IIS - Unchecking "Allow unlisted file name extensions"

Products

• SUPPORT AUTOMATION- SERVER
• CA Service Desk Manager - Unified Self Service
• CA Service Desk Manager
• CA Service Management - Asset Portfolio Management
• CA Service Management - Service Desk Manager

Issue/Introduction

While Service Desk Manager uses Tomcat as its' default webengine, IIS can also be configured to handle most webengine functionality. If your organization's security regulations require that the "Allow unlisted file name extensions" option in IIS be disabled, additional configuration of IIS is required for Service Desk Manager to function. This document provides a list of the extensions normally used in day-to-day operation of Service Desk Manager through the IIS webengine, all of which should be whitelisted within IIS.

Environment

This information is applicable to Service Desk Manager environments where IIS has been configured for use as a webengine, and where security regulations require that the "Allow unlisted file name extensions" option be disabled.

Resolution

The following file extensions should be whitelisted before unchecking the "Allow unlisted file name extensions" checkbox. An explanation for each item has been provided.

• .css - Cascading Style Sheets, used to format the webpages of the web interface.
• .exe - Executable, used for many of the core Service Desk Manager processes like pdmweb.exe.
• .gif - Image format used on webpages.
• .htm - The webpage itself.
• .html - The webpage itself.
• .htmpl - CA variant of HTML, used for web forms.
• .jar - Java container, used for some Service Desk Manager functionality.
• .jpg - Image format used on webpages.
• .js - Javascript file, used for some Service Desk Manager functionality.
• .png - Image format used on webpages.
• .woff - Font file, used primarily in Service Desk Manager 17.0 and newer.

If you have added customized forms or mod files within your site/mods directory that call for specific files of types other than those listed above, you may need to add the extension of those files as well.