Configure SSL Forward Proxy (Strata Cloud Manager)

1. Verify that the appropriate interfaces are configured as either virtual wire, Layer 2, or Layer 3 interfaces.

   To view the configured interfaces, select ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma AccessDevice SettingsInterfaces.
2. Configure the Forward Trust certificate that the NGFW presents to clients when a trusted CA has signed the server certificate.

   (Best Practice) Use an enterprise CA-signed certificate as the Forward Trust certificate.

   1. Generate a certificate signing request (CSR) for the enterprise CA to sign and validate:
      1. Select ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma AccessObjectsCertificate Management.
      2. Click Generate to add a custom certificate.
      3. Enter a Certificate Name. Use a unique name for each NGFW.
      4. For Signed By, select External Authority (CSR).
      5. For Certificate Use For, select Forward Trust Certificate.
      6. Specify Cryptographic Settings: Algorithm, Number of Bits, Digest, and Expiration.
      7. (Optional) Add Certificate Attributes, such as Country or Department, to identify the NGFW.
      8. (Optional) Select an OCSP Responder.
      9. Save the CSR.
         The pending certificate displays under Custom Certificates.
   2. Export the CSR:
      1. Under Custom Certificates, select the pending certificate, and then click Export Certificate.
      2. Click Export to download and save the certificate file.
      3. Select a Format for the certificate, and Save the setting to download the certificate file.
      4. Provide the certificate file to your enterprise CA. When you receive the enterprise CA-signed certificate, save it onto your system.
   3. Import the enterprise CA-signed certificate onto Strata Cloud Manager.
      An Import Certificate dialog appears.
      1. Enter the pending Certificate Name exactly.

         The Certificate Name that you enter must exactly match the pending certificate name for the pending certificate to be validated.
      2. Select the signed Certificate File that you received from your enterprise CA.
      3. (Optional) Browse and select a Key File.
      4. (Optional) Enter a Passphrase, then Confirm Passphrase
      5. Click Save to import the signed certificate.
   4. Select the validated certificate and for Certificate Use For, select Forward Trust Certificate.
   5. Click Update to confirm your changes.

   Use a self-signed certificate as the Forward Trust certificate:

   1. Create a self-signed root CA certificate.
      1. Select ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma Access ObjectsCertificate Management.
      2. Generate a certificate.
      3. Enter a unique Certificate Name.
      4. Enter a Common Name. This should be the FQDN (recommended) or IP address of the interface where you will configure the service that will use this certificate.
      5. Leave Signed By blank.
      6. For Certificate Use For, select Forward Trust Certificate.
      7. Specify Cryptographic Settings: Algorithm, Number of Bits, Digest, and Expiration.
      8. Leave the OCSP Responder field blank. Revocation status verification doesn’t apply to root CA certificates.
      9. (Optional) Add Certificate Attributes, such as Country or Department, to identify the NGFW.
      10. Click Save to generate the certificate.
   2. Designate the certificate as a trusted root CA.
      1. Click the certificate in the Custom Certificates list (ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma AccessObjectsCertificate Management).
         Certificate settings and details appear.
      2. For Certificate Use for, select Trusted Root CA.
      3. Save the certificate.
   3. Generate new subordinate CA certificates for each NGFW:
      1. Select ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma AccessObjectsCertificate Management.
      2. Click Generate.
      3. Enter a Certificate Name.
      4. Enter a Common Name. This should be the FQDN (recommended) or IP address that appears in the certificate.
      5. For Signed By, select the self-signed root CA certificate that you created.
      6. For Certificate Use For, select Forward Trust Certificate.
      7. Select Certificate Authority to enable the NGFW to issue the certificate. This creates a certificate authority (CA) that is imported to client browsers, so clients trust the NGFW as a CA.
      8. Specify Cryptographic Settings: Algorithm, Number of Bits, Digest, and Expiration.
      9. (Optional) Add Certificate Attributes, such as Country or Department, to further identify the NGFW.
      10. Click Save to generate the certificate.
      11. Repeat this procedure for each NGFW.
3. Distribute the Forward Trust certificate to client system certificate stores.

