Fortigate SSL VPN 52

FortiOS™ Handbook - SSL
VPN
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Friday, June 24, 2016
FortiOS™ Handbook - SSL VPN
01-520-112804-20140807
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Change Log 7
Overview 8
Introduction to SSL VPN 9
SSL VPN modes of operation 10
Web-only mode 10
Tunnel mode 11
Port forwarding mode 12
Application support 12
Antivirus and firewall host compatibility 12
Traveling and security 13
Host check 14
Cache cleaning 14
SSL VPN and IPv6 14
Basic configuration 15
User accounts and groups 15
Authentication 16
MAC host check 16
IP addresses for users 17
DHCP relay of IP address 17
Authentication of remote users 17
Configuring SSL VPN web portals 20
SSL connection configuration 20
Portal configuration 21
Personal bookmarks 24
SSL VPN Realms 24
Tunnel mode and split tunneling 25
Configuring encryption key algorithms 26
Additional configuration options 27
Routing in tunnel mode 27
Changing the port number for web portal connections 27
SSL offloading 28
Host check 28
Replacing the host check error message 28
Creating a custom host check list 29
Windows OS check 29
Configuring cache cleaning 30
Configuring virtual desktop 31
Configuring client OS Check 32
Adding WINS and DNS services for clients 32
Setting the idle timeout setting 33
SSL VPN logs 33
Monitoring active SSL VPN sessions 33
Importing and using a CA-signed SSL certificate 34
The SSL VPN client 35
FortiClient 35
Tunnel mode client configuration 35
The SSL VPN web portal 37
Connecting to the FortiGate unit 37
Web portal overview 37
Portal configuration 39
Portal settings 41
Portal widgets 42
Applications available in the web portal 43
Using the My Bookmarks widget 44
Adding bookmarks 44
Using the Connection Tool 45
Tunnel-mode features 49
Using the SSL VPN virtual desktop 50
Using FortiClient 51
Setup examples 52
Secure Internet browsing 52
Creating an SSL VPN IP pool and SSL VPN web portal 53
Creating the SSL VPN user and user group 53
Creating a static route for the remote SSL VPN user 53
Creating security policies 54
Configuring authentication rules 54
Results 55
Split Tunnel 55
Creating a firewall address for the head office server 55
Creating the SSL VPN user and user group 56
Results 57
Multiple user groups with different access permissions 58
General configuration steps 58
Creating the firewall addresses 58
Creating the tunnel client range addresses 59
Creating the web portals 59
Creating the user accounts and user groups 60
Creating the security policies 60
Configuring authentication rules 61
Create the static route to tunnel mode clients 62
Troubleshooting 64
Sending tunnel statistics to FortiAnalyzer 66
Change Log
Date Change Description
2016-06-24 Minor update to policy configuration in Split Tunnel on page 55.
2016-02-04 Update to SSL VPN port setting CLI syntax.
2015-11-25 Removed references to Chrome (no longer supports SSL VPN tunnel).

Added information about DHCP relay of IP address.
Added new applications available in the web portal.
Added Source User(s) entries, as users/groups must be configured in security
policies.
Fixed web-mode policy description error in Multiple user groups with different access
2015-08-21
permissions on page 58.
2015-01-05 Removed references to set action ssl-vpn.

Removed references to set gateway <gateway_IP> for tunnel-mode
configurations.
Added information about Basic configuration.
2014-08-07 Updates to basic SSL VPN policy configuration.
2014-06-03 FortiOS 5.2 major release.
2013-10-30 Minor edit - setting web portal tunnel-mode IP pools.
2013-09-16 Added RFCs 2246, 4346, 5246, 6101, and 6176 for SSL and TLS support.
2012-11-02 New FortiOS 5.0 release.
SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4 7

Fortinet Technologies Inc.
Overview
This document provides a general introduction to SSL VPN technology, explains the features available with SSL
VPN and gives guidelines to decide what features you need to use, and how the FortiGate unit is configured to
implement the features.
The following chapters are included in this document:
Introduction to SSL VPN provides useful general information about VPN and SSL, how the FortiGate unit
implements them, and gives guidance on how to choose between SSL and IPsec.
Basic configuration explains how to configure the FortiGate unit and the web portal. Along with these
configuration details, this chapter also explains how to grant unique access permissions, how to configure the
SSL encryption key algorithm, and describes the SSL VPN OS Patch Check feature that allows a client with a
specific OS patch to access SSL VPN services.
The SSL VPN client provides an overview of the FortiClient software required for tunnel mode, where to obtain
the software, how to install it, and the configuration information required for remote users to connect to the
internal network.
The SSL VPN web portal provides an overview of the SSL VPN web portal, with explanations of how to use and
configure the web portal features.
Setup examples explores several configuration scenarios with step-by-step instructions. While the information
provided is enough to set up the described SSL VPN configurations, these scenarios are not the only possible SSL
VPN setups.
8 SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4

Introduction to SSL VPN
As organizations have grown and become more complex, secure remote access to network resources has
become critical for day-to-day operations. In addition, businesses are expected to provide clients with efficient,
convenient services including knowledge bases and customer portals. Employees traveling across the country or
around the world require timely and comprehensive access to network resources. As a result of the growing need
for providing remote/mobile clients with easy, cost-effective and secure access to a multitude of resources, the
concept of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) was developed.
SSL VPNs establish connectivity using SSL, which functions at Levels 4 - 5 (Transport and Session layers).
Information is encapsulated at Levels 6 - 7 (Presentation and Application layers), and SSL VPNs communicate at
the highest levels in the OSI model. SSL is not strictly a Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology that allows
clients to connect to remote networks in a secure way. A VPN is a secure logical network created from physically
separate networks. VPNs use encryption and other security methods to ensure that only authorized users can
access the network. VPNs also ensure that the data transmitted between computers cannot be intercepted by
unauthorized users. When data is encoded and transmitted over the Internet, the data is said to be sent through a
“VPN tunnel”. A VPN tunnel is a non-application oriented tunnel that allows the users and networks to exchange a
wide range of traffic regardless of application or protocol.
The advantages of a VPN over an actual physical private network are two-fold. Rather than utilizing expensive
leased lines or other infrastructure, you use the relatively inexpensive, high-bandwidth Internet. Perhaps more
important though is the universal availability of the Internet. In most areas, access to the Internet is readily
obtainable without any special arrangements or long wait times.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) as HTTPS is supported by most web browsers for exchanging sensitive information
securely between a web server and a client. SSL establishes an encrypted link, ensuring that all data passed
between the web server and the browser remains private and secure. SSL protection is initiated automatically
when a user (client) connects to a web server that is SSL-enabled. Once the successful connection is established,
the browser encrypts all the information before it leaves the computer. When the information reaches its
destination, it is decrypted using a secret (private) key. Any data sent back is first encrypted, and is decrypted
when it reaches the client.
FortiOS supports the SSL and TLS versions defined below:
SSL and TLS version support table
Version RFC
SSL 2.0 RFC 6176
SSL 3.0 RFC 6101
TLS 1.0 RFC 2246
TLS 1.1 RFC 4346
TLS 1.2 RFC 5246

SSL VPN modes of operation Introduction to SSL VPN
SSL VPN modes of operation
When a remote client connects to the FortiGate unit, the FortiGate unit authenticates the user based on
username, password, and authentication domain. A successful login determines the access rights of remote
users according to user group. The user group settings specify whether the connection will operate in web-only
mode or tunnel mode.
Web-only mode
Web-only mode provides remote users with a fast and efficient way to access server applications from any thin
client computer equipped with a web browser. Web-only mode offers true clientless network access using any
web browser that has built-in SSL encryption and the Sun Java runtime environment.
Support for SSL VPN web-only mode is built into FortiOS. The feature comprises of an SSL daemon running on
the FortiGate unit, and a web portal, which provides users with access to network services and resources
including HTTP/HTTPS, Telnet, FTP, SMB/CIFS, VNC, RDP, and SSH.
In web-only mode, the FortiGate unit acts as a secure HTTP/HTTPS gateway and authenticates remote users as
members of a user group. After successful authentication, the FortiGate unit redirects the web browser to the
web portal home page and the user can access the server applications behind the FortiGate unit.
When the FortiGate unit provides services in web-only mode, a secure connection between the remote client and
the FortiGate unit is established through the SSL VPN security in the FortiGate unit and the SSL security in the
web browser. After the connection has been established, the FortiGate unit provides access to selected services
and network resources through a web portal.
FortiGate SSL VPN web portals have a 1- or 2-column page layout and portal functionality is provided through
small applets called widgets. Widget windows can be moved or minimized. The controls within each widget
depend on its function. There are predefined web portals and the administrator can create additional portals.
Configuring the FortiGate unit involves selecting the appropriate web portal configuration in the user group
settings. These configuration settings determine which server applications can be accessed. SSL encryption is
used to ensure traffic confidentiality.
The following table lists the operating systems and web browsers supported by SSL VPN web-only mode.
VPN Web-only Mode, supported operating systems and web browsers
Operating System Web Browser
Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit SP1 • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9, 10 and 11

• Mozilla Firefox version 33
Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit SP1 • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9, 10 and 11

• Mozilla Firefox version 33
Linux CentOS version 5.6 and • Mozilla Firefox version 5.6

Ubuntu version 12.0.4
Other operating systems and web browsers may function correctly, but are not supported by Fortinet.

Introduction to SSL VPN SSL VPN modes of operation
Tunnel mode
Tunnel mode offers remote users the freedom to connect to the internal network using the traditional means of
web-based access from laptop computers, as well as from airport kiosks, hotel business centers, and Internet
cafés. If the applications on the client computers used by your user community vary greatly, you can deploy a
dedicated SSL VPN client to any remote client through its web browser. The SSL VPN client encrypts all traffic
from the remote client computer and sends it to the FortiGate unit through an SSL VPN tunnel over the HTTPS
link between the web browser and the FortiGate unit. Another option is split tunneling, which ensures that only
the traffic for the private network is sent to the SSL VPN gateway. Internet traffic is sent through the usual
unencrypted route. This conserves bandwidth and alleviates bottlenecks.
In tunnel mode, remote clients connect to the FortiGate unit and the web portal login page using Microsoft
Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mac OS, or Linux. The FortiGate unit acts as a secure HTTP/HTTPS gateway and
authenticates remote users as members of a user group. After successful authentication, the FortiGate unit
redirects the web browser to the web portal home page dictated by the user group authentication settings. If the
user does not have the SSL VPN client installed, they will be prompted to download the SSL VPN client (an
ActiveX or Java plugin) and install it using controls provided through the web portal. SSL VPN tunnel mode can
also be initiated from a standalone application on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux (see below).
Remote clients in tunnel mode cannot connect to the web portal using Chrome as it is
not supported. Refer to the Release Notes for more information.
SSL VPN Tunnel client standalone installer (build 2300) supported operating systems
Operating System Release
Microsoft Windows • 8.1 (32-bit & 64-bit), 8 (32-bit & 64-bit), 7 (32-bit & 64-bit), and XP SP3 in
.exe and .msi formats
Linux • CentOS and Ubuntu in .tar.gz format
Virtual Desktop • In .jar format for Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 (32-bit)
When the user initiates a VPN connection with the FortiGate unit through the SSL VPN client, the FortiGate unit
establishes a tunnel with the client and assigns the client a virtual IP address from a range of reserved addresses.
The client uses the assigned IP address as its source address for the duration of the connection. After the tunnel
has been established, the user can access the network behind the FortiGate unit.
Configuring the FortiGate unit to establish a tunnel with remote clients involves enabling the feature through SSL
VPN configuration settings and selecting the appropriate web portal configuration for tunnel-mode access in the
user group settings. The security policy and protection profiles on the FortiGate unit ensure that inbound traffic is
screened and processed securely.
The user account used to install the SSL VPN client on the remote computer must
have administrator privileges.

