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How to configure SSL Pass-through

Andre_Lofton_14
Nimbostratus
Nimbostratus

Currently I have a standard VIP setup using a SSL client profile and SSL server profile. How do I configure it for pass-through?

 

17 REPLIES 17

Brad_Parker
Cirrus
Cirrus

If you want to still be able to use an HTTP profile you will have to select the Proxy SSL option in both of your profiles. That will also require your pool members to support all the ciphers you make available in the client SSL profile and you will need to disable Diffie-Hellman ciphers. https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/13000/300/sol13385.html

 

If you don't need to use an HTTP profile you can just remove both of your client and server SSL profiles.

 

I do have to use the HTTP profile because I need to have a persistence setting SSLSERVER. But can this be done just on the VIP or do I have to create a custom server profile just for this VIP so I don't affect the parent profile for other VIP's and select the Proxy SSL. Also to confirm I need to do this on the Client and the Server side SSL profile?

yes, you should create a custom client and server SSL profile and enable it on both. Be sure to read the SOL for any gotchas. Also, you say you need an HTTP profile for persistence. What kind of persistence are you using?

Persistence can be done on SSL session ID as well. Not quite as good, in general, as cookie insert but better than source IP. If you are proxying http traffic, however, you have more options available to you with an http profile. If it's TCP over SSL of a non-HTTP variety, obviously don't. Also, IMNSHO, always create a custom profile, for every VIP and every profile type (same for persistence). I've seen too many clients break because of an innocuous change to one of the default profiles (also it's very cheap to say "create ltm profile my-new-profile- { } ")

Just FYI you can't use SSL session id persistence on a vip that is using a client SSL profile.

Wasn't aware of that. That seems odd to me, but thanks for the info (not that I don't believe you, but I'm gunna validate)

and you are correct. That seems like an odd implementation. It would just require a session table; hell you could easily do that in an iRule. There's at least one thing NetScalers do better than F5's I guess. You cannot use SSL persistence with the following configurations: With a virtual server configured with a Server SSL profile. If the BIG-IP system is configured to terminate and re-encrypt SSL connections, a different SSL session ID is used for the node-side connection than is used for the client-side connection. As a result, you cannot use SSL session ID persistence in combination with re-encryption. With a virtual server configured for Client Authentication. For example, if the Client SSL profile is configured to request a Client SSL certificate for client authentication, you cannot use SSL persistence.

how we can disable Diffie-Hellman ciphers, for a server-side profile I will create a custom one and attach to it the public certificate and key for the backend server ???!!!!

Brad_Parker_139
Nacreous
Nacreous

If you want to still be able to use an HTTP profile you will have to select the Proxy SSL option in both of your profiles. That will also require your pool members to support all the ciphers you make available in the client SSL profile and you will need to disable Diffie-Hellman ciphers. https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/13000/300/sol13385.html

 

If you don't need to use an HTTP profile you can just remove both of your client and server SSL profiles.

 

I do have to use the HTTP profile because I need to have a persistence setting SSLSERVER. But can this be done just on the VIP or do I have to create a custom server profile just for this VIP so I don't affect the parent profile for other VIP's and select the Proxy SSL. Also to confirm I need to do this on the Client and the Server side SSL profile?

yes, you should create a custom client and server SSL profile and enable it on both. Be sure to read the SOL for any gotchas. Also, you say you need an HTTP profile for persistence. What kind of persistence are you using?

Persistence can be done on SSL session ID as well. Not quite as good, in general, as cookie insert but better than source IP. If you are proxying http traffic, however, you have more options available to you with an http profile. If it's TCP over SSL of a non-HTTP variety, obviously don't. Also, IMNSHO, always create a custom profile, for every VIP and every profile type (same for persistence). I've seen too many clients break because of an innocuous change to one of the default profiles (also it's very cheap to say "create ltm profile my-new-profile- { } ")

Just FYI you can't use SSL session id persistence on a vip that is using a client SSL profile.

Wasn't aware of that. That seems odd to me, but thanks for the info (not that I don't believe you, but I'm gunna validate)

and you are correct. That seems like an odd implementation. It would just require a session table; hell you could easily do that in an iRule. There's at least one thing NetScalers do better than F5's I guess. You cannot use SSL persistence with the following configurations: With a virtual server configured with a Server SSL profile. If the BIG-IP system is configured to terminate and re-encrypt SSL connections, a different SSL session ID is used for the node-side connection than is used for the client-side connection. As a result, you cannot use SSL session ID persistence in combination with re-encryption. With a virtual server configured for Client Authentication. For example, if the Client SSL profile is configured to request a Client SSL certificate for client authentication, you cannot use SSL persistence.

Randy_O__307506
Nimbostratus
Nimbostratus

Question on this please. If no client/server SSL profiles are defined on the F5, therefore only pass-though as originally stated, does that mean the client --> f5 connection is unencrypted and will show as such in a packet capture? Note: this question is directed at Brad Parker's answer.

 

RiadSanchz
Altostratus
Altostratus

To answer this How to configure SSL Pass-through

 

There's nothing to configure on the F5 for ssl 'passthrough'. It just means the SSL traffic is passed as it is through the F5 to the backend servers, not terminated on the F5. No layer 7 processing can be performed on the F5 as traffic is encrypted.