User Security
In a compliant installation, system access is limited to authorized individuals. ASTRA leverages the Microsoft Windows security system to provide user security:
- Secure login: In order to run ASTRA, users must enter a unique user ID and password. Logins, login attempts, and logouts are all recorded in the system audit trail.
- Setting up user accounts: ASTRA uses Microsoft Windows user accounts and groups for security. System administrators create four security groups specific to ASTRA, then associate existing Microsoft Windows users with these groups. The Microsoft Windows user accounts are then used to log in to ASTRA.
- Networked security: It is possible to set up the ASTRA security groups in the Active Directory, such that network-authenticated accounts can be given ASTRA privileges. One domain-level user account can then be used to log in to any instance of ASTRA on the network.
ASTRA user accounts can have one of four privilege levels:
- Administrator: Administrators have rights to perform all actions, including changing database connections and deleting data.
- Researcher: Researchers can create and run new methods, change instrument configuration settings, and export and import data from the database.
- Technician: Technicians can only run predefined methods set up by a Researcher. Technicians can collect data and perform simple processing, but cannot change any configuration settings.
- Guest: Guests have read-only privileges to view audit trails and data.