Port forwarding mode Introduction to SSL VPN
If you are using Windows Vista, you must disable UAC (User Account Control) before
installing the SSL VPN tunnel client. IE7 in Windows Vista runs in Protected Mode by
default. To install SSL VPN client ActiveX, you need to launch IE7 by using 'Run as
administrator' (right-click the IE7 icon and select 'Run as administrator').
For information about client operating system requirements, see the Release Notes for your FortiGate firmware.
For information on configuring tunnel mode, see Basic configuration on page 15.
Port forwarding mode
While tunnel mode provides a Layer 3 tunnel that users can run any application over, the user needs to install the
tunnel client, and have the required administrative rights to do so. In some situations, this may not be desirable,
yet the simple web mode does not provide enough flexibility for application support (for example, if you wish to
use an email client that communicates with a POP3 server). The port forward mode, or proxy mode, provides this
middle ground between web mode and tunnel mode.
SSL VPN port forwarding listens on local ports on the user’s computer. When it receives data from a client
application, the port forward module encrypts and sends the data to the FortiGate unit, which then forwards the
traffic to the application server.
The port forward module is implemented with a Java applet, which is downloaded and runs on the user’s
computer. The applet provides the up-to-date status information such as addressing and bytes sent and received.
On the user end, the user logs into the FortiGate SSL VPN portal, and selects a port forward bookmark configured
for a specific application. The bookmark defines the server address and port as well as which port to listen to on
the user’s computer.
The user must configure the application on the PC to point to the local proxy instead of
the application server. For information on this configuration change, see the
application documentation.
This mode only supports client/server applications that are using a static TCP port. It
will not support client/server applications using dynamic ports or traffic over UDP.
For information on configuring a port forward tunnel, see Basic configuration on page 15.
Application support
With Citrix application servers, the server downloads an ICA configuration file to the user’s PC. The client
application uses this information to connect to the Citrix server. The FortiGate unit will read this file and append a
SOCKS entry to set the SOCKS proxy to ‘localhost’. The Citrix client will then be able to connect to the SSL VPN
port forward module to provide the connection. When configuring the port forwarding module, a selection is
available for Citrix servers.
For Windows Remote Desktop Connections, when selecting the RDP option, the tunnel will launch the RDP client
and connect to the local loopback address after the port forward module has been initiated.
Antivirus and firewall host compatibility

The following tables list the antivirus and firewall client software packages that are supported in FortiOS.

Introduction to SSL VPN Traveling and security
Supported Windows XP antivirus and firewall software
Product supported Antivirus Firewall
Symantec Endpoint Protection V11 • •
Kaspersky Antivirus 2009 •
McAfee Security Center v8.1 • •
Trend Micro Internet Security Pro • •
F-Secure Internet Security 2009 • •
Supported Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit antivirus and firewall software
Product supported Antivirus Firewall
CA Internet Security 2011 • •
AVG Internet Security 2011
F-Secure Internet Security 2011 • •
Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 • •
McAfee Internet Security 2011 • •
Norton 360TM Version 4.0 • •
NortonTM Internet Security 2011 • •
Panda Internet Security 2011 • •
Sophos Security Suite • •
Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security • •
ZoneAlarm Security Suite • •
Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 12.0 • •
Traveling and security
Because SSL VPN provides a means for “on-the-go” users to dial in to the network while away from the office, you
need to ensure that wherever and however they choose to dial in is secure, and not potentially compromising the
corporate network.

SSL VPN and IPv6 Introduction to SSL VPN
When setting up the portal, you can include two options to ensure corporate data is safe; a host check for
antivirus software, and a cache cleaner.
Host check
You can enable a host integrity checker to scan the remote client. The integrity checker probes the remote client
computer to verify that it is safe before access is granted. Security attributes recorded on the client computer (for
example, in the Windows registry, in specific files, or held in memory due to running processes) are examined and
uploaded to the FortiGate unit. For more information, see Basic configuration on page 15.
Host Check is applicable for both SSLVPN Web Mode and SSLVPN Tunnel mode.
Cache cleaning
You can enable a cache cleaner to remove any sensitive data that would otherwise remain on the remote
computer after the session ends. For example, all cache entries, browser history, cookies, encrypted information
related to user authentication, and any temporary data generated during the session are removed from the
remote computer. If the client’s browser cannot install and run the cache cleaner, the user is not allowed to
access the SSL-VPN portal. For more information, see Basic configuration on page 15.
SSL VPN and IPv6
FortiOS supports SSL VPN with IPv6 addressing, and is available for all the java applets (Telnet, VNC, RDP, and
so on). IPv6 configurations for security policies and addressing include:
l Policy matching for IPv6 addresses

l Support for DNS resolving in SSL VPN
l Support IPv6 for ping
l FTP applications
l SMB
In essentially any of the following instructions, replace IPv4 with IPv6 to achieve the same desired results, but for
IPv6 addresses and configurations.

Basic configuration
Configuring SSL VPN involves a number of configurations within FortiOS that you need to complete to make it all
come together. This chapter describes the components required, and how and where to configure them to set up
the FortiGate unit as an SSL VPN server. The configurations and steps are high level, to show you the procedures
needed, and where to locate the options in FortiOS. For real-world examples, see Setup examples on page 52.
There are three or four key steps to configuring an SSL VPN tunnel. The first three in the points below are
mandatory, while the others are optional. This chapter outlines these key steps as well as additional
configurations for tighter security and monitoring.
The key steps are:
l Create user accounts and user groups for the remote clients.
(User accounts and groups on page 15)
l Create a web portal to define user access to network resources.
(Configuring SSL VPN web portals on page 20)
l Configure the security policies.
(Configuring security policies on page 1)
l For tunnel-mode operation, add routing to ensure that client tunnel-mode packets reach the SSL VPN interface.
(Routing in tunnel mode on page 27)
l Setup logging of SSL VPN activities.
(SSL VPN logs on page 33)
This section contains the following information:
User accounts and groups

Configuring SSL VPN web portals
Configuring encryption key algorithms
Additional configuration options
User accounts and groups
The first step for an SSL VPN tunnel is to add the users and user groups that will access the tunnel. You may
already have users defined for other authentication-based security policies.
The user group is associated with the web portal that the user sees after logging in. You can use one policy for
multiple groups, or multiple policies to handle differences between the groups such as access to different
services, or different schedules.
To create a user account:
l In the web-based manager, go to User & Device > User > User Definition, and select Create New.
l In the CLI, use the commands in config user local.
All users accessing the SSL tunnel must be in a firewall user group. User names can be up to 64 characters long.

User accounts and groups Basic configuration
To create user groups:
l In the web-based manager, go to User & Device > User > User Groups and select Create New.
l In the CLI, use the commands in config user group.
Authentication
Remote users must be authenticated before they can request services and/or access network resources through
the web portal. The authentication process can use a password defined on the FortiGate unit or optionally use
established external authentication mechanisms such as RADIUS or LDAP.
To authenticate users, you can use a plain text password on the local FortiGate unit, forward authentication
requests to an external RADIUS, LDAP or TACACS+ server, or utilize PKI certificates.
For information about how to create RADIUS, LDAP, TACACS+ or PKI user accounts and certificates, see the
Authentication Guide.
FortiOS supports LDAP password renewal notification and updates through SSL VPN.
Configuration is enabled using the CLI commands:
config user ldap

edit <username>
set server <domain>
set password-expiry-warning enable
set password-renewal enable
end
For more information, see the Authentication Guide.
MAC host check

When a remote client attempts to log in to the portal, you can have the FortiGate unit check against the client’s
MAC address to ensure that only a specific computer or device is connecting to the tunnel. This can ensure better
security should a password be compromised.
MAC addresses can be tied to specific portals and can be either the entire MAC address or a subset of the
address. MAC host checking is configured in the CLI using the folowing commands:
conf vpn ssl web portal
edit portal
set mac-addr-check enable
set mac-addr-action allow
config mac-addr-check-rule
edit "rule1"
set mac-addr-list 01:01:01:01:01:01 08:00:27:d4:06:5d
set mac-addr-mask 48
end
end

Basic configuration User accounts and groups
IP addresses for users

After the FortiGate unit authenticates a request for a tunnel-mode connection, the FortiGate unit assigns the SSL
VPN client an IP address for the session. The address is assigned from an IP Pool, which is a firewall address
defining an IP address range.
Take care to prevent overlapping IP addresses. Do not assign to clients any IP

addresses that are already in use on the private network. As a precaution, consider
assigning IP addresses from a network that is not commonly used (for example,
10.254.254.0/24).
To set tunnel-mode client IP address range - web-based manager:
1. Go to Policy & Objects > Objects > Addresses and select Create New.
2. Enter a Name, for example, SSL_VPN_tunnel_range.
3. Select a Type of IP Range.
4. In the Subnet/IP Range field, enter the starting and ending IP addresses that you want to assign to SSL VPN
clients, for example 10.254.254.[80-100].
5. In Interface, select Any.
6. Select OK.
To set tunnel-mode client IP address range - CLI:
If your SSL VPN tunnel range is for example 10.254.254.80 - 10.254.254.100, you could enter
config firewall address
edit SSL_tunnel_users
set type iprange
set end-ip 10.254.254.100
set start-ip 10.254.254.80
end
DHCP relay of IP address

The FortiGate can get an IP address via DHCP server for SSL VPN services, however it is only configurable in the
CLI Console by editing the ssl.root interface.
To enable DHCP relay service and relay IP address - CLI:

config system interface
edit ssl.root
set dhcp-relay-service [enable|disable]
set dhcp-relay-ip
next
end
Authentication of remote users

When remote users connect to the SSL VPN tunnel, they must perform authentication before being able to use
the internal network resources. This can be as simple as assigning users with their own passwords, connecting to

User accounts and groups Basic configuration
an LDAP server or using more secure options. FortiOS provides a number of options for authentication as well as
security option for those connected users.
The web portal can include bookmarks to connect to internal network resources. A web (HTTP/HTTPS) bookmark
can include login credentials so that the FortiGate unit automatically logs the user into the website. This means
that the user logs into the SSL VPN and then does not have to enter any more credentials to visit preconfigured
web sites.
Both the administrator and the end user can configure bookmarks, including SSO bookmarks. To add bookmarks
as a web portal user, see The SSL VPN web portal on page 37.
Setting the client authentication timeout

The client authentication timeout controls how long an authenticated user will remain connected. When this time
expires, the system forces the remote client to authenticate again. As with the idle timeout, a shorter period of
time is more secure. The default value is 28800 seconds (8 hours). You can only modify this timeout value in the
CLI.
For example, to change the authentication timeout to 18 000 seconds, enter the following commands in the CLI:
config vpn ssl settings
set auth-timeout 18000
end
You can also set the idle timeout for the client, to define how long the user does not access the remote resources
before they are logged out. For information see User accounts and groups on page 15.
Allow one-time login per user

You can set the SSL VPN tunnel such that each user can only log into the tunnel one time concurrently per user
per login. That is, once logged into the portal, they cannot go to another system and log in with the same
credentials again.
To allow one-time login per user - web-based manager:
Go to VPN > SSL > Portals, select a portal, and enable Limit Users to One SSL-VPN Connection at a
Time. It is disabled by default.
To allow one-time login per user - CLI:

config vpn ssl web portal
edit <portal_name>
set limit-user-logins enable
end
Strong authentication with security certificates

The FortiGate unit supports strong (two-factor) authentication through X.509 security certificates (version 1 or 3).
The FortiGate unit can require clients to authenticate using a certificate, and the client can require the FortiGate
unit to authenticate using a certificate.
For information about obtaining and installing certificates, see the Authentication Guide.

Basic configuration User accounts and groups
You can select the Require Client Certificate option so that clients must authenticate using certificates. The
client browser must have a local certificate installed, and the FortiGate unit must have the corresponding CA
certificate installed.
When the remote client initiates a connection, the FortiGate unit prompts the client browser for its client-side
certificate as part of the authentication process.
To require client authentication by security certificates - web-based manager:
1. Go to VPN > SSL > Settings.

