Configuring a confidentiality policy on a Collector

To manage what private data the system obscures, deletes, or leaves unchanged, the Security role configures one or more confidentiality policies for cookies, POST parameters, URI path parameters, or URI query parameters. 

Traffic elements and keys used by confidentiality policies

The system can obscure or delete private data according to policies that you configure for each of the following elements of traffic data:

Cookies

Web applications use cookies to save information about the client for later use by the server. Cookies are a convenient way to store user preferences and session-state information (for example, session ID). However, they can store such sensitive data as account numbers and logon credentials.

Note

Cookie key names are case insensitive. Cookie values, however, are case sensitive.

POST command parameters

Forms are a common feature of websites, used as means of getting information from end users to authentication engines, reservation systems, help desk and e-commerce applications. Logon credentials, credit card numbers, and so forth, are transmitted to the server by the parameters of the POST command.

URI path and query parameters

Web applications use Unified Resource Identifiers (URIs) to identify Internet resources. Both the path and query segments of a URI can contain private or otherwise sensitive data. The following table lists example URIs with the path and query parameters:

URI examples showing path and query segments

URI type

Example

With path parameters

http://example.com/home;param1=value1/search;param2=value2/page.htm

With query parameters

http://example.com/index.htm?param1=value1&param2=value2\

Keys for applying policies to traffic elements

For each element, you must identify keys and specify how the system will handle the element. For example, the system can apply MD5 hashing to obscure the value associated with a given key, it can delete the value only, or it can delete the entire name-value pair. You can also instruct the system to leave the data unchanged. Refer to the following table to see how the system handles data:

Options for handling private data

Option

Result

Do nothing

password=sesame

Hash

password=b3fba6554a22fdc16c8e28b173085ccc

Delete

 

Delete value

password=

You can use the asterisk character (*) as a wildcard for matching in any key name. For example, typing ASPsessionid* to create a rule for cookies will match ASPsessionid2293C100, as well as ASPsessionidAF095BFF.

Note

POST parameter keys are case sensitive.

For keys that are not explicitly identified, the system provides "catch-all" rules.

To configure a confidentiality policy for POST command parameters

To configure separate rules for individual keys, use the asterisk character (*) as a wildcard in key names and change the processing order. For keys that are not explicitly identified, you can set the "catch-all" rule.

Example

By default, the system deletes all POST parameters. You want to add rules that obscure credit card numbers and passwords.

The procedure for configuring confidentiality policies is the same for all traffic elements. The following example shows how to configure a confidentiality policy for POST command parameters. To perform this procedure, you must have Security-level access. 

  1. In the Real User Collector component, point to the Administration > Security settings, and then click Confidentiality policy.
  2. On the Action menu for the Confidentiality for Post - Param section, click Add.

  3. In the Key column, type creditcard, and then click Hash.

    Note

    If you do not know what key name corresponds with a given POST command parameter, click the lookup to get a list of observed values. In this example, if you open the list of observed values, it shows information about credit card and password (and possibly other key names).

  4. In the same way, add a confidentiality policy for passports, by typing passport in the Key box.
  5. Click Save.

Result

The system now obscures passwords and credit card numbers.

 

Tip: For faster searching, add an asterisk to the end of your partial query. Example: cert*