The Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Security Hardening Guide

Microsoft Corporation Published: May 2008

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like and with familiar Microsoft software, automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship and supply chain processes in a way that helps you drive business success. U.S. and Canada Toll Free 1-888-477-7989 Worldwide +1-701-281-6500 www.microsoft.com/dynamics This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice. The entire risk of the use or the results from the use of this document remains with the user. Unless otherwise noted, the companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted in examples herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Windows, Windows BitLocker, Windows Server, Microsoft .NET, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft and the Microsoft Dynamics Logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, FRx Software Corporation, or Microsoft Business Solutions ApS in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft Business Solutions ApS and FRx Software Corporation are subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation.

Table of Contents
Introduction to the Security Hardening Guide 5 Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX client 7 16

Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Object Server Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX database Appendix A: Table Permissions Framework Reference 24 20

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Introduction to the Security Hardening Guide

This guide is intended for IT professionals who are deploying Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 or who want to improve the security of an existing Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 deployment. This guide discusses how to reduce the attack surface of the major Microsoft Dynamics AX components (the client, the Application Object Server (AOS), and the database). This guide also describes how to use various Microsoft Windows operating system features to improve the security of your computing environment. This guide does not describe how to set up or configure specific security features in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, such as record-level security, domains, or user-group permissions. You can view information about these security features in the Microsoft Dynamics AX online Help. (Click the Help icon > System and Application Setup > System setup > Setting up and maintaining security.)

Concepts
This guide discusses the following security concepts.
Concept Description

Attack surface

In a computing environment, the attack surface is an assessment of the potential vulnerabilities where a malicious user might gain access to code or data in your business or organization. Administrators want to reduce the attack surface of the computing environment (reduce the number of potential exploits or vulnerabilities) so that a malicious user cannot access, steal, change, or destroy code or data. Reducing the attack surface can involve: Disabling ports and processes to reduce the potential of an attack from the Internet and the network. Disabling features to reduce the amount of code that executes on the computer, thereby reducing the volume of code that can be exploited or used to propagate an exploit. Enabling hardware and software security features to limit access to computing resources.

Least privilege

To grant least privilege (also called least-privileged user accounts) means to grant users the fewest possible permissions to software features and data while still allowing the users to perform their job functions. By granting least privilege, you restrict access to features and data. 5

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Concept Description

For example, users who are assigned to an HR_Users group (Human Resources) might be granted fewer permissions than users in an HR_Managers group or the Director of Human Resources. By granting least privilege, you prevent members of the HR_Users group from accessing reports or sensitive employee information. Defense in depth Defense in depth means to implement multiple security systems in your business or organization to prevent security attacks and to limit the impact of those attacks if a malicious user breaches one or more security defenses. Most businesses or organizations implement the following security measures as a means of defense in depth: Production databases and servers are physically stored in a secure room, and users must enter passcodes or submit identification to enter the room. Internet-facing Web applications are set up with a perimeter network (also called demilitarized zone or DMZ). Proxy servers prevent client computers from accessing certain types of media or Web sites on the Internet. Client computers and servers are configured to access the Internet through a firewall to prevent unsolicited requests to the local computer. Client computers run antivirus software and malicious-software detection software. Access to software applications and network resources is controlled by a combination of domain authentication, user and groups permissions, and NTFS file system permissions.

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Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Microsoft Dynamics AX enables users to input, update, and monitor a variety of data by using the 32-bit client. Microsoft Dynamics AX users use the client to perform common tasks that include viewing financial reports, processing orders with credit card numbers, routing payments by using bank account numbers, and entering sensitive details about employees or customers. If the Microsoft Dynamics AX client is not deployed with attention to security, then malicious users might gain access to Microsoft Dynamics AX data, or users in your business or organization might unintentionally gain access to sensitive data. Whether your business or organization runs only a few Microsoft Dynamics AX clients or dozens of clients, you should deploy the client as described in this section to protect your data and to reduce the overall attack surface of your computing environment. This section includes the following information: Terminal Services deployment (most secure) Individual deployments (less secure) Encrypt client communications with the Application Object Server (AOS) Best practices for secure client deployment

Terminal Services deployment (most secure)

Terminal Services, which is a feature of the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 operating systems, uses the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to communicate between client and server. After you deploy an application on a terminal server, clients can connect over a remote access connection, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. The client computers can run Windows, Apple Macintosh, or UNIX (by using a third-party add-on). When a user accesses an application, such as Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 on a terminal server, the application execution occurs on the server. Only keyboard, mouse, and display information is transmitted over the network. Users can view only their individual sessions. Each session is managed transparently by the server operating system, and it is independent of any other client session. From a security perspective, there are several benefits to running the Microsoft Dynamics AX client on a Terminal Services cluster: Only keyboard strokes and images of information that is displayed on the Terminal Services server are transmitted over the network. Microsoft Dynamics AX data is not transmitted over the network to client computers, which reduces the threat of a malicious user acquiring data that was stored on a user's client computer. No data is processed, cached, or stored on a user's local computer. All data processing, caching, and storage occur on the Windows Server computer that is running the Microsoft 7

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Dynamics AX client. If a user's client computer is misappropriated or lost, a malicious user would not have access to Microsoft Dynamics AX data on that computer. If a security patch were issued for Microsoft Dynamics AX, that patch would only need to be applied to the Terminal Services cluster computers, which means that the overall Microsoft Dynamics AX attack surface is minimized.