2. Select Require Client Certificate.
3. Select Apply.
To require client authentication by security certificates - CLI:

set reqclientcert enable
end
If your SSL VPN clients require strong authentication, the FortiGate unit must offer a CA certificate that the client
browser has installed.
In the FortiGate unit SSL VPN settings, you can select which certificate the FortiGate offers to authenticate itself.
By default, the FortiGate unit offers its factory installed (Fortinet_CA_SSLProxy) certificate from Fortinet to
remote clients when they connect. If you leave the default setting, a warning appears that recommends you
purchase a certificate for your domain and upload it for use.
To enable FortiGate unit authentication by certificate - web-based manager:

2. From the Server Certificate list, select the certificate that the FortiGate unit uses to identify itself to SSL VPN
clients.
3. Select Apply.
To enable FortiGate unit authentication by certificate - CLI:
For example, to use the example_cert certificate

set servercert example_cert
end
FortiOS will check the server certificate to verify that the certificate is valid. Only valid
server certificates should be used.
NSA Suite B cryptography support

FortiOS supports the use of ECDSA Local Certificates for SSL VPN Suite B. The National Security Agency (NSA)
developed Suite B algorithms in 2005 to serve as a cryptographic base for both classified and unclassified
information at an interoperable level.

Configuring SSL VPN web portals Basic configuration
FortiOS allows you to import, generate, and use ECDSA certificates defined by the Suite B cryptography set. To
generate ECDSA certificates, use the following command in the CLI:
exec vpn certificate local generate ec <certificate-name_str> <elliptic-curve-name>
<subject_str> [<optional_information>]
Configuring SSL VPN web portals
The SSL VPN portal enables remote users to access internal network resources through a secure channel using a
web browser. FortiGate administrators can configure login privileges for system users as well as the network
resources that are available to the users.
FortiOS supports LDAP password renewal notification and updates through SSL VPN.
Configuration is enabled using the CLI commands:
config user ldap

edit <username>
set server <domain>
set password-expiry-warning enable
set password-renewal enable
end
For more information, see the Authentication Guide.
This step in the configuration of the SSL VPN tunnel sets up the infrastructure; the addressing, encryption, and
certificates needed to make the initial connection to the FortiGate unit. This step is also where you configure
what the remote user sees with a successful connection. The portal view defines the resources available to the
remote users and the functionality they have on the network.
SSL connection configuration

To configure the basic SSL VPN settings for encryption and login options, go to VPN > SSL > Settings.
Listen on Interface(s) Define the interface which the FortiGate will use to listen for SSL VPN
tunnel requests. This is generally your external interface.
Listen on Port Enter the port number for HTTPS access.
Restrict Access Restrict accessibility to either Allow access from any host or to Limit
access to specific hosts as desired. If selecting the latter, you must
specify the hosts.
Select the signed server certificate to use for authentication. If you leave
the default setting (Fortinet_CA_SSLProxy), the FortiGate unit offers its
Server Certificate built-in certificate from Fortinet to remote clients when they connect. A
warning appears that recommends you purchase a certificate for your
domain and upload it for use.

Basic configuration Configuring SSL VPN web portals
Require Client Certificate Select to use group certificates for authenticating remote clients. When the
remote client initiates a connection, the FortiGate unit prompts the client
for its client-side certificate as part of the authentication process.
For information on using PKI to provide client certificate authentication,

see the Authentication Guide.
Type the period of time (in seconds) that the connection can remain
inactive before the user must log in again. The range is from 10 to 28800
Idle Logout seconds. Setting the value to 0 will disable the idle connection timeout.
This setting applies to the SSL VPN session. The interface does not time
out when web application sessions or tunnels are up.
Address Range Select Specify custom IP ranges to select the range or subnet firewall
addresses that represent IP address ranges reserved for tunnel-mode SSL
VPN clients.
Enter up to two DNS servers (IPv4 or IPv6) to be provided for the use of
DNS Server
clients.
Specify WINS Servers Enable to access options for entering up to two WINS servers (IPv4 or IPv6)
to be provided for the use of clients.
Select so that FortiClient registers with the FortiGate unit when

Allow Endpoint connecting. If you configured a registration key by going to System >
Registration Config > Advanced, the remote user is prompted to enter the key. This
only occurs on the first connection to the FortiGate unit.
Portal configuration
The portal configuration determines what the remote user sees when they log in to the portal. Both the system
administrator and the user have the ability to customize the SSL VPN portal.
To view the portals settings page, go to VPN > SSL > Portals.
There are three pre-defined default portal configurations available:
l full-access
l tunnel-access
l web-access
Each portal type includes similar configuration options. Select between the different portals by double-clicking
one of the default portals in the list. You can also create a custom portal by selecting the Create New option at
the top.
Name The name for the portal.
If your web portal provides tunnel mode access, you need to configure the
Enable Tunnel Mode Tunnel Mode widget. These settings determine how tunnel mode clients
are assigned IPv4 addresses.

Enable Split Tunneling Select so that the VPN carries only the traffic for the networks behind the
FortiGate unit. The user’s other traffic follows its normal route.
If you enable split tunneling, you are required to set the Routing
Address, which is the address that your corporate network is using. Traffic
intended for the Routing Address will not be split from the tunnel.
Select an IPv4 Pool for users to acquire an IP address when connecting to

Source IP Pools the portal. There is always a default pool available if you do not create your
own.
Enable IPv6 Tunnel Mode If your web portal provides tunnel mode access, you need to configure the
Tunnel Mode widget. These settings determine how tunnel mode clients
are assigned IPv6 addresses.
Select so that the VPN carries only the traffic for the networks behind the
FortiGate unit. The user’s other traffic follows its normal route. This applies
only to IPv6 tunnels.
Enable IPv6 Split Tunneling
If you enable split tunneling, you are required to set the Routing
Address, which is the address that your corporate network is using. Traffic
intended for the Routing Address will not be split from the tunnel.
Source IPv6 Pools Select an IPv6 Pool for users to acquire an IP address when connecting to
the portal. There is always a default pool available if you do not create your
own.
These options affect how the FortiClient application behaves when

connected to the FortiGate VPN tunnel. When enabled, a check box for the
corresponding option appears on the VPN login screen in FortiClient, and is
not enabled by default.
Save Password - When enabled, if the user selects this option, their
password is stored on the user’s computer and will automatically populate
each time they connect to the VPN.
Client Options
Auto Connect - When enabled, if the user selects this option, when the
FortiClient application is launched, for example after a reboot or system
startup, FortiClient will automatically attempt to connect to the VPN tunnel.
Always Up (Keep Alive) - When enabled, if the user selects this option,
the FortiClient connection will not shut down. When not selected, during
periods of inactivity, FortiClient will attempt to stay connected every three
minutes for a maximum of 10 minutes.
Enable Web Mode Select to enable web mode access.
Portal Message This is a text header that appears on the top of the web portal.
Theme A color styling specifically for the web portal.

Select one column or two column layouts for the widgets that appear on the
Page Layout
web portal page.
Include Status Information Select to display the Status Information widget on the portal page. The
Status Information widget displays the login name of the user, the
amount of time the user has been logged in, and the inbound and
outbound traffic statistics.
Select to display the Connection Tool widget on the portal page. Use the
Connection Tool widget to connect to a internal network resource without
Include Connection Tool
adding a bookmark to the bookmark list. You select the type of resource
and specify the URL or IP address of the host computer.
Include FortiClient Select to include the FortiClient Download option in the web portal. This
Download is enabled by default.
If a remote user is using a web browser to connects to the SSL VPN in web
Prompt Mobile Users to
mode, they are prompted to download the FortiClient application. The
Download FortiClient
remote user can accept or reject the notification. If the user accepts, they
Application
are redirected to the FortiClient web site.
Include Login History Select to include user login history on the web portal.
Select to include bookmarks on the web portal. Bookmarks are used as

links to internal network resources. When a bookmark is selected from a
Enable User Bookmarks bookmark list, a pop-up window appears with the web page. Telnet, VNC,
and RDP require a browser plugin. FTP and Samba replace the bookmarks
page with an HTML file-browser.
Limite Users to One SSL- You can set the SSL VPN tunnel such that each user can only log into the
VPN Connection at a Time tunnel one time concurrently per user per login. That is, once logged into
the portal, they cannot go to another system and log in with the same
credentials again. This option is disabled by default.
If your network configuration does not contain a default SSL VPN portal, you might
receive the error message “Input value is invalid” when you attempt to access VPN >
SSL > Portals.
To enable a default portal - CLI:

set default-portal <full-access | tunnel-access |
web-access>
end
Adding bookmarks
A web bookmark can include login credentials to automatically log the SSL VPN user into the website. When the
administrator configures bookmarks, the website credentials must be the same as the user’s SSL VPN

credentials. Users configuring their own bookmarks can specify alternative credentials for the website.
To add a bookmark - web-based manager:
1. On the VPN > SSL > Portals page, ensure Enable User Bookmarks is enabled.
2. Select Create New and enter the following information:
Category Select a category, or group, to include the bookmark. If this is the first
bookmark added, you will be prompted to add a category. Otherwise,
select Create from the drop-down list.
Name Enter a name for the bookmark.
Type Select the type of link from the drop-down list. Telnet, VNC, and RDP
require a browser plugin. FTP and Samba replace the bookmarks page with
an HTML file-browser.
URL Enter the IP address source.
Description Enter a brief description of the link.
Single Sign-On Enable if you wish to use Single Sign-On (SSO) for any links that require
authentication.
When including a link using SSO, be sure to use the entire URL. For
example, http://10.10.1.0/login, rather than just the IP address.
3. Select OK.
For more configuration options, see Configuring SSL VPN web portals on page 20.
Personal bookmarks
The administrator has be ability to view bookmarks the remote client has added to their SSL VPN login in the
bookmarks widget. This enables the administrator to monitor and, if needed, remove unwanted bookmarks that
do not meet with corporate policy.
To view and maintain remote client bookmarks, go to VPN > SSL > Personal Bookmarks.
For more information about available bookmark applications, see Applications available in the web portal on page
43
SSL VPN Realms

You can go to VPN > SSL > Realms and create custom login pages for your SSL VPN users. You can use this
feature to customize the SSL VPN login page for your users and also to create multiple SSL VPN logins for
different user groups.
In order to create a custom login page using the web-based manager, this feature must be enabled using
Feature Select.

Before you begin, copy the default login page text to a separate text file for safe-
keeping. Afterward, if needed, you can restore the text to the original version.
To configure SSL VPN Realms - web-based manager:
1. Configure a custom SSL VPN login by going to VPN > SSL > Realms and selecting Create New. Users access
different portals depending on the URL they enter.
2. The first option in the custom login page is to enter the path of the custom URL.
This path is appended to the address of the FortiGate unit interface to which SSL VPN users connect. The actual
path for the custom login page appears beside the URL path field.
3. You can also limit the number of users that can access the custom login at any given time.
4. You can use HTML code to customize the appearance of the login page.
5. After adding the custom login, you must associate it with the users that will access the custom login. Do this by
going to VPN > SSL > Settings and adding a rule to the Authentication/Portal Mapping section.
6. Under Authentication/Portal Mapping, click Create New and select the user group(s) and the associated
Realm.
To configure SSL VPN Realms - CLI:

config vpn ssl web realm
edit <url-path>
set login-page <content_str>
set max-concurrent-user <int>
set virtual-host <hostname_str>
end
Where the following variables are set:
Variable Description Default
edit <url-path> Enter the URL path to access the SSL-VPN login No
page. default.
Do not include “http://”.
No
login-page <content_str> Enter replacement HTML for SSL-VPN login page.
default.
max-concurrent-user <int> Enter the maximum number of concurrent users 0

allowed. Range 0-65 535. 0 means unlimited.
Enter the virtual host name for this realm. Optional. No

virtual-host <hostname_str>
Maximum length 255 characters. default.
Tunnel mode and split tunneling

If you want your web portal to have tunnel mode access, select Tunnel Mode when creating a new portal.
Enable Split Tunneling so that the VPN carries only the traffic for the networks behind the FortiGate unit. The
user’s other traffic follows its normal route.

