Live Help offers a variety of security features. Some are built in, while others are set based on individual preferences.
Built-in feature (no settings are required)
Optional features (can be set based on individual preferences)
There are security settings for both Client and Support Specialist.
Refer to following sections for details on each feature.
Live Help encrypts session data of Live Help sessions conducted over a network. This prevents access to sensitive information exchanged during Live Help sessions. Live Help makes use of Windows(R) ' own encryption functionality to accomplish this. The encryption method Live Help uses is RC4, with key strength of 40-bit. When you choose modem as the communication method, Live Help does not encrypt session data of Live Help sessions.
On a network, one form of security is Live Help's use of Support Centers. In a default installation, the Live Help software provides one Support Center for TCP/IP-based users. If you would like a particular group of users to receive support from specific help desk technicians, you can create a special Support Center that only those people can use. For example, you may want to assign a senior technician to provide help to top-level management in your company, and you do not want other help desk personnel to have access to the manager's support sessions. Refer to the section Adding a Support Center in Live Help Connection Manager for more information about creating Support Centers.
Live Help also provides a feature that restricts the ability to join a session based on the IP address or host name of the computer attempting to join. For example, you could use this feature to restrict access only to people in your organization or on your local network. For more information on the Restricted Connection List of Live Help Expert, refer to the section Modifying Entries in the Restricted Connections List in Changing Your Live Help Expert Configuration For more information on the Restricted Connection List of Live Help Client, refer to the "Changing your Configuration" in the Live Help Client's Guide.
A Support Specialist can only connect to a Client's computer if the person starts the Client application. If the Client application is not running, it is not possible to make a connection.
When the Client application starts, the Client can click the Change Settings button to set some security options:
Live Help Password Authentication
This authentication method allows the Client to authenticate Live Help connections using the password registered on the Live Help Client application. When the Client sets a password, a Support Specialist must specify this password to make a connection. Passwords are case sensitive and can include spaces and special characters except double quotation (").If a password is set, the Client application remembers the password for future sessions.
Strong passwords should be utilized to provide unwanted access to the computer running the Client software. Passwords should:
be at least seven characters long.
contain letters (uppercase and lowercase)
contain numerals (0-9)
contain symbols (e.g. ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + - = { } | [ ] \ : ; ' < > ? , . / )
When the Client application starts, the opening dialog box reports that a password is set, as shown in the following example:
Refer to the "Changing your Configuration" in the Live Help Client's Guide for how to use Live Help Password Authentication.
For how to connect to a Live Help Client on which Live Help Password Authentication is enabled, refer to "Joining a password protected support session".
Note
When the password is not set, Live Help Client will not verify the password.
The contents of your startup screen may differ slightly from the screenshot shown.
Windows Group Based Authentication
This authentication method allows the Client to authenticate Live Help connections using the Windows(R) Groups registered on the Client's system. The Client can grant the permission to connect to the Client's computer to up to 10 groups. A Support Specialist will be allowed to connect to the Client's computer only when he/she joins the Client session using a user who belongs to the permitted groups.
Note
The user specified by a Support Specialist will be used only to authenticate Live Help connections. After authentication, the Support Specialist will remotely operate the Client's computer based on the privileges of the logged in user of the Client's computer.
When the Client application starts, the opening dialog box reports that the Windows group based authentication is enabled, as shown in the following example:
Refer to the "Changing your Configuration" in the Live Help Client's Guide for how to use Windows Group Based Authentication.
For how to connect to a Live Help Client on which Windows Group Based Authentication is enabled, refer to "Joining a support session on which Windows group based authentication is enabled".
Note
The contents of your startup screen may differ slightly from the screenshot shown.
Approve Connections
When this option is set, the Client is notified when a Support Specialist tries to connect. The Specialist's name displays, and the Client can accept or deny the connection.
Note
If the Client does not approve the request within 5 seconds when the Live Help Client is configured to "run as a service, start Client at Windows boot," the Live Help Client application decides that the Client is away and automatically denies the Support Specialist.
In case the Live Help Client is configured to "run as a service" or "do not run as a service," the Live Help Client application waits 30 seconds before it decides that the Client is away and automatically denies the Support Specialist.
Remote Control
This option in the Client Setup dialog box allows the Client to control whether or not a Support Specialist can take remote control of the Client computer. Options include allow, prohibit or ask the user.
While the session is in progress, the Client can terminate the connection and end the session at any time. Normally this is not necessary because the Support Specialist will end the session once the problem is resolved. However, this capability gives the Client some control over the session. The Client can end the session by clicking the minimized Client program icon, then clicking the End Session button.
Just as with the Client application, no one can connect to your computer unless you start the Live Help Expert application and create or join a session.
When you create a session to hold an on-line meeting with other Help Desk Personnel, the Create dialog box offers some security features:
Password
Anyone trying to join your session must specify the same password. Passwords are case sensitive and can include spaces and special characters.
Approve Connections
A dialog box displays the name of anyone trying to join your session. You can either accept or deny the join request.
Other settings are available in the Security dialog box, which displays when you select Security from the OPTIONS menu. Refer to the section Security Preferences in Changing Your Live Help Expert Configuration for more information.
