SNMPv3 to use AES/SHA
Configure SNMPv3 to use the most secure algorithms, AES and SHA, to provide encryption and
authentication.
Use custom network ports where applicable
By using a non-standard port, your device may not be detected by scans looking only for standard ports.
This applies to protocols such as HTTPS, SSH, SMTP, Syslog, etc.
Change the Super User account password
After installation and initial configuration of your Network Management Card-enabled device, you will be
prompted to enter a new password for the Super User account.
Disable Super User account
Ensure there is at least one Administrator account enabled on your device. Once an Administrator
account is configured, it is recommended that the Super User account is disabled. The Administrator
account has the same privileges as the Super User account.
Enable Strong Passwords
Enable this feature to ensure strong passwords are created. All passwords will be required to be a
minimum length and shall not appear in a list of passwords known to be compromised.
Enable Force Password Change
Enable this feature to force all passwords to be changed after a user-specified number of days.
Disable unused network addressing protocols (IPv4/IPv6)
To help secure your device, disabled unused addressing protocols such as IPv4 and IPv6.
Disable Ping Response (IPv4)
IPv4 Ping Response allows your device to respond to network pings. Disable this feature to help make
your device undetectable.
Enable internal firewall with appropriate access rules
Your Network Management Card-enabled device has an inbuilt firewall that can be used to restrict access
to and from your device for various protocols and addresses.

Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x 23
Disable IPv6 auto-configuration
When the NMC is configured for IPv6 auto-configuration, it is vulnerable to IPv6 router advertisement
flood attacks on the local network segment. If your network is susceptible to these type of attacks, it is
recommended you configure the NMC with a static IPv6 address or add protection for such attacks.
Enable Syslog Mutual Authentication over TLS
Enable the NMC to send Syslog messages to a Syslog server using Mutual Authentication. Note: Your
Syslog server must be configured to use Mutual Authentication.
Disable Modbus TCP
By default, Modbus TCP is disabled as it is an insecure protocol and needs to be protected at the network
level. If Modbus TCP is required, we recommend that it is protected using the NMC’s firewall to restrict the
clients that can connect to the Modbus server.

24 Network Management Card 4 Security Handbook, Firmware Version 6.x, 15.x and 18.x
Worldwide Customer Support
Customer support for this or any other product is available at no charge in any of the following ways:
• Visit the Schneider Electric Web site to access documents in the Schneider Electric Knowledge
Base and to submit customer support requests.
– www.schneider-electric.com (Corporate Headquarters)
Connect to localized Schneider Electric Web sites for specific countries, each of which
provides customer support information.
– www.schneider-electric.com/support/
Global support searching Schneider Electric Knowledge Base and using e-support.
• Contact the Schneider Electric Customer Support Center by telephone or e-mail.
– Local, country-specific centers: go to www.schneider-electric.com click > Support > Contact
Support for contact information.

For information on how to obtain local customer support, contact the representative or other
distributors from whom you purchased your product.

© 2025 Schneider Electric, All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, and Network Management Card are trademarks and the property of
Schneider Electric SE, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

990-6121M-001 01/25

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