Configuring encryption key algorithms Basic configuration
When you enable split tunneling, you are required to set the Routing Address, which is the address that your
corporate network is using. Traffic intended for the Routing Address will not be split from the tunnel.
CLI Syntax:
edit "full-access"
set tunnel-mode enable
set web-mode enable
set mac-addr-check enable
set ip-pools "SSLVPN_TUNNEL_ADDR1"
set split-tunneling-routing-address "Internal_subnet"
Port forwarding
Port forwarding provides a method of connecting to application servers without configuring a tunnel mode
connection, and requiring the installation of a tunnel mode client. Set up the portal as described at Configuring
SSL VPN web portals on page 20. To configure the application, create a bookmark with the Type field set to Port
Forward.
Ensure that Port Forward is enabled in the Applications list.
Configuring encryption key algorithms
The FortiGate unit supports a range of cryptographic cipher suites to match the capabilities of various web
browsers. The web browser and the FortiGate unit negotiate a cipher suite before any information (for example, a
user name and password) is transmitted over the SSL link. You can only configure encryption key algorithms for
SSL VPN in the CLI.
To configure encryption key algorithms - CLI:
Use the following CLI command,

set algorithm <cipher_suite>
end
where one of the following variables replaces <cipher_suite>:
Variable Description
low Use any cipher suite; AES, 3DES, RC4, or DES.
medium Use a 128-bit or greater cipher suite; AES, 3DES, or RC4.
high Use a ciper suite grather than 128 bits; AES or 3DES.
Note that the algorithm <cipher_suite> syntax is only available when the sslvpn-enable attribute is
set to enable.

Basic configuration Additional configuration options
Additional configuration options
Beyond the basics of setting up the SSL VPN, you can configure a number of other options that can help to
ensure your internal network is secure and can limit the possibility of attacks and viruses entering the network
from an outside source.
Routing in tunnel mode

If you are creating a SSL VPN connection in tunnel mode, you need to add a static route so that replies from the
protected network can reach the remote SSL VPN client.
To add the tunnel mode route - web-based manager:
1. Go to Router > Static > Static Routes and select Create New.
For low-end FortiGate units, go to System > Network > Routing and select Create New.
2. Enter the Destination IP/Mask of the tunnel IP address that you assigned to the users of the web portal.
3. Select the SSL VPN virtual interface for the Device.
4. Select OK.
To add the tunnel mode route - CLI:
If you assigned 10.11.254.0/24 as the tunnel IP range, you would enter:

config router static
edit <id>
set device ssl.root
set dst 10.11.254.0/24
end
Changing the port number for web portal connections

You can specify a different TCP port number for users to access the web portal login page through the HTTPS
link. By default, the port number is 443 and users can access the web portal login page using the following default
URL:
https://<FortiGate_IP_address>:443/remote/login
where <FortiGate_IP_address> is the IP address of the FortiGate interface that accepts connections from
remote users.
To change the SSL VPN port - web-based manager:
1. If Current VDOM appears at the bottom left of the screen, select Global from the list of VDOMs.
3. Type an unused port number in the Listen on Port field and select Apply.
To change the SSL VPN port - CLI:
This is a global setting. For example, to set the SSL VPN port to 10443, enter:

Additional configuration options Basic configuration
set port 10443

end
SSL offloading
To configure SSL offloading, which allows or denies client renegotiation, you must use the CLI. This helps to
resolve the issues that affect all SSL and TLS servers that support renegotiation, identified by the Common
Vulnerabilities and Exposures system in CVE-2009-3555. The SSL offloading renegotiation feature is considered
a workaround until the IETF permanently resolves the issue.
The CLI command is ssl-client-renegotiation and is found under the config firewall vip
syntax.
Host check
When you enable AV, FW, or AV-FW host checking in the web portal Security Control settings, each client is
checked for security software that is recognized by the Windows Security Center. As an alternative, you can
create a custom host check that looks for security software selected from the Host Check list. For more
information, see Additional configuration options on page 27.
The Host Check list includes default entries for many security software products.
Host integrity checking is only possible with client computers running Microsoft
Windows platforms.
To configure host checking - CLI:
To configure the full-access portal to check for AV and firewall software on client Windows computers, you would
enter the following:
edit full-access
set host-check av-fw
end
To configure the full-access portal to perform a custom host check for FortiClient Host Security AV and firewall
software, you would enter the following:
edit full-access
set host-check custom
set host-check-policy FortiClient-AV FortiClient-FW
end
Replacing the host check error message

You can add your own host security check error message using either the web-based manager or the CLI. The
default message reads: “Your PC does not meet the host checking requirements set by the firewall. Please check
that your OS version or antivirus and firewall applications are installed and running properly or you have the right
network interface.”

To replace the host check error message - web-based manager:
1. Navigate to System > Config > Replacement Messages and select Extended View in the upper right corner.
2. Scroll down to SSL VPN and select Hostcheck Error Message.
3. Edit the text in the right-hand column below and select Save.
If you are unhappy with the new message, you can restore the message to its default by selecting Restore
Default instead of Save.
To replace the host check error message - CLI:
Configure the host check error message using the following command.
config system replacemsg sslvpn hostcheck-error
Creating a custom host check list

You can add your own software requirements to the host check list using the CLI. Host integrity checking is only
possible with client computers running Microsoft Windows platforms. Enter the following commands:
config vpn ssl web host-check-software
edit <software_name>
set guid <guid_value>
set type <av | fw>
set version <version_number>
end
If known, enter the Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) for the host check application. Windows uses GUIDs to
identify applications in the Windows Registry. The GUID can be found in the Windows registry in the HKEY_
CLASSES_ROOT section.
To obtain the exact versioning, in Windows, right-click on the .EXE file of the application and select Properties,
then select the Version tab.
Host Check is applicable for both SSLVPN Web Mode and SSLVPN Tunnel mode.
Windows OS check
The Windows patch check enables you to define the minimum Windows version and patch level allowed when
connecting to the SSL VPN portal. When the user attempts to connect to the web portal, FortiOS performs a
query on the version of Windows the user has installed. If it does not match the minimum requirement, the
connection is denied. The Windows patch check is configured in the CLI.
The following example shows you how to add an OS check to the ‘g1portal’ web portal. This OS check accepts all
Windows XP users and Windows 2000 users running patch level 3.
To specify the acceptable patch level, you set the latest-patch-level and the tolerance. The lowest
acceptable patch level is latest-patch-level minus tolerance. In this case, latest-patch-level is
3 and tolerance is 1, so 2 is the lowest acceptable patch level.
edit g1portal
set os-check enable
config os-check-list windows-2000
set action check-up-to-date
set latest-patch-level 3
set tolerance 1
end

config os-check-list windows-xp

set action allow
end
end
Host check for Windows firewall

The Windows built-in firewall does not have a GUID in root\securitycenter or root\securitycenter2, but you can use
a registry value to detect the firewall status.
If Windows firewall is on, the following registry value will be set to 1:
l KeyName: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
l ValueName: EnableFirewall
In FortiOS, use the registry-value-check feature to define the Windows Firewall software by entering the following
in the CLI:
config vpn ssl web host-check-software
edit "Microsoft-Windows-Firewall"
config check-item-list
edit 1
set target
"HKLM\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\SharedAccess\\Parameters\\Firew
allPolicy\\StandardProfile:EnableFirewall==1"
set type registry
next
edit 2
set target
allPolicy\\PublicProfile:EnableFirewall==1"
set type registry
next
edit 3
set target
allPolicy\\DomainProfile:EnableFirewall==1"
set type registry
next
end
set type fw
next
set host-check custom
set host-check-policy Microsoft-Windows-Firewall
Configuring cache cleaning

When the SSL VPN session ends, the client browser cache may retain some information. To enhance security,
cache cleaning clears this information just before the SSL VPN session ends.
The cache cleaner is effective only if the session terminates normally. The cache is not
cleaned if the session ends due to a malfunction, such as a power failure.

To enable cache cleaning
To enable cache cleaning on the full-access portal, you would enter:

edit full-access
set cache-cleaner enable
end
Cache cleaning requires a browser plugin. If the user does not have the plugin, it is automatically downloaded to
the client computer.
Configuring virtual desktop

Available for 32-bit Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 client PCs, the virtual desktop feature
completely isolates the SSL VPN session from the client computer’s desktop environment. All data is encrypted,
including cached user credentials, browser history, cookies, temporary files, and user files created during the
session. When the SSL VPN session ends normally, the files are deleted. If the session ends due to a
malfunction, files might remain, but they are encrypted so that the information is protected.
When the user starts an SSL VPN session that has virtual desktop enabled, the virtual desktop replaces the user’s
normal desktop. When the virtual desktop exits, the user’s normal desktop is restored.
Virtual desktop requires the Fortinet cache cleaner plugin. If the plugin is not present, it automatically downloads
to the client computer.
To enable virtual desktop :
To enable virtual desktop on the full-access portal and apply the application control list ‘List1’, for example, you
would enter:
edit full-access
set virtual-desktop enable
set virtual-desktop-app-list List1
end
Configuring virtual desktop application control

You can control which applications users can run on their virtual desktop. To do this, you create an Application
Control List of either allowed or blocked applications. When you configure the web portal, you select the list to
use.
Configure the application control list in the CLI.
To create an Application Control List - CLI:
If you want to add ‘BannedApp’ to ‘List1’, a list of blocked applications, you would enter:
config vpn ssl web virtual-desktop-app-list
edit "List1"
set action block
config apps
edit "BannedApp"
set md5s "06321103A343B04DF9283B80D1E00F6B"
end
end

Configuring client OS Check

The SSLVPN client OS Check feature can determine if clients are running the Windows 2000, Windows XP,
Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating system. You can configure the OS Check to do any of the following:
l Allow the client access.

l Allow the client access only if the operating system has been updated to a specified patch (service pack) version.
l Deny the client access.
The OS Check has no effect on clients running other operating systems.
To configure OS Check:
OS Check is configurable only in the CLI.

edit <portal_name>
set os-check enable
config os-check-list {windows-2000 | windows-xp | windows-vista | windows-7}
set action {allow | check-up-to-date | deny}
set latest-patch-level {disable | 0 - 255}
set tolerance {tolerance_num}
end
end
Adding WINS and DNS services for clients

You can specify the WINS or DNS servers that are made available to SSL-VPN clients.
DNS servers provide the IP addresses that browsers need to access web sites. For Internet sites, you can specify
the DNS server that your FortiGate unit uses. If SSL VPN users will access intranet sites using URLs, you need to
provide them access to the intranet’s DNS server. You specify a primary and a secondary DNS server.
A WINS server provides IP addresses for named servers in a Windows domain. If SSL VPN users will access a
Windows network, you need to provide them access to the domain WINS server. You specify a primary and a
secondary WINS server.
To specify WINS and DNS services for clients - web-based manager:

2. Next to DNS Server select Specify.
3. Enter the IP addresses of DNS servers in the DNS Server fields as needed. Fields are available for both IPv4 and
IPv6 addresses.
4. Select Specify WINS Servers, and enter the IP addresses of WINS servers in the WINS Server fields as
needed. Fields are available for both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
5. Select Apply.
To specify WINS and DNS services for clients - CLI:

set dns-server1 <address_ipv4>
set dns-server2 <address_ipv4>
set wins-server1 <address_ipv4>
set wins-server2 <address_ipv4>

end
Setting the idle timeout setting

The idle timeout setting controls how long the connection can remain idle before the system forces the remote
user to log in again. For security, keep the default value of 5000 seconds or less. Set the timeout value to 0 to
disable idle timeouts.
To set the idle timeout - web-based manager:
1. Go to VPN > SSL > Settings and enable Idle Logout.

2. In the Inactive For field, enter the timeout value.
The valid range is from 10 to 28800 seconds.
3. Select Apply.
To set the idle timeout - CLI:

set idle-timeout <seconds_int>
end
SSL VPN logs

Logging is available for SSL VPN traffic so you can monitor users connected to the FortiGate unit and their
activity. For more information on configuring logs on the FortiGate unit, see the Logging and Reporting Guide.
To enable logging of SSL VPN events - web-based manager:
1. Go to Log & Report > Log Config > Log Settings.

