Thursday 28 November 2019

Replace the MS Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA) Center Certificate

Replace the MS Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA) Center Certificate

Foreword

This guide is based on the Microsoft Document but goes into a little more detail and should be clearer, you should review the Microsoft guide as well as this one.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/advanced-threat-analytics/modifying-ata-center-configuration
THIS MUST BE DONE BEFORE CERTIFICATE EXPIRES!!
I am purposely not using auto enrolment. This may generate a new thumbprint if the certificate auto renews, causing all the gateways to stop talking to the ATA Center server. This process must be done manually before the certificate expires each time!
This guide assumes you have a PKI infrastructure in your domain. The certificate you generate must be trusted by the gateway for this to work otherwise the gateways will disconnect from the ATA Center.
In this guide, I will:
  • Add a second server certificate
  • Update all the gateways so they recognise the new certificate
  • Switch to the new certificate
  • Update all the gateways again so they only use the new certificate.

Replacing the certificate

  • Check the existing certificate in the management panel. Currently all the gateways only have this certificate pinned in their configuration and will only talk to the Center if it’s using this certificate.
not secure
Center Configuration

Generating the New Certificate

  • Log into the ATA Center Server and open “Manage Computer Certificates”
  • Open Personal > Certificates
  • Right click in the right pane
  • Select All Tasks > Advanced Options > Create Custom Request.
Create Custom Certificate
  • Follow the enrolment wizard and select web server certificate template
Certificate Enroll
Web Server Template
  • On the Certificate Information screen, expand details and click properties
Web Certificate Information
  • Fill out the form, include all the relevant details including alternative names
Filling in Certificate Information
  • Deselect Microsoft DH Provider in the Private Key tab and change the Key size to 2048 bits
Filling in Certificate Information
  • Save the CSR somewhere handy
Save As
  • Copy the CSR to your issuing CA
  • Run the following certreq command to generate the certificate
    certreq -submit -config “SERVER1\ADCS Issuing CA-1” server1.csr server1.cer
  • Copy the resulting files back to the ATA Center server
Copy files in PowerShell

Importing the Certificate

  • Open the certificate, note the thumbprint, then install the certificate into the local computer, Personal store
Freshly Minted Certificate
Freshly Minted Certificate Thumbprint
Import Wizard Local Machine
Import Wizard Personal Store

Replacing the Certificate in ATA Center

  • Log into ATA Center web console
  • Configuration > Center
  • Select the new certificate, check the thumbprint matches the newly installed cert

IMPORTANT STEP, DON’T CLICK ACTIVATE YET

ATA Center Select Certificate
  • Click Save and wait for all gateways to sync the config – do not click activate
Gateways Syncing
Gateways Synced
  • Once you see the Green message that all gateways have synced the config click Activate and wait for all gateways to sync the config again.
Activate the Certificate
Gateways Syncing
Gateways Synced
  • You can now restart the ATA Center service in Windows
Restart ATA Center Service
When you reload the page in a fresh browser, the certificate should now be the new trusted cert.

11 comments:

  1. Hi, Great guide, thanks. I've got all the way through and all looks ok, but its saying (not supported) in brackets next to the cert in the ATA console. Do you know what would cause this? thankyou!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Check the key length of your certificate, it must be 2048 bits

    ReplyDelete
  3. Spot on, thanks. Our old Webserver template was still 1024 bits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have updated the guide to include changing the certificate private key to 2048 bits during the request. Thank you.

      Delete
  4. Great article. Extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm not getting the messages about how many gateways are synced so far, after clicking save nothing happened I had to leave the page and go back again to get the Activate button. Is there another way I can see if the gateways synced or is it just a very slow process?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It only took a few minutes on my system for all gateways to sync (I have about 15.) I don't know how to manually check that they have synced the new certificate.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the quick reply Dave, for anyone else who ends up here if you go to the gateway and check the gatewayconfiguration.json in Program Files\Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics\Gateway you will see the thumbprint/s of the certificates, two of them are on mine, the old cert and the new so I know it has synced.

      Delete
    3. Hi, You can see following event Log for both first and second step.

      Under Application and Service Logs on Event Viewer
      LogName: Microsoft ATA
      Event ID: 3001

      First Step: Save
      Second Step: Activate

      Delete
  6. AFTER THE CERTIFICATE EXPIRES YOU CAN CLONE THE CERTIFICATE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMA. ITS POSSIBLE

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi there, how can I create a new self-signed certificate for ata server? If I do not have CA server

    ReplyDelete

Please be nice! :)

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