Location Research Breakthrough Possible @S-Logix pro@slogix.in

Office Address

Social List

Governing Rogue Device Enrollment Attacks Against OpenZiti Zero Trust Networks Through Identity Enrollment and Service-Policy Validation

Description

Modern organizations increasingly use Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to provide application connectivity based on verified identities rather than traditional network location.

A Zero Trust architecture must control not only which users can access applications, but also which devices and identities are permitted to join the protected network.

OpenZiti is an open-source Zero Trust networking platform that uses identities and enrollment mechanisms to establish secure access to services.

If an attacker obtains or misuses a legitimate enrollment mechanism, they may attempt to register a rogue device as a trusted identity. If that unauthorized identity receives excessive service permissions, it may gain access to protected applications.

In this use case, OpenZiti is deployed as the controlled Zero Trust networking platform on Ubuntu Linux inside an isolated VirtualBox laboratory.

A protected internal web application is deployed as the target service. Authorized and unauthorized laboratory identities are used to establish the expected access model.

A controlled Rogue Device Enrollment Attack is simulated using a laboratory enrollment credential. The objective is to determine whether an unauthorized device can enroll into the OpenZiti network and obtain access to a protected service.

OpenZiti identity and service policies are used to control access. OpenZiti Controller logs provide identity and enrollment telemetry, while auditd monitors relevant host activity.

Wazuh is used for centralized security monitoring, and OpenSearch is used for security investigation and event correlation.

After identifying the enrollment weakness, enrollment credentials and identity policies are strengthened. The unauthorized identity is removed or revoked, and the same controlled enrollment scenario is repeated to verify that rogue devices cannot obtain protected-resource access while legitimate identities continue to function.

The complete Zero Trust workflow is: Protected Application → OpenZiti Zero Trust Network → Identity Enrollment → Authorized Device → Service Policy → Controlled Enrollment Credential Exposure → Rogue Device Enrollment → Identity Validation → Access Decision → Security Detection → Identity Revocation → Policy Remediation → Retesting → Zero Trust Validation

Existing Security Problem

Application: OpenZiti

OpenZiti is the real open-source Zero Trust networking platform used in this project.

Existing Problem:

Zero Trust access depends on correctly managed identities. If an enrollment credential is improperly protected or an identity is granted excessive permissions, an unauthorized device may attempt to enroll as a trusted OpenZiti identity.

The security problem is therefore:

Enrollment Credential Exposure → Unauthorized Device → OpenZiti Enrollment → Rogue Identity Created → Excessive Service Permission → Protected Application Access → Zero Trust Boundary Bypass

Attack

Specific Attack: Rogue Device Enrollment

The controlled attack scenario evaluates whether an unauthorized laboratory device can use a compromised or improperly protected enrollment mechanism to obtain an OpenZiti identity.

Attack Behavior:
OpenZiti Zero Trust Network
→
Legitimate Enrollment Mechanism
→
Controlled Enrollment Credential Exposure
→
Unauthorized Laboratory Device
→
Rogue Device Enrollment Attempt
→
OpenZiti Identity Creation
→
Service Policy Evaluation
→
Protected Application Access
→
Security Monitoring
→
Identity Revocation
→
Policy Remediation
→
Retesting
→
Rogue Enrollment Prevented

Security Concept

Zero Trust Identity Enrollment and Continuous Authorization:

The primary Zero Trust security concept is Identity-Centric Access Control with Continuous Authorization.

A device should not become trusted merely because it successfully connects to the Zero Trust network. Instead, the enrollment and access process should follow: Device → Enrollment Request → Identity Verification → Identity Authorization → Service Policy Evaluation → Access Decision → Protected Resource. The objective is to ensure that obtaining an enrollment mechanism does not automatically provide unrestricted access to protected applications.

The secure processing flow is:

Device
→
Enrollment Request
→
Identity Verification
→
Identity Authorization
→
Service Policy Evaluation
→
Access Decision
→
Protected Resource

Defensive Mechanism

Controlled Identity Enrollment

OpenZiti identities are created and enrolled through an authorized enrollment process.

