Livelink Cookie Management

Goldman_Opentext_KC_Generic_#1_(GOLSAC02User1_(Del

I am trying to write a Java servlet that will authenticate against LiveLink and capture/forward the Cookies to Browser. Since the servlet is the client to LiveLink, I wonder if the cookie generation utilize the client's IP address so that the cookie will be invalid if I set it send it to the Browser. All following requests to LiveLink will be directed from the browser instead of the Java Servlet...

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John_Shoun

The Livelink cookie is encrypted based on the client IP address (this has caused us several problems with our proxy servers that do security and LivelinkExplorer).If your servlet is on a different server, then the cookie will not work when you send it to the browser.There is an option (undocumented) that allows you to the encryption off so that the cookie can be sent around. I wouldn't do that since it exposes the user passwords.Your other choice is to get into the builder and change the way cookie encryption is done. You can change a couple of methods and select another encrption key (besides IP) that would be shared with the servlet you are building.

eLink User

Message from Johan Raedemaeker <<A HREF="mailto:jr@asbuilt.switch.be">jr@asbuilt.switch.be> via eLink

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">RE: Livelink cookies

Hi interesting thing.. changing the encryption using the IP.
We encounter problems with the current system because we would like to use loadbalancing of the firewalls...
As they have both a different IP address, the cookie seems to be invalid most of the times.
So no longer load balancing is used. But we would need it in the future.

Have you ever customised this functionality?
Can you tell me where exactly I can find this function?

Anyway, thanks in advance.

Johan Raedemaeker
AsBuilt Livelink Consultant
tel +32 (0)2 254 10 64

AsBuilt - Information Management for Complex Infrastructures
http://www.asbuilt.be

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=2552951&objAction=viewDiscussion

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=786303&objAction=viewLivelink

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe

Goldman_Opentext_KC_Generic_#1_(GOLSAC02User1_(Del

Can someone PLEASE PLESE tell us how to turn off the encryption so that we can get past the IP address mismatch issue?

eLink User

Message from David Slimmon via eLinkHere it is...But please note the extensive use of caveats and disclaimers in this posting;)It is very important to understand that if you make this change to youropentext.ini file, you are *absolutely* making your Livelink system lesssecure. Not an issue if you have other security methods in place (SSL etc.)Regards,Dave Slimmondslimmon@opentext.com=================================The roaming IP proxy problem can have a very frustrating effect on Livelinkusers because Livelink uses cookies to store your login state andinformation about your session based on your IP address. Accordingly, usersrunning across roaming IP proxies were constantly being asked to login againand again as they went about their business surfing in Livelink.The problem is addressed in a general way in the following article:Why are our users occasionally forced to login again when navigating inLivelink?http://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=2290027&objAction=ArticleViewThere is a workaround to this problem - but one that Customer Support hasbeen slightly cautious about passing around. This is because the use of theEncodeCookies=FALSE technique reduces the level of security in any Livelinkserver on which it is applied. Setting your opentext.ini file in this waydoes modify the existing Livelink login procedure and its use of cookiesand, in theory then, renders your Livelink system less secure.But if you are interested in trying this out, here are the steps to follow:1. Stop your Livelink server.2. In a text editor, open the opentext.ini file which sits in yourLIVELINK_INSTALLPATH\config directory.3. Add the following line to the [general] section of the opentext.ini file:EncodeCookies=FALSE4. Save the opentext.ini file and close the text editor.5. Re-start Livelink and determine whether the proxy/login problem persists.Works like a charm, but is definitely less secure.ds-----Original Message-----Livelink cookiesPosted by GOLSAC02User1 on 07/19/2001 10:28 AMCan someone PLEASE PLESE tell us how to turn off the encryption so that wecan get past the IP address mismatch issue?

eLink User

Message from Vinit Kulkarni via eLinkin opentext.ini add this entryencodeCookies=false"eLink Discussion: Development Discussion" on07/19/2001 10:33:09 AMPlease respond to MjU1NDY0MQAA@elinkkc.opentext.com To: "eLink Recipient" cc: (bcc: Vinit Kulkarni) Subject: Livelink cookies Livelink cookiesPosted by GOLSAC02User1 on 07/19/2001 10:28 AMCan someone PLEASE PLESE tell us how to turn off the encryption so that we canget past the IP address mismatch issue?[To reply to this thread, use your normal e-mail reply function.]============================================================Topic: Livelink Cookie Managementhttps://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=2552951&objAction=viewDiscussion: Development Discussionhttps://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=786303&objAction=viewLivelink Server:https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe

