Configuration Profile Creation

Configuration Profiles allow the ZeroLock® Management Console (ZMC) administrators to control ZeroLock Agent behavior on protected Endpoints.

    A Configuration Profile greatly simplifies ensuring that the desired protections are enabled/disabled, the Lockdown rule policies, the logging and cache options, and the secure shell configuration are as you intended for an endpoint.

    Additionally, using Configuration Profiles enables ZMC administrators to fine-tune settings for Ransomware, Cryptojacking, and Tampering protection, as well as settings for ensuring usage of SSH-MFA two-factor authentication.  These profiles can also be configured to manage HASH rules as far as setting alert levels, response type, whether to send email alerts, and auto-quarantine settings.

    To create a Configuration Profile use the following steps. 

    1. Navigate to the System Configuration | Config Profile page then select Add New Profile.
    2. Once on the New Configuration Profile pop-up screen you are presented with twelve (12) editable sections followed by Cancel and Create buttons.

    Config Profiles with ESXi wTabs

    1. Name/Description – consists of the name and description of the new configuration profile.
    2. Ransomware Protection – This protection setting applies to the agent’s ability to detect ransomware (malware that encrypts files on the system).  For the agent to detect ransomware, it must be executed over a networked connection.   Consists of six (6) fields:
      1. Enabled - The GREEN block means that ransomware protection is active.  A RED block represents the ransomware protection is disabled. 
      2. Sensitivity - Low, Medium, and High. The higher the sensitivity the fewer files it takes the ZeroLock AI engine to detect the ransomware attack, generating an alert.  Setting this value too high could cause false positive alerts.
      3. Alert Level - Low, Medium, and High. Controls how the alert’s severity level will appear in ZMC.   
      4. Send Email Alerts - This setting controls if emails are sent to all users when a ransomware alert is generated.  The email will contain detailed alert information.  If active, the checkbox will be white.  The email section under System Settings will need to be enabled and configured.  
      5. Response Type – refers to how ZeroLock will respond.  Options are Do Nothing, Suspend, Kill, and Remediate.
        1. Do Nothing – an alert will be generated.  ZMC will not take automatic action on the alert.  Any action requires the user to initiate.  
        2. Suspend – the identified network process that triggered the alert will be suspended.  The offending process and its children will be in a hung state.  A user response is required to unblock the process.
        3. Kill – the network process, and the children that triggered the alert will be terminated.  The user has the option to remediate the alert.
        4. Remediate – the ZeroLock Agent will automatically terminate the offending network process and children that triggered the alert.  All files manipulated during the attack will be automatically restored to their original state.  
      6. Auto Quarantine – if checkbox is white the endpoint will be auto quarantined in the event of an alert.  Internet and network access to and from the quarantined endpoint will be blocked except for access to and from the ZMC server.  
    3. Cryptojacking Protection – This protection setting applies to the agent’s ability to detect a cryptojacking attack (malicious code that will hijack a machine’s resources to generate cryptocurrency).  It has the same six (6) fields as  Ransomware Protection.
    4. Tampering Protection – This protection setting applies to the agent’s ability to protect itself from being disabled.  Any attempts at modifying/adding/deleting files in the ZeroLock installation directory will result in a tampering alert.  To protect the running ZeroLock service, the recommended ruleset must be enabled under the Policies section in ZMC.  It has the same fields as Ransomware Protection except for Sensitivity which has been removed. 
    5. Hash Rules – This protection setting applies to the agent’s ability to protect itself from executable files whose SHA-256 hash values have been added to a list either to be allowed or blocked.  The hash values are added to this list by creating a new rule or automatically adding a new rule through selecting BLOCK or ALLOW on the Process Information screen.  There are four (4) fields: Alert LevelSend Email AlertsResponse Type, and Auto Quarantine
    6. SSH Multifactor Auth – This protection setting applies to the agent’s ability to allow, block or authenticate ssh sessions from a particular user, IP address or by setting a schedule of when the endpoint may accept ssh sessions.  Consists of  three (3) fields:  Enabled, Alert Level, and Send Email Alerts.
    7. Default Control Policy – Using the Policy drop down menu, select the desired policy. The available policy list comes from Policies (Control Policies | Policies).
    8. Endpoint Logging – Used for setting the size of the Baldur and Tyr logs for the ZeroLock Agent on the endpoint.
    9. Remote Shell – A remote shell is a tool for executing commands on a device through a command-line shell.  Fields are Enabled and Default User.   A green checkbox means that this feature is enabled, and commands can be remotely run from the ZeroLock Management Console (ZMC) on the endpoints.  The Default User is ‘nobody’ and is a place holder with no permissions.