Figure 1 shows an example of how you might architect Microsoft Dynamics AX to run on a Terminal Services cluster. Figure 1: Microsoft Dynamics AX deployed on a Terminal Services cluster

1. Users log on to their client computers and open a Remote Desktop Connection or a Remote Desktop Web connection (if they are connecting by using the HTTP service). Or, the user double-clicks the Microsoft Dynamics AX client icon on their computer and runs the application as a Terminal Services session (which is a feature of Windows Server 2008 called RemoteApp). 2. The load balancing solution routes traffic to the Terminal Services cluster based on server availability and load. 3. Terminal Services receives the session request and communicates with the Terminal Services Directory and Licensing Services to manage sessions and to verify that there is an available license. If a license is available, Terminal Services starts a unique session for each user. Depending on how you configured Terminal Services, users view a Windows desktop Security Hardening Guide 8

Microsoft Dynamics AX where they can access the Microsoft Dynamics AX client from the All Programs menu, or if they are using Terminal Services RemoteApp, the Microsoft Dynamics AX client opens and appears to users as an application that is running on their client computer. 4. The Microsoft Dynamics AX clients running on the Terminal Services cluster communicate with the Microsoft Dynamics AX AOS and database server through normal channels. 5. The Terminal Services cluster transmits images of information that is displayed on the Terminal Services server over the network to client computers. No data is transmitted over the network, and therefore no Microsoft Dynamics AX data resides on users' client computers.

Deployment considerations
By default, Terminal Services allows only two client sessions at one time. Business decision makers in your business or organization will need to assess the cost of purchasing additional Terminal Services licenses before you can deploy a Terminal Services cluster. We highly recommend the investment because it reduces administration overhead and the attack surface for security threats against Microsoft Dynamics AX and any other line-of-business applications that you choose to run on the cluster. Each user who will connect to the Microsoft Dynamics AX client on the Terminal Services cluster must be a member of the Remote Desktop User group in Microsoft Windows Users and Groups. To enhance the security of your computing environment, deploy Group Policy and Encrypting File System on all computers. If your business or organization uses Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista Enterprise, or Windows Vista Ultimate deploy Windows BitLocker. Group Policy and Encrypting File System are described in more detail in the following section.

For more information about Terminal Services, see the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Technical Library or the Windows Server 2003 Terminal Service Reference.

Individual deployments (less secure)

There are several reasons why it is less secure to deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX client on users' computers than it is to deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX client on a Terminal Services deployment, as discussed earlier in this section. Microsoft Dynamics AX data sent between the client and the AOS is at greater risk of being intercepted by a malicious user because there is more data being sent across the network. Data that is stored on individual computers is at greater risk of being accessed by a malicious user if users are not diligent about securing their computers, or if a computer is lost or stolen. If users have access to the Internet, there is a greater risk of virus attacks or problems with malicious software. Your computing environment is at greater risk if your business or organization does not enforce a policy that requires users to download and install security patches as soon as they are available. 9

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Microsoft Dynamics AX You can mitigate some of these security risks by deploying the Windows security features that are described in the following sections.

Deployment considerations
This section describes deployment practices that we recommend if you deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to multiple computers. If you deploy the client according to these recommendations, you can improve security and mitigate some of the risks described earlier.

Deploy Group Policy

If you intend to deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to individual computers in your business or organization, you should implement Group Policy first, and then deploy Microsoft Dynamics AX. Group Policy is a feature of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 that provides an infrastructure for delivering and applying configurations or policy settings to users and computers within an Active Directory environment. Using Group Policy you can: Manage user settings and computers from a central location. Implement security settings across an enterprise. Implement standard computing environments for groups of users. Centrally manage software installations, updates, repairs, upgrades, and software removal. Centrally deploy, recover, restore, and replace users data, software, and personal settings. Centrally configure and customize users' computers to provide a consistent computing environment and system settings. Centrally manage and control computer power settings. Control device installation and access to devices, such as USB drives, CD-RW drives, DVDRW drives, and other removable media. Manage firewall and Internet Protocol security Group Policy settings together, a feature that provides greater security for scenarios, such as securing server-to-server communications over the Internet, limiting access to domain resources based on trust relationships or the health of a computer, and protecting data communication to a specific server to meet regulatory requirements for data privacy and security. Open and edit Internet Explorer Group Policy settings without the risk of inadvertently altering the state of the policy settings based on the configuration of the administrative computer. Assign printers based on location in the business or organization or a geographic location, and enable Group Policy settings to allows users to install printer drivers.

