Task Manager

Task Manager is designed to facilitate the execution of tasks with minimal privileged access. The use of this module eliminates the need to share credentials, grant access to less specialized users, or provide privileged sessions. By overseeing tasks on devices, Task Manager allows for the assignment of only the necessary permissions for users to perform critical activities in the environment securely.

Features

Task Manager main features include:

• Implementation of the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users have only the necessary permissions to perform tasks.

• Automation of privileged tasks using authorized configurations, simplifying execution within the environment.

• Secure execution of critical-level tasks by less specialized resources directly on devices.

Applicability

Task Manager is a versatile solution that supports a wide range of protocols, such as SSH, Telnet, RDP, VNC, RPC, WMI, LDAPS, HTTPS, and X11. Its applicability extends to various scenarios where it’s essential to ensure the effective and secure execution of tasks with minimal privileges. Some of its applications include:

1.Software update management: automates and controls the software update process on various devices within the network, ensuring that only necessary permissions are granted to prevent failures or security breaches.

2. Security configuration: implements and maintains consistent security settings on all devices, ensuring that only authorized changes are made by users with appropriate privileges.

3. System monitoring: automates monitoring tasks, such as system integrity checks, fault detection, or log analysis, allowing for a quick response to critical events securely.

4. Punctual maintenance: enables the execution of punctual tasks aimed at maintaining the environment, such as restarting services and making quick configuration changes.

5. Process automation: enables the scheduling of task execution, allowing simple manual processes to be automated, such as robot execution.

Use case

Software update automation
Primary actor: IT administrator
Summary: this use case describes how an IT administrator uses Task Manager to automate the software update process on a network of devices, including punctual and scheduled updates, as well as access group configuration.

Note: Task Manager is designed to automate the execution of command-line tasks. Therefore, this use case is suitable for software updates that can be performed using specific commands, not applicable to system updates performed through graphical interfaces. Ensure that the software updates in question can be executed in this way before implementing this use case.

Basic flow:

1. Identification of software to be updated: the IT administrator identifies the software requiring updates within the network, such as operating systems, productivity applications, or security solutions.

2. Configuration of update policies: using Task Manager, the administrator creates a task and configures update policies for each type of software, specifying update times, affected devices, and the required privileges to perform updates. Additionally, the administrator defines access groups to ensure that only authorized users can execute updates.

3. Scheduling updates: the administrator schedules the task so that software updates are automatically executed on designated devices, ensuring that updates occur regularly and minimizing operational disruptions. Additionally, Task Manager enables punctual updates, which can be performed immediately in response to security emergencies or critical patch availability.

4. Automated execution: Task Manager automatically executes software updates on devices as scheduled or as required punctually, ensuring that only authorized changes are made and that devices remain secure and up-to-date.

Post-condition: software updates are successfully applied to network devices in an automated manner, ensuring security, system performance, and monitoring, while configured access groups control access to update tasks.

Conclusion

Task Manager is an essential tool for efficiently and securely managing tasks with minimal privileges in IT environments. By implementing the principle of least privilege, automating processes, and supporting a variety of protocols, it stands out as a versatile and indispensable solution. Through its use case in software update automation, we highlight its ability to simplify complex tasks, ensuring the security and performance of systems. With Task Manager, IT administrators can achieve a crucial balance between security, efficiency, and control, essential in an increasingly complex and dynamic IT landscape.