Security Guide - Using the Default, Non-Trusted Certificate (Original WebX Security)

Using the Default, Non-Trusted Certificate

ATTENTION: This section and associated topics apply to the Original WebX client only.

We recommend that you purchase a trusted certificate for use with Original WebX, as trusted certificates offer better protection against unauthorized system access. However, it is possible to use the non-trusted certificate that is generated automatically by ClearSCADA.

NOTICE

SECURITY THREAT

Using a non-trusted certificate could compromise your system security. Installing a non-trusted certificate could compromise your system security. Potentially, it could lead to unauthorized access. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you use a trusted certificate.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in equipment damage.

Non-trusted certificates should only be used if a trusted certificate is not available and your business network is secure. (Although we still recommend that you use trusted certificates, even with secure networks).

If you use a non-trusted certificate, logging on via a Original WebX clients will result in:

A Certificate Error page is displayed.
The Certificate Error page warns you that using the non-trusted certificate could compromise system security. It also provides you with two options:
- Click here to close this webpage
- Continue to this website (not recommended).
If your network is secure and you are willing to acknowledge the potential security issues relating to a non-trusted certificate, select Continue to this website (not recommended). You are logged on to Original WebX, which uses the default non-trusted certificate.

Or:

You are logged on to Original WebX without an error page being shown. This occurs if the Warn On Self-Signed Certificate check box is clear (not selected) in the WebX settings on the Server Configuration Tool. For more information, see Define whether the Self-Signed Certificate Warning is Shown in Original WebX.
If no error message is displayed, Original WebXis using the default non-trusted certificate automatically (unless a trusted certificate was in place).