To ensure continuous, secure connectivity and consistent policy enforcement with GlobalProtect in an enterprise environment that uses user- and machine-based certificate authentication, the approach should:
Distribute root and intermediate CAs via Panorama templates: This ensures that all firewalls managed by Panorama share the same trusted certificate authorities for consistency and security.
Use distinct certificate profiles for user vs. machine certificates: This enables separate handling of user and machine authentication, ensuring that both types of certificates are managed and validated appropriately.
Reference an internal OCSP responder: By integrating OCSP checks, the firewall can validate certificate revocation in real-time, meeting the security requirement while minimizing the overhead and latency associated with traditional CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists).
Automate certificate deployment with Group Policy: This ensures that machine certificates are deployed in a consistent and scalable manner across the enterprise, reducing manual intervention and minimizing user disruption.
This approach supports the requirements for pre-logon, OCSP checks, and minimal user disruption, while maintaining a secure, automated, and consistent authentication process across all firewalls managed via Panorama.