Group Policy in Windows Server 2008 includes these additional benefits:

For more information, see Group Policy in Windows Server 2008 or Group Policy in Windows Server 2003.

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Deploy Encrypting File System

Encrypting File System (EFS) is a component of the NTFS file system on Windows operating systems that is used for encrypting files and folders on client computers and remote servers. EFS enables users to protect their data from unauthorized access by other users or malicious users. Any individual or application that does not have the appropriate cryptographic key cannot read the encrypted data. By deploying EFS on the computers where you install the Microsoft Dynamics AX client, you add another level of security for any data or files that the user might store locally. For more information, see EFS in Windows Server 2008 or EFS in Windows Server 2003.

Deploy Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption

Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption (BitLocker) is a feature that is available in the Windows Server 2008 operating system, Windows Vista Enterprise operating system, and Windows Vista Ultimate operating system. This feature can help protect data that is stored on client computers, particularly mobile ones. BitLocker performs two functions: BitLocker encrypts all data that is stored on the Windows operating system volume (and configured data volumes). This includes the Windows operating system, hibernation and paging files, applications, and data that are used by applications. BitLocker is configured by default to use a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to help ensure the integrity of early startup components (components that are used in the earlier stages of the startup process). BitLocker "locks" any BitLocker-protected volumes so that they remain protected even if the computer is tampered with when the operating system is not running.

Everything written to a BitLocker-protected volume is encrypted, including the operating system itself and all applications and data. This helps protect data from unauthorized access. While the physical security of servers remains important, BitLocker can help protect data whenever a computer is stolen, shipped from one location to another, or otherwise out of a user's physical control. Encrypting the disk helps prevent offline attacks, such as the removal of a disk drive from one computer and its installation in another in an attempt to bypass Windows security provisions, such as permissions enforced by NTFS access control lists (ACLs). For more information, see Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Special considerations for client computers used in development environments

Client computers that are used for Microsoft Dynamics AX development must be isolated from the clients, AOS, and database computers that are used in the production environment. The consideration here is that the process of testing or developing customizations might inadvertently impact the production environment if the environments are not properly isolated. Security Hardening Guide 11

Microsoft Dynamics AX To maintain the security of the production environment, developers should not be granted access to the Microsoft Dynamics AX production database. Client computers that are used for development should have their own AOS and database, and the development environment should have its own data set. To maintain security and privacy, you should not use production data in a development environment.

Encrypt client communications with the AOS

The Microsoft Dynamics AX AOS performs business logic and data processing for all incoming and outgoing requests from client computers. If a malicious user intercepts requests between the client computer and the AOS, that user might gain access to data or information. You can reduce the threat of a malicious user intercepting requests between the client computer and the AOS by using encryption. For information about securing the AOS, see Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Object Server.

Remote Procedure Call encryption

By default, Microsoft Dynamics AX is configured to encrypt credentials and data that are sent across the network between the client and the AOS, and between the AOS and the database. Microsoft Dynamics AX uses the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) to perform the encryption, which provides the highest level of security for client-AOS communications. We recommend that you do not disable the RPC security feature. You can verify that encryption is enabled in the Microsoft Dynamics AX Configuration Utility. The configuration utility is automatically installed when you install the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. If you suspect that users or administrators disabled this security feature, then verify this setting on each Microsoft Dynamics AX client computer in your business or organization. 1. Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Microsoft Dynamics AX Configuration Utility. 2. Click the Connection tab. 3. Verify that Encrypt client to server communications is selected. If this option is not selected, select it, and then click OK.

Role Centers encryption

Role Centers provide overview information for Microsoft Dynamics AX users, including work lists, activities, common links, and key business intelligence information. Role Centers use the Enterprise Portal framework to deliver information on either an Enterprise Portal Web site or to a Role Center home page in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. If your business or organization uses Role Centers, and if the administrator installed Enterprise Portal without Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, then all communication between Role Centers in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client and the AOS are sent in clear text. This means that if a malicious user intercepts communications between a client computer that is using Role Centers and the AOS, then that Security Hardening Guide 12

Microsoft Dynamics AX malicious user would see data from those communications. In this situation, RPC encryption is not used, because the information between the Role Center page and the AOS is sent by using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). If your business or organization uses Role Centers, then you must ensure that Enterprise Portal is configured to use SSL encryption. SSL is a feature of Internet Information Services, the Web server software that hosts the Enterprise Portal framework. For more information about configuring SSL, see Secure Sockets Layer encryption in IIS 7.0 or Secure Sockets Layer encryption in IIS 6.0.

