Resolve issue with Authentication Required dialog box during recording and playback in WPM

4/18/2019 8:30 PM

4/18/2019 8:30 PM

This article describes how to resolve an issue that occurs when an Authentication Request dialog box appears while creating a recording or playing back a WPM transaction that involves a website.

Web Performance Monitor

• The SEUM-User running the WPM Recorder or WPM Worker process cannot access the website.
• This can occur if the Internet Properties for a browser are configured to prompt for user names and passwords and/or the website URL is not in the list of trusted sites.

To learn more about SEUM-User accounts in WPM, see WPM documentation .

There are several ways to resolve this issue:

• Adjust domain permissions
• Add the website as a trusted site for domain accounts
• Create a Chromium whitelist 
• Use a Group Policy Object (GPO) to extend permissions for domain accounts

Adjust permissions for the domain user and domain account 

To prevent the Authentication Request dialog box from appearing, grant sufficient permissions for:

• The domain users utilized by the WPM Recorder to capture steps that involve the problematic website.
• The domain accounts used by the WPM Player to playback a recording that includes steps recorded against the website.

Add the website as a trusted site for related domain accounts 

One way to avoid the Authentication Required dialog box is to add the website that requires authentication as a trusted site for the domain accounts used by WPM for transactions.  
For each domain account, perform these steps: 

1. Open a remote desktop (RDP) session for the domain account.
2. Use the [Windows logo key + R] keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type inetcpl.cpl and click OK to open the Internet Properties dialog box. 
4. Switch to the Security tab and click Local Intranet > Sites > Advanced.
5. In the Local intranet dialog box, type the website URL and click Add. 
6. Click Close > OK > OK to close the dialog box.
7. Navigate to the website you added to verify the updated configuration.

Create a Chromium whitelist 

Instead of adding trusted sites for each domain account, you can create a Chromium whitelist that includes legitimate sites (© 2019 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Int'l., available at http://www.chromium.org, obtained on January 9, 2019).

SolarWinds strongly recommends that you back up your registry before making any edits to your system registry. You should only edit the registry if you are experienced and confident in doing so. Using a registry editor incorrectly can cause serious issues with your operating system, which could require you to reinstall your operating system to correct them. SolarWinds cannot guarantee resolutions to any damage resulting from making registry edits.

To create a Chromium whitelist:

1. On machines that host the WPM Recorder and WPM Player, add this key to the Windows Registry:

   HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\AuthServerWhitelist

2. Append the registry key with the website URL, as shown in this example:
   HKLM\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\AuthServerWhitelist="www.google.com"

Use a GPO to extend permissions for domain accounts 

You can also use a GPO to provide permission for domain accounts used by WPM so they don't require extra authentication to access websites.

To extend permissions for domain accounts with a GPO:

• Open GPMC on your Domain Controller.
• Create a GPO or use an existing GPO linked to the Organizational Unit (OU) that contains the domain accounts used in WPM.
• Under User Configuration, expand Policies > Windows settings > Internet Explorer Maintenance > Security.
• Double-click Security Zones and Content Ratings, then chose Import the current security zones and privacy settings.
• Click Continue, and then click Modify Settings.
• In the Internet Properties dialog box, switch to the Security tab and click Local intranet, click Sites, and add the websites you want domain accounts to be able to access.