      Note:  The ONLY system that can access this feature on the endpoint is the configured collector system defined in the Agents configuration.

    10. Precision Mode Settings*ESXi systems do not use these settings. Once the ZeroLock agent identifies the operating system as ESXi, it uses the ESXi group box configuration options (see item 11 below). 
      When enabled, the default is that an agent does not monitor any processes. The cron, systemd, and containerd options and Process Scan Regex settings work together to allow a user to fine-tune the list of processes that are monitored by ZeroLock.  It may take up to 60 seconds for an agent to receive the new settings and to begin monitoring the listed processes when it is initially applied. This section contains five (5) fields:
        1. Enable – If selected, Precision Mode is on.
        2. Monitor cron – ZeroLock to monitor cron jobs. Cron, Anacron, and/or Crond must be present in the Process Scan Regex for this setting to work.
        3. Monitor systemd –ZeroLock to monitor systemd and any services restarted or started by a periodic job.
        4. Monitor containerd - ZeroLock to monitor containers. Containerd must be present in the Process Scan Regex for this setting to work. 
        5. Process scan regex – is a regex that must be matched for processes ZeroLock will monitor when it does sweeps of the system.
      Note:  When disabling monitor options, the agent must be disabled then reenabled to stop monitoring already running processes.  For example, if you are monitoring cron jobs and then disable it on the server, you have to deactivate and reactivate the agent so that it stops monitoring this type of process.
                            *Available in ZeroLock Management Console v2.0.7 and later.
    11. ESXI – Contains two (2) fields: 
        1. Command Line Regex – list the processes that are monitored on the ESXI endpoint. This regex can include or exclude specific processes.  The default is ‘inetd’ daemon.
        2. Enable Program Filter - If enabled, program filtering stops any executable from being launched if installed after the ZeroLock Agent. 
    12. Cache Settings – Contains four (4) fields:
        1. Location
          The path used by the ZeroLock agent to store (cache) files that are identified as being modified and needed for attack remediation.  Speed of access is required for optimal system performance.  The best practice is to use space on the local system drive.  If a network location is required, throughput is something that needs to be accounted for.  This location will be protected by the tampering detection functionality.
        2. Max Size 

          The maximum allowed disc space that the ZeroLock agent can use when backing up data for remediation.  Users should configure the Max Size setting to ensure enough space is available depending on the size and number of files modified on the system.  The default is 1000 MB.

        3. Max Cache File Age
          The maximum time a backed up file will be available in the cache and available for use in remediation.  The default is 172,800 seconds (48 hours). 
        4. Max Cache File Size
          The maximum file size that the ZeroLock agent will attempt to back up for use in remediation. The value should be set to a number larger than the largest essential files on the protected system. This setting must be verified when protecting ESXi systems. If a file is larger than this value, it will be ignored and can cause remediation to fail if the system is attacked. The default is 104,857,600 B or       100 MB. 

    Edit an Existing Configuration Profile

    If you need to make changes to a saved profile, the simplest way is to click a single time on the profile name which will open a partial view of the Profiles screen as seen below.

    Selecting Edit will open the screen fully as previously seen in step 2.
    How to Open Edit Screen 2.0.1


    CP_ESXi_Update Arrow

    When done editing, clicking Update at the bottom of the screen will return you to the Configuration Profiles homepage. 

    Congratulations, you have successfully created a new Configuration Profile.