Purpose

Ensure that only approved devices become Zero Trust identities.

Enrollment Credential Protection

Enrollment credentials are securely managed and restricted.

Purpose

Reduce the risk of unauthorized identity enrollment.

Identity Lifecycle Management

OpenZiti identities are reviewed, approved, revoked, and removed according to their lifecycle state.

Purpose

Prevent stale or unauthorized identities from remaining active.

Least-Privilege Service Policies

Identities receive access only to services required for their legitimate purpose.

Purpose

Reduce the impact of a compromised identity.

Service-Level Authorization

Access to protected applications is evaluated using OpenZiti service policies.

Purpose

Prevent network membership from automatically granting application access.

Identity Revocation

Unauthorized or compromised identities are revoked.

Purpose

Immediately remove unauthorized device access.

Enrollment Activity Monitoring

Identity enrollment activity is monitored.

Purpose

Detect unexpected or suspicious identity creation.

Host Activity Monitoring

Linux audit telemetry is collected from the OpenZiti environment.

Purpose

Provide visibility into identity-management and system activity.

Centralized Security Monitoring

Wazuh collects relevant security events.

Purpose

Provide centralized detection and monitoring.

Security Investigation

OpenSearch correlates enrollment, identity, and host events.

Purpose

Establish the sequence and impact of suspicious enrollment activity.

Post-Remediation Validation

The rogue enrollment scenario is repeated after remediation.

Purpose

Verify that unauthorized identities cannot obtain protected-resource access.

Security Tools

Target Zero Trust Platform: OpenZiti

OpenZiti is the primary Zero Trust networking platform.

Purpose
  • Create Zero Trust identities.
  • Manage enrollment.
  • Provide secure application connectivity.
  • Define service policies.
  • Control identity-based access.

Identity Management Tool: OpenZiti CLI

The OpenZiti CLI is used to manage laboratory identities and enrollment operations.

Purpose
  • Create controlled identities.
  • Manage enrollment credentials.
  • Inspect identity status.
  • Perform authorized enrollment.
  • Revoke laboratory identities.

Linux Audit Tool: auditd

auditd monitors relevant Linux security activity.

Purpose
  • Monitor identity-related files.
  • Record privileged system activity.
  • Monitor configuration changes.
  • Provide host-level audit evidence.

Security Monitoring Tool: Wazuh

Wazuh provides centralized security monitoring.

Purpose
  • Collect OpenZiti-related logs.
  • Collect auditd events.
  • Monitor identity activity.
  • Generate security alerts.
  • Support continuous security monitoring.

Security Investigation Platform: OpenSearch

OpenSearch provides centralized security investigation.

Purpose
  • Search enrollment events.
  • Correlate identity activity.
  • Review timestamps.
  • Investigate rogue-device activity.
  • Establish an incident timeline.

Protected Application: Internal Web Application

A controlled internal web application is deployed as the protected resource.

Purpose
  • Represent a sensitive internal application.
  • Provide a Zero Trust-protected service.
  • Validate authorized and unauthorized identity access.

Target Platform: Ubuntu Linux

Ubuntu hosts the OpenZiti environment and protected application.

Purpose
  • Run OpenZiti components.
  • Host the protected application.
  • Generate system telemetry.
  • Support security monitoring.

Security Testing Platform: Kali Linux

Kali Linux provides the controlled rogue-device environment.

Purpose
  • Perform controlled enrollment testing.
  • Use the designated laboratory enrollment credential.
  • Validate identity restrictions.
  • Test post-remediation access.

Virtualization Platform: VirtualBox

VirtualBox provides the isolated Zero Trust laboratory.

Purpose
  • Host Ubuntu.
  • Host Kali Linux.
  • Provide isolated networking.
  • Maintain a reproducible identity-enrollment environment.

