Configuring a VxWorks 7 System With Secure User Authentication

Introduction

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VxWorks, developed by Wind River, is a real-time operating system (RTOS) that supports secure user authentication. This guide outlines the configuration steps required to enable secure user login for a VxWorks 7 target. Once properly configured, users must authenticate with valid credentials before accessing the VxWorks kernel shell.

Prerequisites

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This procedure assumes the following environment:

• Wind River VxWorks 7 (SR0620)
• Host system: Windows workstation

Reference Documentation

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For more detailed information, refer to the VxWorks 7 Security Programmer’s Guide provided by Wind River.

Creating and Building the VxWorks Source Build (VSB) Project

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Begin by launching a command shell and setting up the build environment:

cd <WIND_HOME>  // Navigate to your Wind River installation directory
wrenv -p vxworks-7
cd <YOUR_WORKSPACE>  // Navigate to your VxWorks workspace

vxprj vsb create users_vsb -bsp vxsim_windows -smp -force -S
cd users_vsb

// Add required user management components
vxprj vsb add USER_MANAGEMENT
vxprj vsb add USER_MANAGEMENT_POLICY
vxprj vsb add USER_MANAGEMENT_USER_PRIVILEGES

make -j 32  // Build the VSB

Creating and Building the VxWorks Image Project (VIP)

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To create and configure the VIP, follow these steps:

cd ..
vxprj create -smp vxsim_windows users_vip -profile PROFILE_DEVELOPMENT -vsb users_vsb
cd users_vip

// Add required components to the VIP
vxprj vip bundle add BUNDLE_STANDALONE_SHELL
vxprj vip component add INCLUDE_USER_DATABASE
vxprj vip component add INCLUDE_SHELL_SECURITY
vxprj vip component add INCLUDE_LOGIN_POLICY

// Set relevant parameters
vxprj parameter set UDB_STORAGE_PATH "\"host:vxUserDB.txt\""
vxprj parameter set UDB_PROMPT_INITIAL_USER TRUE
vxprj parameter set meta_UDB_HASH_KEY "\"\x48\x61\""  // Replace with your own unique hash key

vxprj build

Important: Rename meta_UDB_HASH_KEY to UDB_HASH_KEY and ensure that a unique key (preferably 256 bytes) is used for database encryption. This secures the integrity and confidentiality of the user credentials file.

Booting VxWorks on the Target

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Once the build is complete, boot the target using:

cd default
vxsim

Upon successful boot, the VxWorks kernel shell will be available.

Initial User Creation

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The system will prompt you to create an initial user upon first boot:

** Creation of initial user **
Initial user's login:

After providing and confirming the password, you’ll be asked to authenticate using the newly created credentials:

login:

From this point forward, access to the kernel shell will require valid login credentials.

Logging In and Creating Additional Users

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Authenticate using the initial user account, then proceed to create a second user from the kernel shell:

-> userAdd "harmonicss", "harmonicss"
value = 0 = 0x0
-> logout
login:

You now have two distinct user accounts. The user database (vxUserDB.txt) is located in the VIP’s default directory (users_vip\default\vxUserDB.txt) and is referenced during login authentication. VxWorks supports user and group management, login time monitoring, and account maintenance. For further functionality, consult the VxWorks Security Programmer’s Guide.

Optional: Mitigating a Potential Security Risk

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Be aware that if the vxUserDB.txt file is deleted, the system will revert to prompting for the creation of a new initial user upon boot—introducing a potential security vulnerability. To safeguard against this:

• Store the user database on a secure, encrypted local file system partition
• Restrict access to prevent unauthorized modifications

This is particularly critical for secure deployments that utilize the standard VxWorks kernel shell.

Optional: Defining User-Specific Privileges

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VxWorks provides granular control over shell-level permissions via user privilege configurations. To enable this feature:

cd ..
vxprj vip component add INCLUDE_USER_PRIVILEGES
vxprj vip parameter set PRIVILEGE_MANIFEST_PATH "\"host:\privilege_manifest\prvlgManifest.txt\""

Edit the privilege manifest file as directed in its comments to define allowed operations per user. After editing, rebuild the VIP and reboot the target.

Note: By default, users have no privileges assigned. Unless explicitly configured in the privilege manifest, all shell operations will return a privilege error—even if login succeeds.