15.9 Assigning an Application Privilege to a Page

In the last exercise, you created the "Control" application privilege. In this exercise, you will protect the "Booster Pump Control" page using the new application privilege.

 

1.  Click the Configure button to open the Configuration Toolbox.

2.  Click the Libraries button to open the Configure dialog.

3.  Select the "Booster Pump Control" page from the list of available pages.

4.  Open its Properties dialog.

5.  Select the Properties tab.

6.  Select the newly created "Control" privilege from the Page Security Bit drop-down list.

The "Control" privilege will now apply to the Booster Pump Control page, and users must have the "Control" application privilege to open the page.

Figure 193

7.  Click the OK button.

8.  Close the Configure dialog.

Now that the "Control" privilege has been associated with the Booster Pump Control page, only those users who have been granted the "Control" privilege may access it.

 

9.  To test the new "Control" privilege, try to open the "Booster Pump Control" page.

Because you have not yet granted the "Control" privilege to the Manager1 account, you will be unable to open the "Booster Pump Control" page.

10. Modify the Manager1 account, add the "Control" privilege, and try accessing the page again.

This time you should be able to access the page successfully.

Skills Achieved in Lesson 15

By completing Lesson 15, you learned the following:

•      Security for new applications is not enabled until the first time you logon to the application.

•      VTS provides you with a default user account ("Manager1") for each and every new standard application that you create. The default user account is granted the "Manager" privilege. The Manager privilege gives you enough freedom to add, modify, copy, and/or delete user accounts for the application. This means that you can modify the "Manager1" account and grant it all the available system privileges so that you can continue to configure your application.

•      The Logon button enables a user to logon, and its label displays the name of the user who is currently logged on.

•      The Options dialog provides access to the security system features so that you can manage them.

•      The Options dialog changes in behavior and appearance according to the privileges of the user who is logged on.

•      The Administrative Settings dialog enables you to change settings such as password length, password display, system privilege suppression, and additionally enables you to add application privileges.

•      The Security Bit property of tags and pages displays all the available application privileges in a drop-down list, and allows you to select one to protect the tag or page. Users must then have the selected privilege in order to access the item.

•      The Security Bit privilege for pages can be accessed using the Page Manager to display the Page Properties dialog for the selected page.

•      The Security Bit privilege for analog and digital output tags and modem tags can be accessed using the Merit tab of the tag properties folder.

•      You may find it useful to establish a user account for the person responsible for managing security after the application is deployed. This person should have the ability to add and modify user accounts so that you do not have to return to the site each time a new user must be added. 

•      It is important to ensure that you change the password for the Manager1 account after you've completed configuration of the application. Optionally, you could configure your own account with a unique username and password and having manager privileges, and then delete the Manager1 account.

You should now be familiar with basic security features in VTS. It should be noted that more advanced and detailed security information can be found in the VTS Developer's Guide. It is suggested that you review this guide to learn more about VTS security.