Jordi_Masip_(azertiaadmin_-_(deleted))

I am specially interested in next phrase you wrote: "The Livelink cookie is encrypted based on the client IP address (this has caused us several problems with our proxy servers that do security and LivelinkExplorer)".Could you please tell me if you was able to work with Livelink Explorer even proxies existed between the browser and Livelink server? If yes, how?Thanks

eLink User

Message from Johan Raedemaeker <<A HREF="mailto:jr@asbuilt.switch.be">jr@asbuilt.switch.be> via eLink

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">RE: Livelink Explorer and proxies

Hi,

Working with a proxie should cause no problem.
But when using loadbalancing can cause problems because the IP addresses might change.
Then you have to disable the Encoding mechanism, but this results in less security as the password and username are always sent in plain text.

SSL can bring a solution in that situation

We changed the encoding mechanism so not to use the IP address but another key that can be defined for each installation. But then viewing docs with llview.exe could not decode the cookie so docs could not be viewed. And we are not able to modify the llview.exe without OpenText Professional Services.... and so on....

regards

Johan Raedemaeker
AsBuilt Product Manager
tel +32 (0)2 254 10 64

AsBuilt - Information Management for Complex Infrastructures
http://www.asbuilt.be

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=2552951&objAction=viewDiscussion

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe?func=ll&objId=786303&objAction=viewLivelink

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/livelink.exe

eLink User

Message from David Slimmon via eLinkHi there,To add to what Johan Raedemaeker has written...The Open Text Knowledge Center itself has disabled the cookie encoding asdescribed in the previous message. You can see for yourself by logging intothe Knowledge Center, going to Livelink Explorer and viewing the source forthat page. You should see your user name and password displayed in plaintext. The is accomplished through the use of the EncodeCookies=FALSEsetting in the [general] section of the opentext.ini file.But yes, this does reduce the level of security on the Livelink system towhich it is applied.Regards,David___________________________________________O P E N T E X T C O R P O R A T I O NDavid Slimmon, M.L.I.S.Supervisor - Customer Supporthttps://knowledge.opentext.comdslimmon@opentext.com-----Original Message-----

Roderick_Simpson

I am running a Livelink 9.1 SP4 clustered environment. I have three instances per 4 UNIX boxes. The whole environment is vertically stacked. When we upgrade from 9.1 SP3 this past weekend, we now have about 20-30% of our users coming across a web page load error. When a user clicks on a link to 'hit' a Livelink page, whether it be from an old bookmark or just drilling down from the enterprise page, the page goes into this constant refresh mode, page wants to load, but never does. White page on the screen, the status bar keep cycling, and it says in the left botton that it is trying to load the page address. It is not a permission issue, because if the user hard refreshes enough the page will finally load. Now other factor is this issue only seems to occur on client side Windows 2000 OS boxes not XP SP2. And if each user goes to each of the particular instances they do not see the error load, only from the BigIP address. This must be a cookie issue. What is the best way to resolve this issue?? This is a very highly visible system, and I need a solution that will not bring down the whole system again.

Ben_Shapiro

Message from Benjamin Shapiro via eLink Good morning. It does indeed sound like a cookie issue; the cookie changedbetween Livelink 91sp3 and Livelink 91sp4 in that it's now 3-DESencrypted, and the seed for the encryption is in:[security]cookieKey= If you don't have this defined, then the encryption will usethe OTHOME variable by default. Obviously with vertical stacking thiswill be different across all instances. So! If that is indeed the problem, the solution should be toadd the above line (substituting your own string) into the opentext.inifiles of all Livelink instances, and restart the services. Ensure thatthe string is the same across all instances. (The white page you see sounds like the user is just gettingconstantly redirected as each Livelink instance tries to create the"appropriate" cookie) Cheers, Benjamin________________________________ Posted by rodericksimpson (Simpson,Roderick) on 08/02/2006 12:50 AM In reply to: RE Livelink cookiesPosted by eLink on 07/19/2001 10:54 AM I am running a Livelink 9.1 SP4 clustered environment. I havethree instances per 4 UNIX boxes. The whole environment is verticallystacked. When we upgrade from 9.1 SP3 this past weekend, we now haveabout 20-30% of our users coming across a web page load error. When auser clicks on a link to 'hit' a Livelink page, whether it be from anold bookmark or just drilling down from the enterprise page, the pagegoes into this constant refresh mode, page wants to load, but neverdoes. White page on the screen, the status bar keep cycling, and it saysin the left botton that it is trying to load the page address. It is nota permission issue, because if the user hard refreshes enough the pagewill finally load. Now other factor is this issue only seems to occur onclient side Windows 2000 OS boxes not XP SP2. And if each user goes toeach of the particular instances they do not see the error load, onlyfrom the BigIP address. This must be a cookie issue. What is the bestway to re! solve this issue?? This is a very highly visible system, andI need a solution that will not bring down the whole system again.

