You can create a Rotated Secret for a Windows user password. Before you get started, ensure that you create a Windows Target that includes the hostname and connection settings, as well as credentials for a privileged user authorized to rotate credentials.

When a client requests a Rotated Secret value, the Akeyless Platform connects to the Windows server through your Gateway to rotate the user password on your target server.

Create a Rotated Windows Secret from the CLI

To create a Rotated Windows Secret using the Akeyless CLI, run the following command:

akeyless rotated-secret create windows \
--name <Rotated Secretsecret name> \
--gateway-url 'https://<Your-Akeyless-GW-URL:8000>' \
--target-name <Windows target name to associate> \
--authentication-credentials <use-target-creds> \
--password-length 16 \
--rotator-type <password> \
--rotated-username <username> \
--rotated-password <password> \
--user-dn <Base DN to perform user search> \ 
--auto-rotate <true|false> \
--rotation-interval <1-365> \
--rotation-hour <hour in UTC>

Where:

• name: A unique name of the Rotated Secret. The name can include the path to the virtual folder where you want to create the new Rotated Secret, using slash / separators. If the folder does not exist, it will be created together with the Rotated Secret.

• gateway-url: Akeyless Gateway Configuration Manager URL (port 8000).

• target-name: The name of the Windows Target with which the Rotated Secret should be associated.

• authentication-credentials: Determines how to connect to the target server.

  • use-user-creds - Use the credentials defined on the Rotated Secret item.
  • use-target-creds - Use the credentials defined on the Windows Target item.

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Note

Select use-target-creds if the Rotated Secret user is not authorized to change their own password, and a privileged user, like the Windows Target user is required to change the password on behalf of the Rotated Secret user.

• password-length: Optional, The user's password length.
• rotator-type: The type of credentials to be rotated. For Windows Target , choose:
  • password - to rotate the Windows user password specified in the Rotated Secret.
  • target - to rotate the password for the user specified in the Windows Target
• rotated-username: The Windows user whose password should be rotated.
• rotated-password: The password to rotate.
• auto-rotate: Enable auto-rotation if you need to update the password regularly. If this value is set to true, specify the rotation-interval in days, and optionally also the rotation-hour.

You can find the complete list of parameters for this command in the CLI Reference - Rotated Secrets section.

Create a Rotated Windows Secret in the Akeyless Console

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Note

To start working with Rotated Secrets from the Akeyless Console, you need to configure the Gateway URL thus enabling communication between the Akeyless SaaS and the Akeyless Gateway.

1. Log in to the Akeyless Console, and go to Items > New > Rotated Secret > Windows.

2. Define a Name of the Rotated Secret, and specify the Location as a path to the virtual folder where you want to create the new Rotated Secret, using slash / separators. If the folder does not exist, it will be created together with the Rotated Secret.

3. Define the remaining settings as follows:

• Delete Protection: When enabled, it protects the Rotated Secret from accidental deletion.

• Target: The name of the Windows Target with which the Rotated Secret should be associated.

• Authenticate with the following credentials: Determines how to connect to the target server:

  • User credentials: Use the credentials defined inside the Rotated Secret item.
  • Target credentials: Use the credentials defined on the Windows Target item.

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Note

Select Target credentials if the Rotated Secret user is not authorized to change their own password, and a privileged user, like the Windows Target user is required to change the password on behalf of the Rotated Secret user.

• Password length: Optional, Set the user's password length.
• Rotator type: Determines the rotator type:
  • Password: Rotates the password defined inside the Rotated Secret item.
  • Target: Rotate the password for the user specified in the Windows Target
• Username: Defines the Windows username which password should be rotated.
• Password: Defines the password to rotate.
• Gateway: Select the Gateway through which the secret will be rotated.
• Protection key: To enable zero-Knowledge, select a key with a Customer Fragment. For more information, read here.
• Auto rotate: Determines if automatic rotation is enabled.
• Rotation interval (in days): Defines the number of days (1-365) to wait between automatic password rotations when Auto Rotate is enabled.
• Rotation hour (local time zone): Defines the time when the password should be rotated if Auto Rotate is enabled.
• Rotation Notification: If you wish to get a notification before the next Automatic Rotation, click on ⊕ Add Notification and adjust the day count to any number you desire. This can be done multiple times to be notified more than once.

4. Click Finish.