Process

STEP 01

Step 1: Prepare the Isolated Zero Trust Laboratory

  • Install VirtualBox.
  • Create an Ubuntu virtual machine.
  • Create a Kali Linux virtual machine.
  • Configure an isolated virtual network.
  • Assign laboratory IP addresses.
  • Verify communication between the virtual machines.
  • Ensure the environment is isolated from production systems.
Tools: VirtualBox + Ubuntu + Kali Linux
STEP 02

Step 2: Deploy OpenZiti

  • Install OpenZiti on Ubuntu.
  • Start the required OpenZiti controller components.
  • Verify that the controller is operational.
  • Configure the laboratory Zero Trust environment.
  • Verify access to the management interface.
  • Record the initial configuration.
Tools: OpenZiti
STEP 03

Step 3: Deploy the Protected Application

  • Deploy a controlled internal web application.
  • Configure it as a protected OpenZiti service.
  • Verify that the application is operational.
  • Record the application endpoint.
  • Confirm that direct external access is restricted.
Tools: Ubuntu + OpenZiti
STEP 04

Step 4: Create the Authorized Identity

  • Create a legitimate OpenZiti identity for the authorized laboratory device.
  • Generate the required enrollment mechanism.
  • Complete the authorized enrollment process.
  • Verify that the identity becomes active.
  • Record the identity and enrollment state.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 05

Step 5: Configure Service Authorization

  • Define the protected application as an OpenZiti service.
  • Create the required service policies.
  • Allow the authorized identity to access the protected application.
  • Deny unnecessary identities.
  • Verify legitimate access.
  • Record the authorization baseline.
Tools: OpenZiti
STEP 06

Step 6: Establish the Secure Identity Baseline

  • Review active OpenZiti identities.
  • Review authorized devices.
  • Review enrollment status.
  • Review service policies.
  • Verify authorized application access.
  • Confirm that unauthorized identities are not permitted.
  • Preserve the baseline configuration.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 07

Step 7: Configure Linux Audit Monitoring

  • Install auditd on Ubuntu.
  • Configure relevant audit rules for OpenZiti configuration and identity-management activity.
  • Generate normal administrative activity.
  • Verify that audit events are recorded.
  • Establish the host-level security baseline.
Tools: auditd
STEP 08

Step 8: Configure Centralized Security Monitoring

  • Configure Wazuh to collect OpenZiti and auditd telemetry.
  • Monitor identity-management activity.
  • Monitor enrollment-related events.
  • Verify that security telemetry reaches Wazuh.
  • Establish the normal monitoring baseline.
Tools: Wazuh
STEP 09

Step 9: Establish Normal Authorized Access

  • Use the legitimate enrolled laboratory device.
  • Access the protected internal application.
  • Generate normal application traffic.
  • Review the OpenZiti identity state.
  • Review Wazuh security events.
  • Confirm legitimate access remains functional.
Tools: OpenZiti + Wazuh
STEP 10

Step 10: Create the Controlled Enrollment-Credential Exposure

  • Use a designated laboratory enrollment credential for the security test.
  • Make the credential available only to the controlled testing environment.
  • Record the expected authorized enrollment state.
  • Do not use real organizational enrollment credentials.
  • Maintain the simulation entirely within the laboratory.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 11

Step 11: Perform the Controlled Rogue Device Enrollment Attempt

  • Using Kali Linux as the unauthorized laboratory device:
  • Attempt to use the designated laboratory enrollment mechanism.
  • Perform the controlled enrollment process.
  • Observe whether a new OpenZiti identity is created.
  • Record the enrollment result.
  • Preserve the laboratory evidence.
Tools: Kali Linux + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 12

Step 12: Validate Rogue Identity Creation

  • Review the OpenZiti identity list.
  • Identify the newly created laboratory identity.
  • Review its enrollment state.
  • Determine whether the identity received service permissions.
  • Compare the result with the intended identity policy.
  • Record the security finding.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 13

Step 13: Test Protected-Resource Access

  • Use the newly enrolled laboratory identity.
  • Attempt to access the protected internal application.
  • Observe the OpenZiti service-policy decision.
  • Determine whether the rogue identity can reach the protected application.
  • Record the result.
Tools: Kali Linux + OpenZiti
STEP 14