Roderick_Simpson

Thanks for the information. I believe it has solved my problem. Still need users to conduct testing, but so far so good. I do have another issue which might be related as well. I have a user who runs a web site that is internal at GE. On this site there is a link that takes the user to within Livelink to a particular container. Even after resolving this cookie issue, he still says that users can not get the page to load. Now if he sets the properties on the link to open in a new browser window the page loads just fine. Is there something different with 9.1SP4 in regards to certains browser frames? Currently he has this work around in place, but his site has many links to Livelink and would take awhile to make all the alterations, so if I could alter Livelink 9.1SP4 to work the way it did when the version was 9.1SP3, that would make things much easier. DO you have any ideas on this issue???

Ben_Shapiro

Message from Benjamin Shapiro via eLink I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one. If it's acookie thing I'd've expected it to behave the same regardless of whetherit's in a pop-up or the original window. There should be no problemwith linking into Livelink. If it remains a problem (i.e. is not some strange artifact ofthe cookie issue you were having) then I'd suggest opening a supportticket. Cheers, Benjamin________________________________ Livelink Cookies etc..Posted by rodericksimpson (Simpson,Roderick) on 08/02/2006 01:15 PM Thanks for the information. I believe it has solved my problem.Still need users to conduct testing, but so far so good. I do haveanother issue which might be related as well. I have a user who runs aweb site that is internal at GE. On this site there is a link that takesthe user to within Livelink to a particular container. Even afterresolving this cookie issue, he still says that users can not get thepage to load. Now if he sets the properties on the link to open in a newbrowser window the page loads just fine. Is there something differentwith 9.1SP4 in regards to certains browser frames? Currently he has thiswork around in place, but his site has many links to Livelink and wouldtake awhile to make all the alterations, so if I could alter Livelink9.1SP4 to work the way it did when the version was 9.1SP3, that wouldmake things much easier. DO you have any ideas on this issue???

Hans Stoop

Message from Hans Stoop via eLinkI had a similar problem with Livelink running in a Iframe with IE asbrowser.To solve the problem I had to put the LL server in the trusted siteslist of IE.Hans> -----Original Message-----> From: eLink Discussion: Development Discussion > [mailto:development@elinkkc.opentext.com] > Sent: woensdag 2 augustus 2006 19:16> To: eLink Recipient> Subject: Livelink Cookies etc..> > Livelink Cookies etc..> Posted by Simpson, Roderick on 08/02/2006 01:15 PM> > Thanks for the information. I believe it has solved my > problem. Still need users to conduct testing, but so far so > good. I do have another issue which might be related as well. > I have a user who runs a web site that is internal at GE. On > this site there is a link that takes the user to within > Livelink to a particular container. Even after resolving this > cookie issue, he still says that users can not get the page > to load. Now if he sets the properties on the link to open in > a new browser window the page loads just fine. Is there > something different with 9.1SP4 in regards to certains > browser frames? Currently he has this work around in place, > but his site has many links to Livelink and would take awhile > to make all the alterations, so if I could alter Livelink > 9.1SP4 to work the way it did when the version was 9.1SP3, > that would make things much easier. DO you have any ideas on > this issue??? > > [To reply to this thread, use your normal E-mail reply function.]> > ============================================================> > Topic: Livelink Cookie Management> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/2552951> > Discussion: Development Discussion> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/open/786303> > Livelink Server:> https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll> > To Unsubscribe from this Discussion, send an e-mail to > unsubscribe.development@elinkkc.opentext.com.> > >