SSL-VPN Service

End User Guide

May 17, 2010

Table of Contents
Purpose .................................................................................................................................3
Access Requirements to use SSL-VPN Service ...........................................................................3
Logging into the SSL-VPN through the Web..............................................................................3
Logging out of SSL-VPN Service..............................................................................................10
Cleaning Up Your Computer when Your Session Ends .............................................................10
Help and Support Contacts....................................................................................................11
Frequently Asked Question about SSL-VPN ............................................................................11
Appendix A: Installing Client Certificate..................................................................................13
Appendix B: Installing End Point Analysis and SSL-VPN Clients.................................................16

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Purpose
This document describes a step by step procedure to access SSL-VPN that allows you to connect
from outside Saudi Aramco network (intranet) to access internal resources. It also includes the
requirements needed to gain access to the service.

Access Requirements to use SSL-VPN Service

To access SSL-VPN through, you must have the following:

 One the following Operating systems:

o Windows 7
o Windows Vista
o Windows XP
 One of the following Web Browsers:
o Internet Explorer
o Firefox
 Supported Antivirus software (McAfee) with up to date virus definition files within 4
days.
 Digital Certificate from Saudi Aramco PKI

Logging into the SSL-VPN through the Web

1. To log in, please open internet explorer or FireFox and type in the following site to the
address line: https://connect.aramco.com

2. You will be redirected to the “SSL-VPN” login page and will be promoted to choose or accept
the “Client Certificate” if there is one installed. Digital client certificate must be pre-installed
in the browser. Refer to “Appendix A” on how to install the certificate after you get it.

In Windows 7:

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In Windows Vista and XP:

3. If this is your first time to use the service, you need to install the End Point Analysis by
clicking on “Download button as shown below and then running the tool which will
automatically run in the future whenever you need to access the service (Refer to Appendix
b” for detail on how you can install it.

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4. The End Point San will start after the installation:

5. You have then to click on “Yes” or “Always” to confirm the scanning for your PC that will
ensure it is complying with company requirements to get access. The requirements are
highlighted in the previous section.

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6. If the your PC is in compliance with the requirements you will be directed to the login page
otherwise you will get an error page as shown below:

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7. Enter your username if it is not pre-populated and use the virtual keyboard to enter
password and click the “Enter”.

Note: For more details about using the virtual keyboard refer to the following document:
http://downloads.aramco.com/citrix/Using_Virtual_Keyboard.pdf

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8. You will then have access to the SSL-VPN service from which you can click on “Network
Access” as shown below:

9. The Access Gateway Plug-in need to be installed on your computer when you log on for the
first time where you will see “Download” link that you need to click on and then install the
client as shown below. Refer to “Appendix B” for detail procedure of installing the SSL-VPN
Access Gateway client.

Note: To install the SSL-VPN Plug-in for the first time, you must be a local administrator or a
member of the Administrators group to install programs on your computer

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10. When the plug-in is installed, the SSL-VPN Access Gateway client will automatically start :

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11. You can log on in the future form the notification area on the task bar by right clicking the
client icon and choosing “Logon” as shown below or by connecting using a the link
https://connect.aramco.com from the browser.

12. Once the client started and successfully connected, you will see the icon of the client “Blue ”

13. Now you are successfully connected to the company network through a secure channel of
communication between your computer and the SSL-VPN Gateway, and allows you to
access resources in the internal network that you are authorized to use.

Logging out of SSL-VPN Service

You can log off from the SSL-VPN service by right-clicking on the SSL-VPN icon from the
notification area and then clicking “Logoff”.

Cleaning Up Your Computer when Your Session Ends

During a session, temporary files are created on your computer. The SSL-VPN client will remove
temporary files from your computer/browser and will close FireFox if it is running.

You will get a confirmation message, click “Yes”

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Then a confirmation to close Firefox if installed and running, click “OK”

Help and Support Contacts

For help & support, you can contact Saudi Aramco IT Help Desk at:

Tel.: +966-3-872-2222
Email: ITHelpDesk@aramco.com

Frequently Asked Question about SSL-VPN

 Why do I lose my VPN link?

If the VPN session has been inactive for 20 minutes or more the session will automatically
time out. In this situation, browse to https://connect.aramco.com and log back in.

 Where can I go for support if I can’t login to SSL-VPN?

Contact the Help Desk by email (ITHelpDesk@aramco.com)or by calling (+966 03) 872-2222

 How can I change my password?

You can change the password by accessing myIDM website using this link:
https://myidm.aramco.com/idm/user

 I cannot browse the network after connecting to VPN successfully?

Once SSL-VPN is established successfully you will not be able to browse the internet or
internal network while you are connected to Saudi Aramco Network using external ISP.
However, Saudi Aramco users authorized to access the corporate internet proxy service will
be able to browse the internet through Saudi Aramco Proxy and the setting in the internet

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 browser will be configured automatically to point to proxy01. Also, this can be done
manually as shown below:

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Appendix A: Installing Client Certificate

1- Double click on the client certificate that you have received or generated from the PKI
website

2- Click “Next”

3- Click “Next”

4- If you set a password for the certificate, type the password and then Click “Next”

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 5- Click “Next”

6- Click “Finish”

7- Once done, you will get this message, click “OK”

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 8- The certificate was successfully installed in your PC and you can view it from the
Internet Explorer from:

Tools > Internet Options > Content > Certificates, under “Personal”

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Appendix B: Installing End Point Analysis and SSL-VPN Clients

End-Point Analysis Client:

1- For the first time user, once you access the SSL-VPN site, you need to download and
install the SSL-VPN End Point Analysis client by clicking the download link:

2- Click “Run”

3- Click “Continue”

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 4- Click “Install”

5- Click “Finish”

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SSL-VPN Access Gateway Client:

1- For the first time user also, once you successfully passed the end-point analysis scan and
successfully authenticated, you have to download and run the SSL-VPN Access Gateway
client by clicking the download link:

2- Click “Run”

3- Click “Continue”

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 4- Click “Install”

5- Click “Finish”

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