Best practices for secure client deployment

The following best practices apply to all Microsoft Dynamics AX client deployments. If your business or organization does not have these practices in place, then you should consider implementing these practices immediately as they are, in most cases, the first line of defense for improving security in your computing environment.
Recommendation Description

Always specify leastprivileges when you set up and configure Microsoft Dynamics AX user security features.

You can read about how to set up and configure users, user groups, domains, and record-level security in the Microsoft Dynamics AX online Help. (Click the Help icon > System and Application Setup > System setup > Setting up and maintaining security.) Before you set up and configure least-privileges in Microsoft Dynamics AX, consider the following: By default, no users or groups have access to the Application Object Tree (AOT). This is by design. You should only grant access to the AOT for members of a development group who must access the AOT as a part of their specific job requirements. If you grant regular users access to the AOT, those users could intentionally or unintentionally compile the application, synchronize the application, change license files, or change module configurations, all of which can cause problems in your business or organization. As a general rule, you should not grant user groups access to an item unless they specifically need access to do their job. Do not grant regular users permission to set up or configure master records unless they specifically need permission to do their job. If a regular user has permission to set up or configure master records, that user could intentionally or unintentionally change a master record, which can cause problems for all users of that specific module. 13

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Recommendation Description

Only those persons who are responsible for setting up and configuring Microsoft Dynamics AX in your business or organization should be a member of the Administrators group and have access to the Administration module in Microsoft Dynamics AX. If regular users are granted access to this group and module, they could intentionally or unintentionally cause problems in the Microsoft Dynamics AX application. Do not assign users to the Windows Administrators or Power Users groups on their local computers unless they are explicitly required to perform administrator or power user job functions. Members of these groups can add or remove applications to their local computers, which can introduce security risks. Instead, assign users to the Windows User group (Start > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups).

Educate users about using strong passwords and define password policies.

Strong passwords and password policies in your domain are essential for maintaining a secure computing environment. We highly recommend that you implement Password Best Practices in your business or organization. A firewall drops incoming traffic that does not correspond to either traffic sent in response to a request of the computer (solicited traffic) or unsolicited traffic that has been specified as allowed (excepted traffic). A firewall adds a level of protection from malicious users and applications that rely on unsolicited incoming traffic to attack computers. Windows Firewall is a Control Panel feature that is used to set restrictions on what traffic is allowed to enter your network from the Internet. Windows Firewall is included in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP with Service Pack 2, and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1. For more information, see Windows Firewall.

Enable Windows Firewall or another firewall device on each computer.

Enable a virus scanner on each computer.

The threat of virus attacks is ongoing and always changing. You should deploy a virus scanner on each computer in your business or organization, and configure the scanners to scan computers and update virus signatures regularly. A smart card contains a small computer chip that is used to store security keys or other types of personal information. The smart card uses cryptographic technology to store the information. Some businesses or organizations deploy smart card readers on each 14

Deploy smart cards in your business or organization.

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Recommendation Description

laptop and desktop computer and require employees to insert their smart card into the reader before the user can connect to the corporate network. By deploying smart cards in this way, the business or organization adds another physical layer of security to its computing environment by ensuring that every user who connects to its network posses a valid password and a smart card. For more information, see the Smart Card Reference.

See Also
TechNet Security Center

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Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application Object Server
The Application Object Server (AOS) processes client requests for data and performs Microsoft Dynamics AX business logic. If a malicious user gained access to the AOS, that user might gain access to data, including sensitive data, such as financial information and trade secrets. You should deploy the AOS as described in this section to protect data in your business or organization and to reduce the overall attack surface of this core Microsoft Dynamics AX component.

Configure the AOS to use a domain account

When you install the AOS by using Setup, you have the option to configure the service to use a domain account (the default option) or the Network Service account. The Network Service account is less secure than a domain account, if you set up and configure the domain account properly. The problem with the Network Service account is that it is available to other applications that are installed on the same server. Also, the Network Service account is translated into a computer account if the service must communicate with a different server. For example, if you deploy four application object servers that use the Network Service account, and these servers communicate with a separate Microsoft SQL Server, then four different computer accounts will be created in SQL Server. In this situation, you have four accounts where a malicious user could potentially gain access to the AOS or the database. With a domain account, there is only one account to secure, which reduces the attack surface of your computing environment. Work with your domain administrator to create a new account in Active Directory. This account should not be used for any other services or back-office operations. It must be a dedicated account. Also, verify with the domain administrator that this account is configured as follows: The domain user account password is a strong password. The domain user account does not have interactive logon rights. The domain user account can log on as a service. The domain user account is not listed as user or a member of any groups in Microsoft Dynamics AX. The domain user account is not listed as a user or a member of any groups in Windows Users and Groups on the AOS server.

