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Re-enable unauthorized users to create tickets using a URL

Learn more about page settings In Web Help Desk releases prior to version 12.5, the createTicket endpoint allowed non-authorized users to create tickets using a URL. Beginning in version 12.5, this URL is blocked from user access. This article describes how to re-enable this feature.

First published date

11/8/2018 2:40 PM

Last published date

11/8/2018 2:40 PM

Overview

In Web Help Desk releases prior to version 12.5, the createTicket endpoint allowed non-authorized users to create tickets using the following URL: 
http://<whd_ip>:port//helpdesk/WebObjects/Helpdesk.woa/wa/createTicket?login=fakeclient&subject=test&detail=test&problem_id=1&priority_id=1
 

This URL allowed a non-authorized user to create multiple Web Help Desk tickets using any user name as a log in attribute in the API call. This occurs even if the Client Login Attribute setting at Setup > Clients > Options is set to E-Mail. 

Beginning in version 12.5, this URL is blocked from user access.

The REST API provides the proper method to create a ticket that verifies user credentials and all required fields. The Web Help Desk API Guide provides information on how to create a ticket using the REST API.

If the customer upgrades to version 12.5 and insists on using the URL above to create Web Help Desk tickets, use the appropriate procedure in this article to re-enable this option. 

Product section

Web Help Desk

Resolution

Use the appropriate procedure below to update your Web Help Desk system.

Update Web Help Desk on a Linux system 

  1. Log in to the Web Help Desk server as an administrator.
  2. Stop the Web Help Desk service.
    • Open a terminal window
    • Type  
      ./whd stop
       

      The service is stopped.

  3. Open the /conf directory.
  4. In the /conf directory, back up the current whd.conf file to a separate location.
  5. In the /conf directory open the whd.conf file in a text editor (such as Vim or Gedit).
  6. In the file, locate the following string: 
    JAVA_OPTS = “-Darg1=true –Darg2=true
    
 
  7. Create a new line under this string and add the following string: 
    JAVA_OPTS=”-DWHDAuthorisationlessTicketCreationEndpoint=true’
    
 
  8. Save the file.
  9. Restart the Web Help Desk service.
    • Open a terminal window
    • Type  
      ./whd start
       

      The service is started.

      Non-authorized users can now create new tickets using the URL listed in this article. 

Update Web Help Desk on a Microsoft® Windows® system 

  1. Log in to the Web Help Desk server as an administrator.
  2. Stop the Web Help Desk service.
    • Open the <WebHelpDesk> directory where <WebHelpDesk> is your Web Help Desk home directory.
    • Double-click whd_stop.bat.

      The service is stopped.

  3. Navigate to the /bin/wrapper/conf directory.
  4. In the /conf directory, back up the current wrapper_template.conf file to a separate location.
  5. In the /conf directory open the wrapper_template.conf file in a text editor (such as Notepad).
  6. In the file, locate the following string: 
    wrapper.java.additional.17=-DWHDWebObjectsMonitorDeployment=false
    
 
  7. Create a new line under this string and add the following string: 
    wrapper.java.additional.XX=-DWHDAuthorisationlessTicketCreationEndpoint=true
    
 

    where XX equals the next incremented number in this section.

  8. Save the file.
  9. Restart the Web Help Desk service.
    • Open the <WebHelpDesk> directory.
    • Double-click whd_start.bat.

      The service is started.

      Non-authorized users can now create new tickets using the URL listed in this article.