Configure Cisco Firepower Management Center

Configure Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) to use the Okta RADIUS Server agent for multifactor authentication.

Okta provides the ability for organizations to manage authorization and access to on-premises applications and resources using the RADIUS protocol and the Okta RADIUS agent. With the Okta RADIUS Advanced Server Access server agent, organizations can delegate authentication to Okta.

Typical architecture

Clients often use the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility client to connect to a Cisco Firepower firewall. Users are authenticated using the Okta RADIUS agent backed by Microsoft Active Directory. The authentication process uses MFA. See Supported factors.

Before you begin

Meet the following network connectivity requirements before you install the Okta RADIUS agent:

Source Destination Port/Protocol Description
Okta RADIUS Agent Okta Identity Cloud TCP/443

HTTP

 Configuration and authentication traffic.
Client Gateway Okta RADIUS Agent UDP/1812 RADIUS (Default, you can change this when you install and configure the RADIUS app) RADIUS traffic between the gateway (client) and the RADIUS agent (server).

Supported factors

The size of the challenge message can be too large for the RADIUS prompt if you let users enroll too many factors. Okta recommends that you enroll no more than eight factors at a given time.

Okta supports the following factors for RADIUS apps:

MFA Factor

 Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) Extensible Authentication Protocol - Generic Token Card (EAP-GTC) Extensible Authentication Protocol - Tunneled Transport Layer Security (EAP-TTLS)*
Custom TOTP Authentication Supported Supported Supported - as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".
Duo (Push, SMS, and Passcode only) Supported Supported Duo passcode only.

Email

Supported

Supported

Supported when the string "EMAIL" is initially sent.
Refer to associated note.

Google Authenticator

Supported Supported Supported, as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

Okta Verify (TOTP and PUSH)

Supported Supported Supported, as long as challenge is avoided.
For example:
MFA-only or "Password, MFA" for TOTP.
Push can work with primary authentication with MFA as the push challenge is sent out-of-band.

Okta Verify (number challenge)

Not supported

Not supported

Not supported

RSA Token/ On-prem MFA

Supported

Supported

Supported - as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

Security Question

Supported (Password and MFA only) Supported (Password + MFA only).
 Not supported
SMS authentication Supported Supported
Supported when the string "SMS" is sent.
Refer to associated note.
Symantec VIP Supported Supported Supported - as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

Voice Call

Supported Supported Supported when the string "CALL" is sent.
Refer to associated note.

YubiKey

Supported Supported Supported - as long as challenge is avoided.
For example MFA only or "Password, passcode".

* RADIUS supports three authentication methods:

  • Password + MFA: Primary authentication using password, then the user is prompted to select factors to complete the authentication.
  • MFA Only: Instead of password, users enter either a one-time passcode (OTP), or one of EMAIL, SMS, CALL, PUSH (case insensitive).
  • Password and Passcode: Password entered immediately followed by a passcode in a request.
    Must be in the same request, for example: Abcd1234,879890” or “Abcd1234,SmS”.

Protocols support the following authentication methods:

Protocol Supports
PAP Password and MFA, MFA, "Password and passcode".
EAP-TTLS MFA only, "Password and passcode".
EAP-GTC Password and MFA, MFA only, "Password and passcode".

Users must send the specified string EMAIL/SMS/CALL, which initially returns a failure. This results in the generation of an OTP provided using the specified method. The provided OTP can then be used for authentication.

EAP-TTLS doesn't support enrollment

Authentication will fail unexpectedly when EAP-TTLS is enabled, either Okta Verify or Phone are specified as the required enrollment policy, and the user isn't enrolled in that factor.

The U2F Security and Windows Hello MFA factors aren't compatible with RADIUS-enabled implementations. See Configuring RADIUS applications in Okta.

Passwordless authentication

RADIUS authentication uses passwords as the primary authentication mechanism. Traditional RADIUS authentication can't be performed with passwordless users. RADIUS can use other factors for authentication when the application setting property Okta performs primary authentication is cleared. See 2FA Only (Passwordless Mode) in RADIUS applications in Okta for addition detail.

Supported versions, clients, and features

Versions

Software version Role
Windows Server 2016 Standard Windows domain controller
Windows Server 2016, 2019 Standard Windows application server
Cisco Firepower Thread Defense 6.4.0.9 NGFW Firewall
Cisco Firepower Virtual Management Center NGFW Management

The Okta RADIUS agent has been tested on the following Linux versions:

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 8.0, 8.3
  • CentOS 7.6
  • Ubuntu 18.04.4, 20.04.1 LTS

Clients

Software version Role

Windows 10

Desktop client

Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client 4.6.01103

Windows remote VPN agent

Typical workflow with Active Directory integration

Task

Description
Download the RADIUS agent In the Admin Console, go to SettingsDownloads. Download the appropriate Okta RADIUS Agent for your environment.

Install the agent

 Install Okta RADIUS Server agent on Windows

Install Okta RADIUS agent on Linux

See Okta RADIUS Server Agent Deployment Best Practices.
Optional. Download, install, and configure the Okta Active Directory (AD) Agent In the Admin Console, go to SettingsDownloads. Download the Okta AD Agent Installer.

Install and configure the Okta AD Agent. See Get started with Active Directory integration.

The Active Directory user chosen for this process only needs domain user capabilities. Okta recommends that you install the agent with administrator privileges on a server that has Windows AD RSAT tools installed.

Configure RADIUS application in Okta Configure the Cisco Advanced Server Access - RADIUS app.

This integration works with all RADIUS applications.

Configure Cisco Firewall Management Center Configure firewall management for RADIUS.
Test the Cisco Firepower Management Center integration Test the agent.