Change the default port that is used by the AOS

When you install Microsoft Dynamics AX, the AOS is configured to listen on port 2712, by default. If you install other AOS services on the same computer, the port number increments up one numeral per service. For example, if you run three AOS services on the same computer and you Security Hardening Guide 16

Microsoft Dynamics AX do not change the default settings, those services would be configured to listen on ports 2712, 2713, and 2714. If a malicious user learned about a vulnerability in Microsoft Dynamics AX and the user knew the default port number, they might attempt to gain access to data by using that port number. You can reduce the attack surface by changing the default port number. You can change the port number by using the Microsoft Dynamics 2009 Server Configuration utility. 1. On the AOS server, click Start > Administrative Tools > Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Server Configuration. 2. Select an instance from the Application Object Server Instance drop-down list. 3. On the Application Object Server tab, enter a new port number in the TCP/IP port field. Note: Choose a port number between 1024 and 65000. You can view a list of ports that are currently being used on the server if you open the services file in a text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad (<system root>\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc). 4. Click OK. 5. Repeat this process, if necessary, for each instance. 6. You must also specify the new port number on each client that connects to the AOS. You can change the port number by using the Microsoft Dynamics 2009 Configuration utility. 7. On a client computer, click Start > Administrative Tools > Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Configuration. 8. In the Configuration target drop-down list, select Local client. 9. Click Manage > Create configuration. 10. Enter a name, and then select Copy from Active configuration. 11. On the Connection tab, select the appropriate instance in the text box, and then click Edit. 12. Enter the new port number, and then click OK. 13. To expedite the process of configuring multiple client computers, you can export this configuration to a file and then import the configuration to all other client computers. For more information, see "Manage a client configuration" in the Microsoft Dynamics 2009 Configuration utility Help.

Isolate a Microsoft Dynamics AX application file share

If you configured your system so that several AOS computers access Microsoft Dynamics AX application files on a central file share, then we recommend that you configure the share as follows to isolate the server while ensuring that other AOS computers can access files on the share. The file share computer must be configured to use the File Server role in Windows Server (Start > Administrative Tools > Manage your server > File Server role). 17

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Microsoft Dynamics AX The shared directory must be configured so that the AOS service account (the domain account or the Network Service account) has Full Control permissions. Use Internet Protocol security (IPsec) to secure communications between the servers. Note: IPsec is described in the next section.

Use Windows features to reduce the attack surface

Microsoft Windows operating systems include security features to help you reduce the attack surface of your computing environment. We recommend that you implement and use the following features on the AOS. Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) IPsec is a feature of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 that helps protect networks from active and passive attacks by using packet filtering, cryptographic security services, and trusted communications. IPsec helps provide defense-in-depth against: Network-based attacks from unknown computers. Denial-of-service attacks. Data corruption. Data theft. User-credential theft.

For more information, see IPsec. Windows Firewall Windows Firewall is a Control Panel feature that is used to set restrictions on what traffic is allowed to enter your network from the Internet. Windows Firewall is included in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP with Service Pack 2, and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1. For more information, see Windows Firewall. The Microsoft Security Configuration Wizard The Microsoft Security Configuration Wizard reduces the attack surface of the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 operating system and the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 operating system by determining the minimum feature-set required for a server's role or roles, and then disabling features that are not required. The Security Configuration Wizard: Disables unneeded services. Blocks unused ports. Allows further address or security restrictions for ports that are left open. 18

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Prohibits unnecessary Internet Information Services (IIS) Web extensions, if applicable. Reduces protocol exposure to server message block (SMB), LanMan, and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Defines a high signal-to-noise audit policy.

To access the Security Configuration Wizard, click Start > Administrative Tools > Security Configuration Wizard. We recommend that you read the Help for this tool before you make changes to your system. For more information about services, ports, and protocols on your Windows operating system, see Service overview and network port requirements for the Windows Server system. Microsoft Security Baseline Analyzer The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer scans your computer to detect unsecure configurations and to identify missing security updates. The analyzer then recommends changes and updates to improve the security of the computer. For more information, see Microsoft Security Baseline Analyzer.

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Reduce the attack surface of the Microsoft Dynamics AX database

If a malicious user gained access to the Microsoft Dynamics AX database, that user might gain access to data, including sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and personal identification numbers. You should deploy the database as described in this section to protect data in your business or organization and reduce the overall attack surface of this core Microsoft Dynamics AX component.