2. Enable Event Logging, and select VPN activity event.
3. Select Apply.
To view the SSL VPN log data, in the web-based manager, go to Log & Report and select either the Event Log
or Traffic Log.
In event log entries, look for the sub-types “sslvpn-session” and “sslvpn-user”.
For information about how to interpret log messages, see the FortiGate Log Message Reference.
Monitoring active SSL VPN sessions

You can go to User & Device > Monitor to view a list of active SSL VPN sessions. The list displays the user
name of the remote user, the IP address of the remote client, and the time the connection was made. You can
also see which services are being provided, and delete an active web session from the FortiGate unit.
To monitor SSL VPNs - web-based manager:
To view the list of active SSL VPN sessions, go to VPN > Monitor > SSL-VPN Monitor.
When a tunnel-mode user is connected, the Description field displays the IP address that the FortiGate unit
assigned to the remote host.
If required, you can end a session/connection by selecting its checkbox and then clicking the Delete icon.

Importing and using a CA-signed SSL certificate

Use the following set of instructions to import a CA-signed SSL certificate and configure an SSL VPN using that
certificate.
Import the signed certificate into your FortiGate device

1. Unzip the file downloaded from the CA.
There should be two .CRT files: a CA certificate with bundle in the file name, and a local certificate.
2. Log in to your FortiGate unit and browse to System > Certificates.
3. Select Import > Local Certificate to import the local certificate.
The status of the certificate will change from PENDING to OK.
4. Import the CA certificate by selecting Import > CA Certificate.
It will be listed in the CA Certificates section of the certificates list. You can now configure SSL VPN using the
signed certificate.
Configure your FortiGate device to use the signed certificate

1. Log in to your FortiGate unit and browse to VPN > SSL > Settings.
2. In the Connection Settings section, locate the Server Certificate field.
3. Select the new certificate from the drop-down menu.
4. Select Apply to configure SSL VPN to use the new certificate.

The SSL VPN client
The remote client connects to the SSL VPN tunnel in various ways, depending on the VPN configuration.
l Web mode requires nothing more than a web browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Apple Safari
browsers are supported. For detailed information about supported browsers, see Web-only mode on page 10.
l Tunnel mode establishes a connection to the remote protected network that any application can use. If the client
computer runs Microsoft Windows, they can download the tunnel mode client from the web portal Tunnel Mode
widget. After installing the client, they can start and stop tunnel operation from the Tunnel Mode widget, or open
the tunnel mode client as a standalone application. The tunnel mode client is available on the Start menu at
All Programs > FortiClient > FortiClient SSL VPN .
If the client computer runs Linux or Mac OS X, the user needs to download the tunnel mode client application from
the Fortinet Support web site. See the Release Notes for your FortiOS firmware for the specific operating system
versions that are supported. On Linux and Mac OS X platforms, tunnel mode operation cannot be initiated from the
web portal Tunnel Mode widget. The remote user must use the standalone tunnel client application.
l The virtual desktop application creates a virtual desktop on a user's PC and monitors the data read/write activity of
the web browser running inside the virtual desktop. When the application starts, it presents a ‘virtual desktop’ to the
user. The user starts the web browser from within the virtual desktop and connects to the SSL VPN web portal. The
browser file/directory operation is redirected to a new location, and the data is encrypted before it is written to the
local disk. When the virtual desktop application exits normally, all the data written to the disk is removed. If the
session terminates abnormally (power loss, system failure, etc.), the data left behind is encrypted and unusable to
the user. The next time you start the virtual desktop, the encrypted data is removed.
FortiClient
Remote users can use the FortiClient software to initiate an SSL VPN tunnel to connect to the internal network.
FortiClient uses local port TCP 1024 to initiate an SSL encrypted connection to the FortiGate unit, on port TCP
443. When connecting using FortiClient, the FortiGate unit authenticates the FortiClient SSL VPN request based
on the user group options. The FortiGate unit establishes a tunnel with the client and assigns a virtual IP address
to the client PC. Once the tunnel has been established, the user can access the network behind the FortiGate
unit.
FortiClient software is available for download at www.forticlient.com and is available for Windows, Mac OS X,
Apple iOS, and Android.
Tunnel mode client configuration
The FortiClient SSL VPN tunnel client requires basic configuration by the remote user to connect to the SSL VPN
tunnel. When distributing the FortiClient software, provide the following information for the remote user to enter
once the client software has been started. Once entered, they can select Connect to begin an SSL VPN session.

Tunnel mode client configuration The SSL VPN client
Connection Name If you have pre-configured the connection settings, select the connection
from the list and then select Connect. Otherwise, enter the settings in the
fields below.
Enter the IP address or FQDN of the FortiGate unit that hosts the SSL
Remote Gateway
VPN.
Username Enter your username.
Use this field if the SSL VPN requires a certificate for authentication.
Client Certificate
Select the required certificate from the drop-down list. The certificate must
be installed in the Internet Explorer certificate store.

The SSL VPN web portal
This chapter explains how to use and configure the web portal features. This chapter is written for end users as
well as administrators.
The following topics are included:
Connecting to the FortiGate unit

Web portal overview
Using the My Bookmarks widget
Using the Connection Tool
Tunnel-mode features
Using the SSL VPN virtual desktop
Using FortiClient
Connecting to the FortiGate unit
You can connect to the FortiGate unit using a web browser. The URL of the FortiGate interface may vary from
one installation to the next. If required, ask your FortiGate administrator for the URL of the FortiGate unit, and
obtain a user name and password. You can connect to the web portal using an Android phone, iPhone, or iPad.
The FortiGate unit will display the content of the portal to fit the device’s screen.
In addition, if you will be using a personal or group security (X.509) certificate to connect to the FortiGate unit,
your web browser may prompt you for the name of the certificate. Your FortiGate administrator can tell you which
certificate to select.
To log into the secure FortiGate HTTP gateway
1. Using the web browser on your computer, browse to the URL of the FortiGate unit (for example,
https://<FortiGate_IP_address>:443/remote/login). The FortiGate unit may offer you a self-signed
security certificate. If you are prompted to proceed, select Yes.
A second message may be displayed to inform you that the FortiGate certificate distinguished name differs from
the original request. This message is displayed because the FortiGate unit is attempting to redirect your web
browser connection. You can ignore the message.
2. When you are prompted for your user name and password:
l In the Name field, type your user name.
l In the Password field, type your password.
3. Select Login.
The FortiGate unit will redirect your web browser to the FortiGate SSL VPN web portal home page automatically.
Web portal overview
After you log in, you see a web portal page like the following:

Web portal overview The SSL VPN web portal
FortiGate SSL VPN web portal page
Six“widgets” provide the web portal’s features:
l Session Information displays the elapsed time since login and the volume of HTTP and HTTPS traffic, both
inbound and outbound.
l Tunnel Mode connects and disconnects the tunnel mode SSL connection to the FortiGate unit. While the tunnel is
active, the widget displays the amount of data that is sent and received. For more information, see Web portal
overview on page 37.
Tunnel mode requires a downloadable client application. If your computer is running Microsoft Windows, the
Tunnel Mode widget provides a download link if you need to install the client on your computer. If you are using
Macintosh or Linux, you can obtain and install an appropriate client application from the Fortinet Support site.
l Connection Tool enables you to connect to network resources without using or creating a bookmark.
l Remote Desktop provides access to preconfigured remote desktop environments.
l FortiClient Download provides access to the FortiClient tunnel application for various operating systems.
l My Bookmarks provides links to network resources. You can use the administrator-defined bookmarks and you
can add your own bookmarks. See Web portal overview on page 37.
Depending on the web portal configuration and user group settings, some widgets might not be present. For
example, the predefined web-access portal contains only the Session Information and Bookmarks widgets.
While using the web portal, you can select the Help button to get information to assist you in using the portal
features. This information displays in a separate browser window.
When you have finished using the web portal, select the Logout button in the top right corner of the portal
window.
After making any changes to the web portal configuration, be sure to select Apply.

The SSL VPN web portal Portal configuration
The SSL VPN Service portal enables users to access network resources through a secure channel using a web
browser. Fortinet administrators can configure log in privileges for system users and which network resources are
available to the users.
The portal configuration determines what the user sees when they log in to the portal. Both the system
administrator and the user have the ability to customize the SSL VPN portal.
There are three pre-defined default web portal configurations available:
l full-access: Includes all widgets available to the user - Session Information, Tunnel Mode, Connection Tool,
FortiClient Download, Remote Desktop, and My Bookmarks.
l tunnel-access: Includes Session Information and Tunnel Mode widgets.
l web-access: Includes Session Information and My Bookmarks widgets.
You can also create your own web portal to meet your corporate requirements.
This topic includes the following:
l Portal settings
l Portal widgets
Portal page
Create New Creates a new web portal.
Edit Select a portal from the list to enable the Edit option, and modify the portal
configuration.
Removes a portal configuration.

Delete
To remove multiple portals from the list, select the check box beside the
portal names, then select Delete.
Name The name of the web portal.

Portal configuration The SSL VPN web portal
Displays the number of times the object is referenced in other

configurations on the FortiGate unit, such as security policies.
To view the location of the referenced object, select the number in Ref.
column.
To view more information about how the object is used, select one of:
Ref. View the list page for these objects – automatically redirects you to the
list page where the object is referenced at.
Edit this object – modifies settings within that particular setting that the
object is referenced with.
View the details for this object – similar to the log viewer table, contains
information about what settings are configured within that particular setting
that the object is referenced with.
Portal Settings page
Provides general, virtual desktop and security control settings for the SSL
VPN Service portal page. This window appears when you select Settings.
Edit Settings window This window also appears whenever you select Create New and are
automatically redirected to the Portal Settings page. For more information,
see Portal settings on page 41.
Settings Select to edit the settings for the SSL VPN web portal. See Portal
configuration on page 39.
The widgets that will appear on the SSL VPN Service page. You can add
Widgets widgets from the Add Widgets drop-down list. For more information, see
Portal widgets on page 42.
Add Widget Select to add a new widget to the page.
Displays basic information of the current session of the logged in user. For
Session Information
more information, see Session Information on page 43.
Bookmarks Displays configured bookmarks, allows for the addition of new bookmarks
and editing of existing bookmarks. For more information, see Bookmarks
on page 43.
Enter the URL or IP address for a connection tool application/server

(selected when configuring the Connection Tool). You can also check
Connection Tool
connectivity to a host or server on the network behind the unit by selecting
the Type Ping. For more information, see Connection Tool on page 43.
Tunnel Mode Displays tunnel information and actions in user mode. The administrator
can configure a split-tunneling option. For more information, see Tunnel
Mode on page 43.

Portal settings
A web portal defines SSL VPN user access to network resources. The portal configuration determines what SSL
VPN users see when they log in to the unit. Both the Fortinet administrator and the SSL VPN user have the ability
to customize the web portal settings. Portal settings are configured in VPN > SSL > Portals.
The Settings Window provides settings for configuring general, virtual desktop and security console options for
your web portal.
The virtual desktop options, available for Windows XP and Windows Vista client PCs, are configured to
completely isolate the SSL VPN session from the client computer’s desktop environment. All data is encrypted,
including cached user credentials, browser history, cookies, temporary files, and user files created during the
session. When the SSL VPN session ends normally, the files are deleted. If the session ends unexpectedly, any
files that may remain will be encrypted.
Virtual desktop requires the Fortinet host check plugin. If the plugin is not present, it is automatically downloaded
to the client computer.
Security control options provide cache cleaning and host checking to the clients of your web portal. Cache
cleaning clears information from the client browser cache just before the SSL VPN session ends. The cache
cleaner is effective only if the session terminates normally. The cache is not cleaned if the session ends
unexpectedly.
Host checking enforces the client’s use of antivirus or firewall software. Each client is checked for security
software that is recognized by the Windows Security Center. As an alternative, you can create a custom host
check that looks for specific security software selected from the Host Check list. For more information, see Basic
configuration on page 15.
Edit Settings Window
General tab
Name Enter a name for the web portal configuration.
Applications Select the server applications or network services clients can use.
Enter the caption that appears at the top of the web portal home
Portal Message
page when the user logs in.
Theme Select the color scheme for the web portal home page.
Select the one or two page column format for the web portal home
Page Layout
page.
Redirect URL Enter the URL that the web portal displays when the web portal
home page is displayed.
Virtual Desktop tab
Enable Virtual Desktop Select to enable the virtual desktop.