   Skip this step if you're using an enterprise-CA signed certificate as the Forward Trust certificate and the client systems already have the enterprise CA installed in the local trusted root CA list. (The client systems trust the subordinate CA certificates you generate on the NGFW because the enterprise trusted root CA has signed them.)

   If you don’t install the Forward Trust certificate on client systems, users see certificate warnings for each SSL site they visit.

   On an NGFW configured as a GlobalProtect portal:

   This option is supported with Windows and Mac client OS versions, and requires GlobalProtect app 3.0.0 or later to be installed on the client systems.

   1. Select NetworkGlobalProtectPortals and then select an existing portal configuration or Add a new one.
   2. Select Agent and then select an existing agent configuration or Add a new one.
   3. Add the self-signed trusted root CA certificate to the Trusted Root CA section. After GlobalProtect distributes the trusted root CA certificate to client systems, the client systems trust the NGFW's subordinate CA certificates because the clients trust the NGFW's root CA certificate.
   4. Install in Local Root Certificate Store so that the GlobalProtect portal automatically distributes the certificate and installs it in the certificate store on GlobalProtect client systems.
   5. Click OK twice.

   Without GlobalProtect:

   Export the trusted root CA certificate so that you can import it into client systems. Highlight the certificate and click Export at the bottom of the window. Choose the PEM format.

   Don’t select Export private key. The private key should remain on the NGFW and not be exported to client systems.

   Import the trusted root CA certificate into the browser Trusted Root CA list on the client systems for the clients to trust it. When importing into the client browser, ensure that you add the certificate to the Trusted Root Certification Authorities certificate store. On Windows systems, the default import location is the Personal certificate store. You can also simplify this process by using a centralized deployment option, such as an Active Directory Group Policy Object (GPO).
4. Configure the Forward Untrust certificate (use the same Forward Untrust certificate for each NGFW).

   1. Select ConfigurationNGFW and Prisma AccessObjectsCertificate Management.
   2. Generate a certificate.
   3. Enter a unique Certificate Name.
   4. Enter a Common Name. This should be the FQDN (recommended) or IP address that appears in the certificate.
   5. Leave Signed By blank.
   6. For Certificate Use For, select Forward Untrust Certificate.
   7. Specify Cryptographic Settings: Algorithm, Number of Bits, Digest, and Expiration.
   8. (Optional) Add Certificate Attributes, such as Country or Department, to further identify the NGFW.
   9. (Optional) Select an OCSP Responder.
   10. Click Save.

       Don't export the Forward Untrust certificate to the certificate trust lists of your network devices. Don't install the Forward Untrust certificate on client systems. Installing the Untrust certificate in the Trust List results in devices trusting websites that the NGFW doesn't trust. In addition, users won’t see certificate warnings for untrusted sites, so they may access those sites, which could expose your network to threats.
5. (Optional) Configure the key size for the SSL Forward Proxy server certificates that the NGFW presents to clients.

   By default, the NGFW determines the key size to use based on the key size of the destination server certificate.
6. Create a decryption policy rule to define criteria that traffic must match for SSL Forward Proxy decryption.

   • In the Action and Advanced Inspection section, for Action, select Decrypt.
   • For decryption Type, select SSL Forward Proxy.
   • (Optional but a best practice) Configure or select a Decryption Profile to block and control various aspects of matching traffic.
     For example, create a decryption profile or select one that performs certificate checks and blocks weak cipher suites and protocols from allowing questionable traffic on your network.
   • Save the decryption policy rule.
7. To start enforcing the rule, select Push ConfigPush.
8. Choose your next step:

   • Enable users to opt out of SSL decryption.
   • Configure decryption exclusions to disable decryption for certain types of traffic.
   • (Advanced WildFire subscriptions only) Forward decrypted SSL traffic for WildFire analysis.