Encrypt sensitive data

We recommend that you implement database encryption, as provided by your database software, to enhance the security of data, including sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and personal identification numbers. If your business or organization processes and stores credit card information, then we recommend that you adhere to the standards set by the PCI Security Standards Council for securing cardholder data. The PCI Data Security Standard requires the following:
Security standard Requirement

Build and Maintain a Secure 1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder Network data. 2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters. Protect Cardholder Data 3. Protect stored cardholder data. 4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks. Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program Implement Strong Access Control Measures 5. Use and regularly update antivirus software. 6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications. 7. Restrict access to cardholder data. 8. Assign a unique ID to each user with computer access. 9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data. Regularly Monitor and Test Networks 10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data. 11. Regularly test security systems and processes. Maintain an Information Security Policy Security Hardening Guide 12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Enabling database encryption directly addresses the needs of requirement three: Protect stored cardholder data. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 includes a new encryption feature called Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). TDE is designed to provide protection for the entire database at rest without affecting existing applications. Implementing encryption in a database traditionally involves complicated application changes, such as modifying table schemas, removing functionality, and significant performance degradations. For example, to use encryption in Microsoft SQL Server 2005, the column data type must be changed to varbinary; ranged and equality searches are not allowed; and the application must call built-ins (or stored procedures or views that automatically use these built-ins) to handle encryption and decryption, all of which slow query performance. These issues are not unique to Microsoft SQL Server 2005; other database management systems face similar limitations. Custom schemes are often used to resolve equality searches and ranged searches often cannot be used at all. Even basic database elements, such as creating an index or using foreign keys often do not work with cell-level or column-level encryption schemes because the use of these features inherently leak information. TDE solves these problems by encrypting everything, including all data types, keys, and indexes. For more information, see Database Encryption in SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition. For information about encryption with Oracle 10, see Oracle Database 10g Security and Identity Management. If your business or organization uses Microsoft SQL 2005, you can address the needs of PCI Data Security Standard requirement three by using Encrypting File System (EFS). EFS is a component of the NTFS file system on Windows operating systems that is used for encrypting files and folders on client computers and remote servers. Any user or application that does not have the appropriate cryptographic key cannot read the encrypted data. With EFS, we recommend that you encrypt the folder where the SQL Server database is stored. If your business or organization creates views in SQL Server, and a view is created for a specific table in the database, such as a credit card number table, you can configure the view to point to a different database file and then enable EFS encryption on that file. For more information, see EFS in Windows Server 2008 or EFS in Windows Server 2003.

Set authorization requirements on database tables by using the Table Permissions Framework
The Table Permissions Framework (TPF) enables administrators to add an additional level of security to tables that store sensitive data. TPF adds table-level security that verifies access rights no matter the origin of the request. For example, consider the following scenario: 1. Contoso Corporation implemented Microsoft Dynamics AX and allows users to access data by using the Microsoft Dynamics AX client, Enterprise Portal, the Application Integration Framework, and a third-party application that connects to Microsoft Dynamics AX by using the .NET Business Connector. 2. The administrator configured a Microsoft Dynamics AX user group called Senior Leadership, and members of this group have access to sensitive data about financial information and trade secrets. One of the database tables that stores this sensitive information is called Security Hardening Guide 21

Microsoft Dynamics AX FinancialResults. This table was added as part of a customization done by a partner after Microsoft Dynamics AX was installed. Note: TPF can be enabled on any table in the Microsoft Dynamics AX database. For the sake of time and efficiency, however, administrators assign TPF to tables that are considered to be sensitive or to be of critical business value. 3. In the Application Object Tree (AOT), the administrator configures the FinancialResults table so that the Application Object Server (AOS) must authorize all operations for that table. The administrator specifies the value CreateReadUpdateDelete for the AOSAuthorizationProperty. 4. Soon thereafter, a malicious user discovers a vulnerability in Contoso's third-party application that connects to Microsoft Dynamics AX by using the .NET Business Connector. The malicious user connects to the database as a member of the CRM_users group and attempts to read the data in the FinancialResults table. 5. Before allowing the read operation, the AOS checks to see if the user is a member of the Senior Leadership user group and if members of the group have permission to read the data. The malicious user is not a member of the Senior Leadership group, so the AOS denies the read operation. To enable TPF, an administrator specifies a value for the AOSAuthorizationProperty on a specific table in the AOT. The AOSAuthorizationProperty authorizes Create, Read, Update, and Delete operations. For some tables, it is important to authorize all operations because the data is sensitive. For other tables, you might find it suitable to specify a subset of operations, such as Create, Update, and Delete. In the case when you have specified a subset, the AOS authorizes the Create, Update, and Delete operations, but allows users to perform View operations if they have access to Microsoft Dynamics AX. Appendix A: Table Permissions Framework Reference lists all tables that are TPF-enabled by default and which operations require authorization. You can change or add TPF for a table, but we recommend that you perform TPF changes in a test environment so that you can study the impact of TPF changes on user groups that access that table. To enable TPF on database table: 1. In the AOT, expand Data Dictionary > Tables. 2. Right-click a table, and then click Properties. 3. Click AOSAuthorizationProperty and select a new value by using the drop-down list. 4. Click Save All.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX If you added TPF to a table, you might need to specify or expand permissions for user groups that access that table. You can view which objects access a table by using the Used-by command in the AOT: 1. In the AOT, expand Data Dictionary > Tables. 2. Right-click a table, and then click Add-ins > Cross-reference > Update. 3. Right-click a table, and then click Add-ins > Cross-reference > Used by. The Used by form is displayed. This form shows all objects that access the selected table and what permissions (the Reference column) are required when accessing the table. You might need to adjust user group permissions if you set tighter restrictions on a table.