Step 14: Detect the Rogue Enrollment Activity

  • Review Wazuh events.
  • Identify the identity-enrollment activity.
  • Review timestamps.
  • Identify relevant OpenZiti activity.
  • Review auditd events associated with the enrollment.
  • Determine whether the activity represents a rogue-device enrollment event.
  • Preserve the detection evidence.
Tools: Wazuh + auditd
STEP 15

Step 15: Investigate the Security Event

  • Open relevant Wazuh events in OpenSearch.
  • Review the enrollment event.
  • Review the identity information.
  • Review the affected protected service.
  • Correlate OpenZiti and auditd timestamps.
  • Establish the sequence of events.
  • Document the incident timeline.
Tools: Wazuh + OpenSearch
STEP 16

Step 16: Remediate the Enrollment Weakness

  • Revoke the unauthorized laboratory identity.
  • Remove unnecessary service permissions.
  • Restrict enrollment mechanisms to the intended lifecycle.
  • Protect enrollment credentials.
  • Review identity-management procedures.
  • Apply least-privilege service policies.
  • Verify the corrected OpenZiti configuration.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 17

Step 17: Retest Rogue and Authorized Device Access

  • Rogue Device Retest:
  • Use the same controlled Kali Linux device.
  • Repeat the enrollment attempt.
  • Verify that unauthorized enrollment is prevented or the resulting identity cannot access protected services.
  • Confirm that the previously revoked identity remains inactive.
  • Authorized Device Retest:
  • Use the legitimate enrolled laboratory device.
  • Access the protected application.
  • Verify successful access.
  • Confirm that legitimate Zero Trust connectivity remains operational.
Tools: Kali Linux + OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI
STEP 18

Step 18: Perform Final Zero Trust Security Validation

  • Review the original rogue-device enrollment evidence.
  • Review OpenZiti identity records.
  • Review enrollment status.
  • Review service policies.
  • Review auditd events.
  • Review Wazuh alerts.
  • Review OpenSearch investigation results.
  • Compare the original and remediated identity-access behavior.
  • Confirm unauthorized identities cannot obtain protected-resource access.
  • Confirm legitimate identities continue to function normally.
  • Document the final Zero Trust Security assessment.
Tools: OpenZiti + OpenZiti CLI + auditd + Wazuh + OpenSearch + Kali Linux

Outcome

  1. A real OpenZiti Zero Trust networking environment is successfully deployed on Ubuntu, providing a practical open-source platform for identity-centric Zero Trust security.
  2. An internal web application is successfully protected using OpenZiti service policies, establishing a controlled protected-resource environment.
  3. Authorized laboratory identities are successfully enrolled and assigned controlled service access, establishing the legitimate identity baseline.
  4. A controlled Rogue Device Enrollment Attack is successfully reproduced, demonstrating the security risk associated with unauthorized identity enrollment.
  5. OpenZiti identity and service policies provide identity-based access control, allowing legitimate devices to access approved applications while restricting unauthorized identities.
  6. auditd records relevant Linux identity-management and configuration activity, providing host-level evidence for security investigation.
  7. Wazuh and OpenSearch provide centralized monitoring, alerting, correlation, and investigation of the controlled rogue-enrollment activity.
  8. The unauthorized laboratory identity is revoked and enrollment/access controls are strengthened, reducing the possibility of unauthorized devices obtaining protected-resource access.
  9. Post-remediation testing confirms that the rogue device cannot obtain or retain unauthorized access while the legitimate device continues to access the protected application, validating the Zero Trust identity controls.
  10. The complete Zero Trust identity enrollment, Rogue Device Enrollment Attack assessment, identity validation, service-policy enforcement, security monitoring, investigation, identity revocation, access-policy remediation, and post-remediation validation workflow is successfully demonstrated.
← Previous Project
Project 2 of 7
Next Project →