Portal configuration The SSL VPN web portal
Allow switching between

Select to allow users to switch between the virtual desktop, and
virtual desktop and
their regular desktop.
regular desktop
Allow clipboard contents Select to allow users access to the clipboard contents when they
to be shared with regular are using the regular desktop.
desktop
Allow use of removable

Select to allow users to access removable media.
media
Allow network share Select to allow users to have access to network resources.
access
Allow printing Select to allow users to print from the virtual desktop.
Quit the virtual desktop Select to have the virtual desktop close and log the user out of the
and logout session when current session whenever the browser is closed.
browser is closed
Application Control List Select a virtual desktop application list from the drop-down list.
Security Control tab
Select to have the unit remove residual information from the

Clean Cache
remote client computer just before the SSL VPN session closes.
Host Check Select any host checking that is required before the user can log
into the portal. Host checks will verify if the user has the required
antivirus software or applications. If the user does not, the log in
will be denied.
Host Check is applicable for both SSLVPN Web Mode and

SSLVPN Tunnel mode.
For more information, see Basic configuration on page 15.
Enter how often to recheck the host for updates and changes in
Interval
seconds.
Policy This is available when the Host Check selection is Custom.

Select the specific host check software to look for.
Select Edit to modify the policy settings.
Portal widgets
Portal widgets are widgets hold the content the user logging into the portal will see.

Session Information
The Session Information widget displays the login name of the user, the amount of time the user has been
logged in and the inbound and outbound traffic statistics.
Bookmarks
Bookmarks are used as links to specific resources on the network. When a bookmark is selected from a bookmark
list, a pop-up window appears with the requested web page. Telnet, VNC, and RDP all pop up a window that
requires a browser plug-in. FTP and Samba replace the bookmarks page with an HTML file-browser.
A web bookmark can include login credentials to automatically log the SSL VPN user into the web site. When the
administrator configures bookmarks, the web site credentials must be the same as the user’s SSL VPN
credentials. Users configuring their own bookmarks can specify alternative credentials for the web site.
Connection Tool
Use the Connection Tool widget to connect to a network resource without adding a bookmark to the bookmark
list. You select the type of resource and specify the URL or IP address of the host computer.
Tunnel Mode
If your web portal provides tunnel mode access, you need to configure the Tunnel Mode widget. These settings
determine how tunnel mode clients are assigned IP addresses. You can also enable a split tunneling
configuration so that the VPN carries only the traffic for the networks behind the unit. The user’s other traffic
follows its normal route.
Applications available in the web portal

Depending on the web portal configuration and user group settings, one or more of the following server
applications are available to you through Bookmarks or the Connection Tool:
l Citrix makes use of SOCKS so that the Citrix client can connect to the SSL VPN port forward module to provide the
connection.
l FTP (File Transfer Protocol) enables you to transfer files between your computer and a remote host.
l HTTP/HTTPS accesses web pages.
l Port Forward provides the middle ground between web mode and tunnel mode. When the SSL VPN receives data
from a client application, the data is encrypted and sent to the FortiGate unit, which then forwards the traffic to the
application server.
l RDP/RDP Native (Remote Desktop Protocol), similar to VNC, enables you to remotely control a computer running
Microsoft Terminal Services.
l SMB/CIFS implements the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol to support file sharing between your computer
and a remote server host.
l SSH (Secure Shell) enables you to exchange data between two computers using a secure channel.
l TELNET (Teletype Network emulation) enables you to use your computer as a virtual text-only terminal to log in to a
remote host.
l VNC (Virtual Network Computing) enables you to remotely control another computer, for example, accessing your
work computer from your home computer.
Some server applications may prompt you for a user name and password. You must have a user account created
by the server administrator so that you can log in.

Using the My Bookmarks widget The SSL VPN web portal
Windows file sharing through SMB/CIFS is supported through shared directories.
Using the My Bookmarks widget
The My Bookmarks widget shows both administrator-configured and user-configured bookmarks. Administrator
bookmarks cannot be altered but you can add, edit or delete user bookmarks.
My Bookmarks widget
The FortiGate unit forwards client requests to servers on the Internet or internal network. To use the web-portal
applications, you add the URL, IP address, or name of the server application to the My Bookmarks list. For more
information, see Adding bookmarks on page 44.
If you want to access a web server or telnet server without first adding a bookmark to
the My Bookmarks list, use the Connection Tool instead. For more information, see
Using the My Bookmarks widget on page 44.
Adding bookmarks
You can add frequently used connections as bookmarks. Afterward, select any hyperlink from the Bookmarks list
to initiate a session.
To add a bookmark
1. In the Bookmarks widget, select Add.
2. Enter the following information:
Name Enter the name to display in the Bookmarks list.
Type Select the abbreviated name of the server application or network service
from the drop-down list.
Location Enter the IP address or FQDN of the server application or network service.
For RDP connections, you can append some parameters to control screen
size and keyboard layout. See Using the My Bookmarks widget on page 44.

The SSL VPN web portal Using the Connection Tool
Description Optionally enter a short description. The description displays when you
pause the mouse pointer over the hyperlink.
SSO Single Sign On (SSO) is available for HTTP/HTTPS bookmarks only.
Disabled — This is not an SSO bookmark.
Automatic — Use your SSL VPN credentials or an alternate set. See the
SSO Credentials field.
Static — Supply credentials and other required information (such as an

account number) to a web site that uses an HTML form for authentication.
You provide a list of the form field names and the values to enter into them.
This method does not work for sites that use HTTP authentication, in which
the browser opens a pop-up dialog box requesting credentials.
SSO fields
SSO Credentials SSL VPN Login — Use your SSL VPN login credentials.
Alternative — Enter Username and Password below.
Username Alternative username. Available if SSO Credentials is Alternative.
Password Alternative password. Available if SSO Credentials is Alternative.
Static SSO fields These fields are available if SSO is Static.
Field Name Enter the field name, as it appears in the HTML form.
Value Enter the field value.
To use the values from SSO Credentials, enter %passwd% for password

or %username% for username.
Add Add another Field Name / Value pair.
3. Select OK and then select Done.
Using the Connection Tool
The Connection Tool widget enables a user to connect to a resource when it isn’t a bookmark. In the FortiGate,
ensure that the desired application or protocol (to which you want remote users to connect) is enabled in the
Applications list of the General settings, by selecting the Settings button in the portal configuration window.
You can connect to any type of server without adding a bookmark to the My Bookmarks list. The fields in the
Connection Tool enable you to specify the type of server and the URL or IP address of the host computer.
See the following procedures:
l To connect to a web server on page 46

l To ping a host or server behind the FortiGate unit on page 46

Using the Connection Tool The SSL VPN web portal
l To start a Telnet session on page 46

l To start an FTP session on page 46
l To start an SMB/CIFS session on page 47
l To start an SSH session on page 47
l To start an RDP session on page 48
l To start a VNC session on page 49
Except for ping, these services require that you have an account on the server to which you connect.
When you use the Connection Tool, the FortiGate unit may offer you its self-signed
security certificate. Select Yes to proceed. A second message may be displayed to
inform you of a host name mismatch. This message is displayed because the
FortiGate unit is attempting to redirect your web browser connection. Select Yes to
proceed.
To connect to a web server
1. In Type, select HTTP/HTTPS.

2. In the Host field, type the URL of the web server.
For example: http://www.mywebexample.com or https://172.20.120.101
3. Select Go.
4. To end the session, close the browser window.
To ping a host or server behind the FortiGate unit
1. In Type, select Ping.

2. In the Host field, enter the IP address of the host or server that you want to reach.
For example: 10.11.101.22
3. Select Go.
A message stating whether the IP address can be reached or not is displayed.
To start a Telnet session
1. In Type, select Telnet.

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the telnet host.
3. Select Go.
A Telnet window opens.
4. Select Connect.
5. A telnet session starts and you are prompted to log in to the remote host.
After you log in, you may enter any series of valid telnet commands at the system prompt.
6. To end the session, select Disconnect (or type exit) and then close the TELNET connection window.
To start an FTP session
1. In Type, select FTP.

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the FTP server.

The SSL VPN web portal Using the Connection Tool
3. Select Go.
A login window opens.
4. Enter your user name and password and then select Login.
You must have a user account on the remote host to log in.
5. Manipulate the files in any of the following ways:
l To download a file, select the file link in the Name column.
l To access a subdirectory (Type is Folder), select the link in the Name column.
l To create a subdirectory in the current directory, select New directory.
l To delete a file or subdirectory from the current directory, select its Delete icon.
l To rename a file in the current directory, select its Rename icon.
l To upload a file to the current directory from your client computer, select Upload.
l When the current directory is a subdirectory, you can select Up to access the parent directory.
6. To end the FTP session, select Logout.
To start an SMB/CIFS session
1. In Type, select SMB/CIFS.

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the SMB or CIFS server.
3. Select Go.
4. Enter your user name and password and then select Login.
5. Manipulate the files in any of the following ways:
l To download a file, select the file link in the Name column.
l To access a subdirectory (Type is Folder), select the file link in the Name column.
l To create a subdirectory in the current directory, select New Directory.
l To delete a file or subdirectory from the current directory, select its Delete icon.
l To rename a file, select its Rename icon.
l To upload a file from your client computer to the current directory, select Upload.
l When the current directory is a subdirectory, you can select Up to access the parent directory.
6. To end the SMB/CIFS session, select Logout and then close the SMB/CIFS window.
To start an SSH session
1. In Type, select SSH .

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the SSH host.
3. Select Go.
4. Select Connect.
A SSH session starts and you are prompted to log in to the remote host. You must have a user account to log in.
After you log in, you may enter any series of valid commands at the system prompt.
5. To end the session, select Disconnect (or type exit) and then close the SSH connection window.

Using the Connection Tool The SSL VPN web portal
To start an RDP session
1. In Type, select RDP.

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the RDP host.
3. Optionally, you can specify additional options for RDP by adding them to the Host field following the host
address. See RDP options on page 48 for information about the available options.
For example, to use a French language keyboard layout you would add the -m parameter:
10.11.101.12 -m fr
4. Select Go.
5. When you see a screen configuration dialog, click OK.
The screen configuration dialog does not appear if you specified the screen resolution with the host address.
6. When you are prompted to log in to the remote host, type your user name and password. You must have a user
account on the remote host to log in.
7. Select Login.
If you need to send Ctrl-Alt-Delete in your session, use Ctrl-Alt-End.
8. To end the RDP session, Log out of Windows or select Cancel from the Logon window.
RDP options
When you specify the RDP server address, you can also specify other options for your remote desktop session.
Screen resolution -f Make RDP full-screen
Use this command to make the RDP -g <width>x<height>

window full screen or a specific the
window size. <width> and <height> are in pixels
Example: -g 800x600
Authentication -u <user name>
-p <password>
Use these options to send your -d <domain>
authentication credentials with the
connection request, instead of entering
them after the connection is established.

The SSL VPN web portal Tunnel-mode features
-m <locale>
The supported values of <locale> are:
ar Arabic it Italian
da Danish ja Japanese
Locale/Keyboard de German lt Lithuanian
de-ch Swiss German lv Latvian
Use this option if the remote computer en-gb British English mk Macedonian
might not use the same keyboard layout en-uk UK English no Norwegian
as your computer. Select the locale code en-us US English pl Polish
that matches your computer. es Spanish pt Portuguese
fi Finnish pt-br Brazilian
fr French ru Portuguese
fr-be Belgian French sl Russian
fr-ca Canadian French sv Slovenian
fr-ch Swiss French tk Sudanese
hr Croatian tr Turkmen
hu Hungarian Turkish
To start a VNC session
1. In Type, select VNC .