Encrypt and restrict database communications

You can further enhance data security by encrypting and restricting database communications by using Internet Protocol security (IPsec). IPsec is a feature of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 that helps protect networks from active and passive attacks by using packet filtering, cryptographic security services, and trusted communications. We recommend that you create an IPsec rule that encrypts communication between the AOS and the database. We also recommend that you create an IPsec rule that restricts communications so that only incoming requests from the AOS are allowed. For more information, see IPsec.

Physically isolate the database server

As a general rule and best practice for maintaining security, you should physically isolate servers, including database servers, in a locked room that requires a passcode or card key to enter. By physically isolating servers, you limit the opportunity for a malicious user to access, damage, or steal the server.

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Microsoft Dynamics AX

Appendix A: Table Permissions Framework Reference

The Table Permissions Framework (TPF) enables administrators to set restrictions on tables that store data, including sensitive data. To enable TPF, an administrator specifies a value for the AOSAuthorizationProperty on a specific table in the Application Object Tree (AOT). The AOSAuthorizationProperty authorizes Create, Read, Update, and Delete operations. When the Application Object Server (AOS) attempts to perform an operation on a table that is TPF enabled, the AOS is required to check Microsoft Dynamics AX user group permissions to verify that members of the group have permission to perform the operation. If members of the group do not have the appropriate permissions, the AOS does not complete the operation. For more information, see "Set authorization requirements on database tables by using the Table Permissions Framework" earlier in this guide.

Tables
This section lists all database tables that are TPF-enabled by default in Microsoft Dynamics AX and the authorization requirements for those tables. Important: These tables store sensitive data. We recommend that you do not adjust these authorization requirements unless told to do so by management. We also recommend that you do not adjust these requirements in a production environment. Test your changes in a test environment so that you can study the impact on user-group permissions and make adjustments as necessary. Application Integration Framework (AIF)
Table name Authorization required for

AifValueSubstitutionComponentConfig AifChannel

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Business Intelligence and Reporting

Table name Authorization required for

BIAnalysisServer BIConfiguration BICurrencyDimension BIExchangeRates BIPerspectives BITimeDimension BIUdmRoles BIUdmTranslations SRSAnalysisEnums SRSEnabledLanguages SRSLanguages SRSModelEntityCache SRSModelFieldCache SRSModelFieldFolderCache SRSModelFieldRoleSortCache SRSModelFolderCache SRSModelForeignKeyCache SRSModelIndexCache SRSModelOptions SRSModelPerspectiveCache SRSModelPerspectiveEntityCache SRSModelPerspectiveFieldCache SRSModelPerspectiveForeignKeyCache SRSModelPerspectiveRoleCache SRSModelRoleCache SRSModelRoleGroupsCache

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

SRSModelSecurityKeyCache SRSServers SRSUpdateOptions SRSUserConfiguration SysSRSTablePermissions

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

Developer and Partner Tools

Table name Authorization required for

SysMapParameters SysClusterConfig SysOccConfiguration UtilElements UtilIdElements

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

Enterprise Portal
Table name Authorization required for

SysUserInfo UserInfo EPStateStore CuesQuery EPCompanyParameters EPDocuParameters EPGlobalParameters EPServerStateCleanupSettings EPStateStoreSettings EPWebSiteParameters SysBCProxyUserAccount

Create, Delete Create, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

SysEncryptionKey SysPerimeterNetworkParams SysSecurityFormControlTable SysSecurityFormTable UserGroupInfo UserGroupList

Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

Expense Management
Table name Authorization required for

TrvCreditCards TrvCashAdvance

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

Financials
Table name Authorization required for

BankAccountTable CreditCardADNSetup CreditCardCust CreditCardCustNumber CreditCardMicrosoftSetup CreditCardProcessorsSecurity CustBankAccount LedgerBalancesDimTrans LedgerBalancesTrans LedgerTrans ShipCarrierCODPackage ShipCarrierPackage ShipCarrierShippingRequest

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

ShipCarrierSQLRoleUser ShipCarrierStaging ShipCarrierTracking VendBankAccount CompanyDomainList

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

GDL
Table name Authorization required for

BankCodaAccountStatement BankCodaAccountStatementLines BankIBSLog_BE BankIBSLogArchive_BE Tax1099IRSPayerRec TaxEvatParameters_NL VendStateTaxID

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

Human Resources (HRM)

Table name Authorization required for

EmplTable HRCComp HRCCompGrid HRCCompLevel HRCCompRefPointSetup HRCCompRefPointSetupLine HRCCompTmpGrid HRMADARequirement HRMCompEligibility

