: Use AWS Secrets Manager to Store VM-Series Certificates
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Use AWS Secrets Manager to Store VM-Series Certificates

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Use AWS Secrets Manager to Store VM-Series Certificates

Integrate cloud native key managers to store certificates.
You can integrate cloud native key managers to store certificates. Private keys used for certificates are not stored on a firewall’s hard drive, thereby eliminating security problems. Administrators retain certificates and private keys in cloud storage. The firewall uses AWS Secrets Manager to retrieve the certificates and private keys from cloud storage, and uses them for features like decryption and IPSec.
Only VM-Series firewalls are supported to enable certificate retrieval via AWS Secrets Manager. If you are using AWS Secrets Manager certificates, you cannot downgrade to an earlier version of PAN-OS.
For outbound and inbound decryption, upload the certificates to the native key manager and provide the required access permissions to the NGFW.
A NGFW on a public cloud can use AWS Secrets Manager for storing certificates. With such cases, the required access management policies are configured, using PAN-OS or the CLI, for the same instances.
For environments using autoscaling, an instance boots up in a state with the necessary certificates retrieved and ready to decrypt traffic without additional manual configuration.
When a certificate is updated in the cloud it must be re-imported as a new certificate onto the firewall. You must assign IAM roles to an instance in order to enable the instance to retrieve certificates from the AWS Secrets Manager store. The IAM role must have Get permission for Secrets from AWS Secrets Manager.
All certificates are deleted when a master key changes, and then re-fetched upon commit. When the configuration is synchronized to the passive firewall under HA, the certificate is automatically downloaded by the management daemon on the passive firewall. As a result, the certificate itself is not synchronized.
  1. In the AWS Management Console, create an IAM role, or, select a role that was previously created. The IAM role you use must have read/write privileges
  2. Select the IAM Role policy in the Instances section of the AWS Console to view the Secrets Manager.
  3. In the Permissions tab, select the Secrets Manager. You’ll use this screen to view public and private keys.
  4. In the Secrets screen, select the name of the secrets file associated with the IAM role.
  5. In the Secret field, select Key/value to display the private and public key. Both keys should be the same. Additionally, private or public keys must match the format AWS expects in Secrets Manager. If the format does not match, key retrieval fails.
    The Rotation configuration option must be Disabled. This feature is not supported.
  6. Return to your resource group and select the VM-Series firewall. Click Identity > User Assigned and add the Managed Identity.
  7. Return to Secrets Manager and select Certificates. Import your certificate.
  8. Log into the VM-Series firewall.
  9. Select Device > Certificate Management > Certificates > Import.
  10. Under Cloud, enter the certificate name and set the file format.
  11. Select Cloud, choose AWS from the Cloud Platform drop-down:
    1. Enter the Certificate Name; copy this from the Certificate Name field in AWS Secrets Manager > Secrets.
    2. Select AWS for the Cloud Platform.
    3. Enter the Cloud Secret Name; copy this from Secret name field in AWS Secrets Manager > Secrets.
    4. You can specify the Algorithm in the Certificate Information screen. Choose the algorithm for your configuration, either RSA or Elliptical Curve DSA. By default, the algorithm is set to use RSA. Configure the certificate to use either Forward Trust Certificate, Forward Untrust Certificate, or Trusted Root CA. You can alternately select all algorithms for the certificate.
    5. Click OK.
    6. Commit your changes.
  12. Verify that the certificate was added successfully:
    1. Select Device > Certificate Management > Certificates.
    2. Your new certificate should be listed.
    Certificate details are not displayed in the Certificates
    screen. To view this information in the CLI, use the command:
    show shared certificate <cert-name>
    Certificate details are not displayed in the Certificates
    screen. To view this information in the CLI, use the command:
    show shared certificate <cert-name>
    You can confirm configuration of certificate integration in Panorama. Use the Device Certificate window to determine if the certificate is used. Keep in mind that because data is not stored in the running configuration (the hard drive), all fields in the Device Certificates table are empty, except for the Usage field (if configured) and the Cloud Secret Name.