2. In the Host field, type the IP address of the VNC host.
3. Select Go.
4. Type your user name and password when prompted to log in to the remote host.
5. Select OK.
If you need to send Ctrl-Alt-Delete in your session, press F8, then select Send Ctrl-Alt-Delete from the pop-up
menu.
6. To end the VNC session, close the VNC window.
Tunnel-mode features
For Windows users, the web portal Tunnel Mode widget provides controls for your tunnel mode connection and
also provides status and statistics about its operation. You can also control and monitor tunnel mode operation
from the standalone client application.

Using the SSL VPN virtual desktop The SSL VPN web portal
Fortinet SSL VPN Tunnel Mode widget
Connect Initiate a session and establish an SSL VPN tunnel with the FortiGate unit.
Disconnect End the session and close the tunnel to the FortiGate unit.
Refresh Refresh the status and statistics immediately.
The state of the SSL VPN tunnel:
Link Status Up — an SSL VPN tunnel with the FortiGate unit has been established.
Down — a tunnel connection has not been initiated.
Bytes Sent The number of bytes of data transmitted from the client to the FortiGate
unit since the tunnel was established.
The number of bytes of data received by the client from the FortiGate unit
Bytes Received
since the tunnel was established.
Using the SSL VPN virtual desktop
The virtual desktop feature is available for Windows only. When you start an SSL VPN session, the virtual desktop
replaces your normal desktop. When the virtual desktop exits, your regular desktop is restored. Virtual desktop
information is encrypted so that no information from it remains available after your session ends.
To use the SSL VPN virtual desktop, simply log in to an SSL VPN that requires the use of the virtual desktop. Wait
for the virtual desktop to initialize and replace your desktop with the SSL VPN desktop, which has a Fortinet SSL
VPN logo as wallpaper. Your web browser will open to the web portal page.
You can use the virtual desktop just as you use your regular desktop, subject to the limitations that virtual desktop
application control imposes. If it is enabled in the web portal virtual desktop settings, you can switch between the
virtual desktop and your regular desktop. Right-click the SSL VPN Virtual Desktop icon in the taskbar and
select Switch Desktop.
To see the web portal virtual desktop settings, right-click the SSL VPN Virtual Desktop icon in the taskbar and
select Virtual Desktop Option.

The SSL VPN web portal Using FortiClient
When you have finished working with the virtual desktop, right-click the SSL VPN Virtual Desktop icon in the
taskbar and select Exit. Select Yes to confirm. The virtual desktop closes and your regular desktop is restored.
Using FortiClient
Remote users can use FortiClient Endpoint Security to initiate an SSL VPN tunnel to connect to the internal
network. FortiClient uses local port TCP 1024 to initiate an SSL encrypted connection to the FortiGate unit, on
port TCP 10443. When connecting using FortiClient, the FortiGate unit authenticates the FortiClient SSL VPN
request based on the user group options. the FortiGate unit establishes a tunnel with the client and assigns a
virtual IP address to the client PC. Once the tunnel has been established, the user can access the network behind
the FortiGate unit.
For information on configuring the FortiGate unit for SSL VPN connectivity, see Basic configuration on page 15.
For details on configuring FortiClient for SSL VPN connections, see the FortiClient documentation.

Setup examples
The examples in this chapter demonstrate the basic configurations needed for common connections to the SSL
VPN tunnel and portals, applying the steps outlined in Basic configuration on page 15.
The following examples are included:
Secure Internet browsing

Split Tunnel
Multiple user groups with different access permissions
Secure Internet browsing
This example sets up an SSL VPN tunnel that provides remote users the ability to access the Internet while
traveling, and ensures that they are not subject to malware and other dangers, by using the corporate firewall to
filter all of their Internet traffic. Essentially, the remote user will connect to the corporate FortiGate unit to surf the
Internet.
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Using SSL VPN and FortiClient SSL VPN software, you create a means to use the corporate FortiGate to browse
the Internet safely.

Setup examples Secure Internet browsing
Creating an SSL VPN IP pool and SSL VPN web portal

1. Go to VPN > SSL > Portals and select tunnel-access.
2. For Source IP Pools select SSLVPN_TUNNEL_ADDR1.
3. Select OK.
Creating the SSL VPN user and user group

1. Create the SSL VPN user and add the user to a user group configured for SSL VPN use.
2. Go to User & Device > User > User Definition and select Create New to add the user:
User Name twhite
Password password
3. Select OK.
4. Go to User & Device > User > User Groups and select Create New to add twhite to a group called SSL
VPN:
Name SSL VPN
Type Firewall
5. Move twhite to the Members list.

6. Select OK.
Creating a static route for the remote SSL VPN user

Create a static route to direct traffic destined for tunnel users to the SSL VPN tunnel.
1. Go to Router > Static > Static Routes and select Create New to add the static route.
Destination IP/Mask 10.212.134.0/255.255.255.0
Device ssl.root
The Destination IP/Mask matches the network address of the remote SSL VPN user.
2. Select OK.

Secure Internet browsing Setup examples
Creating security policies

Create an SSL VPN security policy with SSL VPN user authentication to allow SSL VPN traffic to enter the
FortiGate unit. Create a normal security policy from ssl.root to wan1 to allow SSL VPN traffic to connect to the
Internet.
Users and user groups are added to the SSL VPN under VPN > SSL > Settings, by

adding a rule to the Authentication/Portal Mapping section. However, you must also
add these users and user groups to the SSL VPN security policy.
1. Go to Policy & Objects > Policy > IPv4 and select Create New.
2. Add an SSL VPN security policy as below, and click OK.
Incoming Interface wan1
Source Address all
Source User(s) SSL VPN
Outgoing Interface ssl.root
3. Select Create New to add a security policy that allows remote SSL VPN users to connect to the Internet:
Incoming Interface ssl.root
Source Address all
Source User(s) SSL VPN
Outgoing Interface wan1
Destination Address all
Schedule always
Service ALL
Action ACCEPT
4. Select OK.
Configuring authentication rules

1. Go to VPN > SSL > Settings and select Create New under Authentication/Portal Mapping.
2. Add an authentication rule for the remote user:
Users/Groups Tunnel
Portal tunnel-access
3. Select OK and Apply.

Setup examples Split Tunnel
Results
Using the FortiClient SSLVPN application, access the VPN using the address
https://172.20.120.136:443/ and log in as twhite. Once connected, you can browse the Internet.
From the FortiGate web-based manager, go to VPN > Monitor > SSL-VPN Monitor to view the list of users
connected using SSL VPN. The Subsession entry indicates the split tunnel which redirects to the Internet.
Split Tunnel
In this configuration, remote users are able to securely access the head office internal network through the head
office firewall, yet browse the Internet without going through the head office FortiGate. Split tunneling is enabled
by default for SSL VPN on FortiGate units.
The solution below describes how to configure FortiGate SSL VPN split tunneling using the FortiClient SSL VPN
software, available from the Fortinet Support site.
Without split tunneling, all communication from remote SSL VPN users to the head office internal network and to
the Internet uses an SSL VPN tunnel between the user’s PC and the head office FortiGate unit. Connections to
the Internet are routed back out the head office FortiGate unit to the Internet. Replies come back into the head
office FortiGate unit before being routed back through the SSL VPN tunnel to the remote user.
In short, enabling split tunneling protects the head office from potentially harmful access and external threats that
may occur as a result of the end user's indiscretion while browsing the Internet. By contrast, disabling split
tunneling protects the end user by forcing all their Internet traffic to pass through the FortiGate firewall.
Creating a firewall address for the head office server

1. Go to Policy & Objects > Objects > Addresses and select Create New and add the head office server
address:
Category Address
Name Head office server
Type Subnet
Subnet / IP Range 192.168.1.12
Interface Internal
2. Select OK.
Creating an SSL VPN IP pool and SSL VPN web portal

1. Go to VPN > SSL > Portals and select tunnel-access.
2. Enter the following:
Name Connect to head office server

Split Tunnel Setup examples
Enable Tunnel Mode Enable
Enable Split Tunneling Enable
Routing Address Internal
Source IP Pools SSLVPN_TUNNEL_ADDR1
3. Select OK.
Creating the SSL VPN user and user group

Create the SSL VPN user and add the user to a user group.
1. Go to User & Device > User > User Definition, select Create New and add the user:
User Name twhite
Password password
2. Select OK.
3. Go to User & Device > User > User Groups and select Create New to add the new user to the SSL VPN user
group:
Name Tunnel
Type Firewall
4. Move twhite to the Members list.

5. Select OK.
Creating a static route for the remote SSL VPN user

Create a static route to direct traffic destined for tunnel users to the SSL VPN tunnel.
1. Go to Router > Static > Static Routes and select Create New
2. For low-end FortiGate units, go to System > Network > Routing and select Create New:
Destination IP/Mask 10.212.134.0/255.255.255.0
Device ssl.root
3. Select OK.
Creating security policies

Create an SSL VPN security policy with SSL VPN user authentication to allow SSL VPN traffic to enter the
FortiGate unit. Create a normal security policy from ssl.root to wan1 to allow SSL VPN traffic to connect to the
Internet.
2. Complete the following:

Setup examples Split Tunnel
Source Address all
Source User(s) Tunnel
Outgoing Interface internal
Destination Address Head office server
3. Select OK.
4. Add a security policy that allows remote SSL VPN users to connect to the Internet.
5. Select Create New.
6. Complete the following and select OK:
Source Address all
Source User(s) Tunnel
Outgoing Interface wan1
Destination Address all
Schedule always
Service ALL
Action ACCEPT

2. Add an authentication rule for the remote user:
Users/Groups Tunnel
Portal tunnel-access
Results
Using the FortiClient SSL VPN application on the remote PC, connect to the VPN using the address
https://172.20.120.136:443/ and log in with the twhite user account. Once connected, you can
connect to the head office server or browse to web sites on the Internet.
From the web-based manager, go to VPN > Monitor > SSL-VPN Monitor to view the list of users connected
using SSL VPN. The Subsession entry indicates the split tunnel which redirects SSL VPN sessions to the
Internet.

Multiple user groups with different access permissions Setup examples
Multiple user groups with different access permissions
You might need to provide access to several user groups with different access permissions. Consider the
following example topology in which users on the Internet have controlled access to servers and workstations on
private networks behind a FortiGate unit.
In this example configuration, there are two users:
l User1 can access the servers on Subnet_1.

l User2 can access the workstation PCs on Subnet_2.
You could easily add more users to either user group to provide them access to the user group’s assigned web
portal.
General configuration steps

1. Create firewall addresses for:
l The destination networks.
l Two non-overlapping tunnel IP address ranges that the FortiGate unit will assign to tunnel clients in the two
user groups.
2. Create two web portals.
3. Create two user accounts, User1 and User2.
4. Create two user groups. For each group, add a user as a member and select a web portal. In this example, User1
will belong to Group1, which will be assigned to Portal1 (similar configuration for User2).
5. Create security policies:
l Two SSL VPN security policies, one to each destination.
l Two tunnel-mode policies to allow each group of users to reach its permitted destination network.
6. Create the static route to direct packets for the users to the tunnel.
Creating the firewall addresses

Security policies do not accept direct entry of IP addresses and address ranges. You must define firewall
addresses in advance.
Creating the destination addresses

SSL VPN users in this example can access either Subnet_1 or Subnet_2.
To define destination addresses - web-based manager:
1. Go to Policy & Objects > Objects > Addresses.

2. Select Create New, enter the following information, and select OK:
Name Subnet_1
Type Subnet

Setup examples Multiple user groups with different access permissions
Subnet/IP Range 10.11.101.0/24
Interface port2
Name Subnet_2
Type Subnet
Subnet/IP Range 10.11.201.0/24
Interface port3
Creating the tunnel client range addresses

To accommodate the two groups of users, split an otherwise unused subnet into two ranges. The tunnel client
addresses must not conflict with each other or with other addresses.
To define tunnel client addresses - web-based manager:
1. Go to Policy & Objects > Objects > Addresses.