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

HRMCompEligibilityLevel HRMCompEvent HRMCompEventEmpl HRMCompEventLine HRMCompEventLineComposite HRMCompEventLineFixed HRMCompEventLinePointInTime HRMCompFixedAction HRMCompFixedBudget HRMCompFixedEmpl HRMCompFixedPlanTable HRMCompFixedPlanUtilMatrix HRMCompJobFunction HRMCompJobType HRMCompLocation HRMCompOrgPerf HRMCompPayFrequency HRMCompPayrollEntity HRMCompPerfAllocation HRMCompPerfAllocationLine HRMCompPerfPlan HRMCompPerfPlanEmpl HRMCompPerfRating HRMCompProcess HRMCompProcessLine HRMCompProcessLineAction HRMCompSurveyCompany HRMCompVarAwardEmpl Security Hardening Guide

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete 29

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

HRMCompVarEnrollEmpl HRMCompVarEnrollEmplLine HRMCompVarPlanLevel HRMCompVarPlanTable HRMCompVarPlanType HRMCompVesting HRMi9Document HRMi9DocumentList HRMPartyEmployeeRelationship HRMVirtualNetworkAccommodation HRMVirtualNetworkTable KMKnowledgeTable KMKnowledgeTrans

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

Inventory Management
Table name Authorization required for

InventItemSampling InventNonConformanceHistory InventNonConformanceOrigin InventNonConformanceRelation InventNonConformanceTable InventProblemType InventProblemTypeSetup InventQualityOrderLine InventQualityOrderLineResults InventQualityOrderTable InventQualityOrderTableOrigin InventQuarantineZone Security Hardening Guide

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete 30

Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

InventTestArea InventTestAssociationTable InventTestCertOfAnalysisLine InventTestCertOfAnalysisLineResults InventTestCertOfAnalysisTable InventTestCorrection InventTestDiagnosticType InventTestEmplResponsible InventTestGroup InventTestGroupMember InventTestInstrument InventTestItemQualityGroup InventTestMiscCharges InventTestOperation InventTestOperationItems InventTestOperationMiscCharges InventTestOperationTimeSheet InventTestQualityGroup InventTestRelatedOperations InventTestReportSetup InventTestTable InventTestVariable InventTestVariableOutcome WMSReservationCombinationLine WMSReservationCombinationTable WMSReservationSequenceLine WMSReservationSequenceTable SysSignatureSetup Security Hardening Guide

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete 31

Microsoft Dynamics AX Project Accounting

Table name Authorization required for

ProjControlPeriodCostGroup ProjControlPeriodTable ProjControlPeriodTableColumn ProjControlPeriodTrans ProjCostTrans ProjEmplTrans ProjInvoiceCost ProjInvoiceEmpl ProjInvoiceJour ProjInvoiceOnAcc ProjInvoiceRevenue ProjInvoiceTable ProjItemTrans ProjItemTransCost ProjJournalTable ProjJournalTrans ProjOnAccTrans ProjProposalCost ProjProposalEmpl ProjProposalJour ProjProposalOnAcc ProjProposalRevenue ProjRevenueTrans ProjTransPosting SyncProjTransaction

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Server and Tools

Table name Authorization required for

SqlSyncInfo SysRemoveConfig SysRemoveFields SysRemoveLicense SysRemoveTables AccessRightsList DataArea DatabaseLog DomainInfo SqlDictionary SqlParameters SysClientSessions SysExpImpField SysExpImpTable SysRecordLevelSecurity SysRecordTemplateSystemTable SysServerConfig SysServerSessions SysSetupCompanyLog SysSortOrder SystemSequences TableCollectionList TimeZonesList TimeZonesRulesData VirtualDataAreaList SysDataBaseLog

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Update, Delete

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Microsoft Dynamics AX Setup and Upgrade

Table name Authorization required for

BatchGlobal BatchGroup BatchServerConfig BatchServerGroup SysConfig SysSetupLog

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete

Workflow
Table name Authorization required for

ExpressionTable WorkflowConfigurationTable WorkflowConfigurationTableNotes WorkflowElementTable WorkflowMessageText WorkflowStepTable WorkflowSubWorkflowTable SysWorkflowElementTable SysWorkflowFaultTable SysWorkflowInstanceTable SysWorkflowTable WorkflowMessageTable WorkflowTrackingArgumentTable

Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Create, Update, Delete Update, Delete Update, Delete Update, Delete Update, Delete Update, Delete Update, Delete

X++ Development
Table name Authorization required for

xRefNames Security Hardening Guide

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Microsoft Dynamics AX
Table name Authorization required for

xRefPaths xRefReferences xRefTableRelation xRefTmpReferences xRefTypeHierarchy

Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete Create, Read, Update, Delete

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