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12Port for Credential Rotation

Credential Rotation is the Privileged Account Management (PAM) module of the 12Port platform, designed to help organizations automate, secure, and enforce policies around privileged credentials. Whether managing passwords, SSH keys, or automating credential rotation workflows, the module provides powerful control over privileged access without adding operational complexity.

This documentation portal is your go-to resource for getting the most out of this module, whether you're setting up your first credential policy, automating credential rotation, or managing privileged tasks across your infrastructure.

What Credential Rotation Does

Rotation simplifies and strengthens the management of your organization's privileged credentials. Key features include:

  • Automated credential management: Rotate passwords and SSH keys on a regular schedule or in response to specific events.
  • Centralized policy enforcement: Define and enforce consistent password and key complexity rules across the entire organization.
  • Seamless integration with Windows and Unix systems: Manage credentials and execute remote tasks across both environments.
  • Task and job automation: Automate and standardize operations like patching, cleanup, and system configuration through flexible scripting.
  • Comprehensive auditability: Full visibility into credential operations and job execution, with role-based access control and reporting.

Key Features Overview

Credential and Key Management

Credential Rotation simplifies the secure handling of passwords, SSH keys, and shared credentials. It provides:

  • Automated password resets for shared accounts.
  • SSH key rotation and automated updates to remote endpoints.
  • Support for XKCD-style passwords and customizable password policies.
  • Enforced key strength, algorithm, and packaging standards for SSH keys.

Centralized Secret Policies

Enforce consistent password and key standards organization-wide, with flexibility for different departments and assets. Credential Rotation allows you to:

  • Set requirements for length, character types, and algorithms (RSA, EdDSA, etc.).
  • Apply rules at various levels: space, user directory, asset type, or individual assets.
  • Inherit and override rules for granular control.

Automated Credential Rotation

Schedule or trigger automatic credential rotation to meet compliance and risk requirements:

  • Regular rotations based on cron scheduling.
  • Event-based triggers for actions like credential unlock or after an update.
  • Support for rotating credentials across various platforms including Windows, Linux, and Microsoft Active Directory.

Task Automation and Scripting

The module includes a powerful scripting engine to automate routine privileged tasks, such as:

  • Standardizing post-session cleanup or system configuration.
  • Running scripts across Windows (WinRM) or Unix (SSH) systems.
  • Reusing script components and executing both batch and standalone tasks.
  • Triggering scripts based on events or schedules.

Full Audit and Reporting

Gain complete visibility into every privileged credential action, including:

  • Detailed execution logs for each job or credential operation.
  • Event-based reports for triggered actions and scheduled rotations.
  • Role-based permissions for auditing and task tracking.
  • Hierarchical task inheritance with override support for flexibility.

Scaling Across Distributed Environments

Credential Rotation can scale to meet the needs of complex infrastructures with:

  • Peer node configurations for isolated or air-gapped networks.
  • Load balancing across multiple nodes to ensure high availability.
  • Flexible inheritance and override options for fine-grained control at every level.

Getting Started

This documentation is organized to guide you through every step of deploying, configuring, and operating the credential rotation module. The key sections include:

  • Getting Started
    Set up your first privileged credential policies and start using the module to manage accounts.

  • Credential & Key Management
    Learn how to automate password resets, manage SSH key rotation, and enforce policies across your organization.

  • Task Automation & Scripting
    Automate operations, such as system configuration and post-session tasks, with customizable scripts.

  • Auditing & Reporting
    Set up reporting and gain visibility into every privileged credential and task operation.

  • Advanced Features & Scaling
    Configure the module to scale across distributed networks and air-gapped environments.

Need Assistance?

If you’re new to the module, we recommend starting with the Getting Started section. For more complex use cases, explore the Task Automation or Scaling sections.

Our portal includes detailed guides, FAQs, best practices, and troubleshooting tips to ensure you get the most out of credential rotation. Whether you're working with Windows, Linux, or remote environments, you'll find the support you need to implement secure, automated privileged credential management.

Need more help? Contact support@12port.com at anytime.