Name Tunnel_group1
Type IP Range
Subnet/IP Range 10.11.254.1-10.11.254.50
Interface Any
3. Select Create New, enter the following information, and select OK.
Name Tunnel_group2
Type IP Range
Subnet/IP Range 10.11.254.51-10.11.254.100
Interface Any
Creating the web portals

To accommodate two different sets of access permissions, you need to create two web portals, portal1 and
portal2, for example. Later, you will create two SSL VPN user groups, one to assign to portal1 and the other to
assign to portal2.

To create the portal1 web portal:
1. Go to VPN > SSL > Portals and select Create New.

2. Enter portal1 in the Name field.
3. In Source IP Pools, select Tunnel_ group1.
4. Select OK.
To create the portal2 web portal:
1. Go to VPN > SSL > Portals and select Create New.

2. Enter portal2 in the Name field and select OK.
3. In IP Pools, select Tunnel_ group2
4. Select OK.
Later, you can configure these portals with bookmarks and enable connection tool capabilities for the
convenience of your users.
Creating the user accounts and user groups

After enabling SSL VPN and creating the web portals that you need, you need to create the user accounts and
then the user groups that require SSL VPN access.
Go to User & Device > User > User Definition and create user1 and user2 with password authentication.
After you create the users, create the SSL VPN user groups.
To create the user groups - web-based manager:
1. Go to User & Device > User > User Groups.

2. Select Create New and enter the following information:
Name Group1
Type Firewall
3. From the Available list, select User1 and move it to the Members list by selecting the right arrow button.
4. Select OK.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to create Group2, assigned to Portal2, with User2 as its only member.
Creating the security policies

You need to define security policies to permit your SSL VPN clients, web-mode or tunnel-mode, to connect to the
protected networks behind the FortiGate unit. Before you create the security policies, you must define the source
and destination addresses to include in the policy. See Creating the firewall addresses on page 58.
Two types of security policy are required:
l An SSL VPN policy enables clients to authenticate and permits a web-mode connection to the destination network.
In this example, there are two destination networks, so there will be two SSL VPN policies. The authentication
ensures that only authorized users can access the destination network.
l A tunnel-mode policy is a regular ACCEPT security policy that enables traffic to flow between the SSL VPN tunnel
interface and the protected network. Tunnel-mode policies are required if you want to provide tunnel-mode

connections for your clients. In this example, there are two destination networks, so there will be two tunnel-mode
policies.
To create the SSL VPN security policies - web-based manager:
2. Enter the following information and click OK:
Incoming Interface ssl.root (sslvpn tunnel interface)
Source Address All
Source User(s) Group1
Outgoing Interface port2
Destination Address Subnet_1
Service All
4. Enter the following information:
Source Address All
Service All
5. Click OK.

2. Add an authentication rule for the first remote group:
Users/Groups Group1
Portal Portal1

4. Select Create New and add an authentication rule for the second remote group:
Users/Groups Group2
Portal Portal2

To create the tunnel-mode security policies - web-based manager:
2. Enter the following information, and select OK:
Source Address Tunnel_group1
Service All
Action ACCEPT
Enable NAT Enable
4. Enter the following information, and select OK:
Source Address Tunnel_group2
Service All
Action ACCEPT
Enable NAT Enable
Create the static route to tunnel mode clients

Reply packets destined for tunnel mode clients must pass through the SSL VPN tunnel. You need to define a
static route to allow this.
To add a route to SSL VPN tunnel mode clients - web-based manager:
1. Go to Router > Static > Static Routes and select Create New.
2. Enter the following information and select OK.

Destination IP/Mask 10.11.254.0/24
This IP address range covers both ranges that you assigned to SSL VPN
tunnel-mode users. See Creating the tunnel client range addresses on
page 59.
Device Select the SSL VPN virtual interface, ssl.root for example.
In this example, the IP Pools field on the VPN > SSL > Settings page is not used
because each web portal specifies its own tunnel IP address range.

Troubleshooting
This section contains tips to help you with some common challenges of SSL VPNs.
l Enter the following to display debug messages for SSL VPN:

diagnose debug application sslvpn -1
This command enables debugging of SSL VPN with a debug level of -1. The -1 debug level produces detailed
results.
l Enter the following command to verify the debug configuration:

diagnose debug info
debug output: disable
console timestamp: disable
console no user log message: disable
sslvpn debug level: -1 (0xffffffff)
CLI debug level: 3
This output verifies that SSL VPN debugging is enabled with a debug level of -1, and shows what filters are in
place. The output above indicates that debug output is disabled, so debug messages are not displayed. The
output also indicates that debugging has not been enabled for any software systems.
l Enter the following to enable displaying debug messages:

diagnose debug enable
To view the debug messages, log into the SSL VPN portal. The CLI displays debug output similar to the
following:
FGT60C3G10002814 # [282:root]SSL state:before/accept initialization (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 read client hello A (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 write server hello A (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 write change cipher spec A (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 write finished B (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 flush data (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 read finished A:system lib(172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSLv3 read finished A (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL state:SSL negotiation finished successfully (172.20.120.12)
[282:root]SSL established: DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA SSLv3 Kx=DH Au=RSA Enc=AES(256) Mac=SHA1
l Enter the following to stop displaying debug messages:

diagnose debug disable
The following is a list of potential issues. The suggestions below are not exhaustive, and may not reflect your
network topology.
There is no response from the SSL VPN URL.

l Go to VPN > SSL > Settings and check the SSL VPN port assignment. Also, verify that the SSL VPN policy is
configured correctly.
l Check the URL you are attempting to connect to. It should follow this pattern:
https://<FortiGate IP>:<Port>/remote/login

Troubleshooting
l Ensure that you are using the correct port number in the URL.
FortiClient cannot connect.

Read the Release Notes to ensure that the version of FortiClient you are using is compatible with your version of
FortiOS.
Tunnel-mode connection shuts down after a few seconds.

This issue can occur when there are multiple interfaces connected to the Internet (for example, a dual WAN).
Upgrade to the latest firmware then use the following CLI command:
set route-source-interface enable
end
When you attempt to connect using FortiClient or in Web mode, you are returned to the login
page, or you receive the following error message: “Unable to logon to the server. Your user
name or password may not be configured properly for this connection. (-12).”
l Ensure that cookies are enabled in your browser.
l If you are using a remote authentication server, ensure that the FortiGate is able to communicate with it.
l Access to the web portal or tunnel will fail if Internet Explorer has the privacy Internet Options set to High. If set to
High, Internet Explorer will block cookies that do not have a compact privacy policy, and that use personally
identifiable information without your explicit consent.
You receive an error message stating: "Destination address of Split Tunneling policy is

invalid."
The SSL VPN security policy uses the ALL address as its destination. Change the address to that of the
protected network instead.
The tunnel connects but there is no communication.

Go to Router > Static > Static Routes and ensure that there is a static route to direct packets destined for the
tunnel users to the SSL VPN interface.
You can connect remotely to the VPN tunnel but are unable to access the network resources.
Go to Policy & Objects > Policy > IPv4 and examine the policy allowing VPN access to the local network. If
the destination address is set to all, create a firewall address for the internal network. Change the destination
address and attempt to connect remotely again.
Users are unable to download the SSL VPN plugin.

Go to VPN > SSL > Portals to make sure that the option to Limit Users to One SSL-VPN Connection at a
Time is disabled. This allows users to connect to the resources on the portal page while also connecting to the
VPN through FortiClient.
Users are being assigned to the wrong IP range.

Ensure that the same IP Pool is used in VPN Portal and VPN Settings to avoid conflicts. If there is a conflict, the
portal settings will be used.

Troubleshooting
Sending tunnel statistics to FortiAnalyzer

By default, logged events include tunnel-up and tunnel-down status events. Other events, by default, will appear
in the FortiAnalyzer report as "No Data Available". More accurate results require logs with action=tunnel-
stats, which is used in generating reports on the FortiAnalyzer (rather than the tunnel-up and tunnel-down
event logs). The FortiGate does not, by default, send tunnel-stats information.
To allow VPN tunnel-stats to be sent to FortiAnalyzer, configure the FortiGate unit as follows using the CLI:
config system settings
set vpn-stats-log ipsec ssl
set vpn-stats-period 300
end

Copyright© 2016 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. Fortinet®, FortiGate®, FortiCare® and FortiGuard®, and certain other marks are registered trademarks of Fortinet,
Inc., in the U.S. and other jurisdictions, and other Fortinet names herein may also be registered and/or common law trademarks of Fortinet. All other product or company
names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Performance and other metrics contained herein were attained in internal lab tests under ideal conditions, and
actual performance and other results may vary. Network variables, different network environments and other conditions may affect performance results. Nothing herein
represents any binding commitment by Fortinet, and Fortinet disclaims all warranties, whether express or implied, except to the extent Fortinet enters a binding written
contract, signed by Fortinet’s General Counsel, with a purchaser that expressly warrants that the identified product will perform according to certain expressly-identified
performance metrics and, in such event, only the specific performance metrics expressly identified in such binding written contract shall be binding on Fortinet. For
absolute clarity, any such warranty will be limited to performance in the same ideal conditions as in Fortinet’s internal lab tests. In no event does Fortinet make any
commitment related to future deliverables, features, or development, and circumstances may change such that any forward-looking statements herein are not accurate.
Fortinet disclaims in full any covenants, representations,and guarantees pursuant hereto, whether express or implied. Fortinet reserves the right to change, modify,
transfer, or otherwise revise this publication without notice, and the most current version of the publication shall be applicable.

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FortiOS™ Handbook - SSL

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Friday, June 24, 2016

FortiOS™ Handbook - SSL VPN

Date Change Description

2016-06-24 Minor update to policy configuration in Split Tunnel on page 55.

2016-02-04 Update to SSL VPN port setting CLI syntax.

2015-11-25 Removed references to Chrome (no longer supports SSL VPN tunnel).

2015-01-05 Removed references to set action ssl-vpn.

2014-08-07 Updates to basic SSL VPN policy configuration.

2014-06-03 FortiOS 5.2 major release.

2013-10-30 Minor edit - setting web portal tunnel-mode IP pools.

2012-11-02 New FortiOS 5.0 release.

SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4 7

The following chapters are included in this document:

8 SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4

FortiOS supports the SSL and TLS versions defined below:

SSL and TLS version support table

SSL 2.0 RFC 6176

SSL 3.0 RFC 6101

TLS 1.0 RFC 2246

TLS 1.1 RFC 4346

TLS 1.2 RFC 5246

SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4 9

SSL VPN modes of operation

VPN Web-only Mode, supported operating systems and web browsers

Operating System Web Browser

Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit SP1 • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9, 10 and 11

Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit SP1 • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9, 10 and 11

Linux CentOS version 5.6 and • Mozilla Firefox version 5.6

10 SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4

Operating System Release

Linux • CentOS and Ubuntu in .tar.gz format

Virtual Desktop • In .jar format for Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 (32-bit)

SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4 11

Port forwarding mode

Antivirus and firewall host compatibility

12 SSL VPN for FortiOS 5.2.4

Supported Windows XP antivirus and firewall software

Product supported Antivirus Firewall

Symantec Endpoint Protection V11 • •

Kaspersky Antivirus 2009 •

McAfee Security Center v8.1 • •

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro • •

F-Secure Internet Security 2009 • •

Supported Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit antivirus and firewall software

Product supported Antivirus Firewall

CA Internet Security 2011 • •

AVG Internet Security 2011

F-Secure Internet Security 2011 • •

Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 • •

McAfee Internet Security 2011 • •

Norton 360TM Version 4.0 • •

NortonTM Internet Security 2011 • •

Panda Internet Security 2011 • •

Sophos Security Suite • •

Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security • •

ZoneAlarm Security Suite • •

Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 12.0 • •