Web Help Desk 12.7.3 release notes
Release date: September 15, 2020
These release notes were last updated on August 16, 2024.
These release notes describe the new features, improvements, and fixed issues in Web Help Desk 12.7.3. They also provide information about upgrades and describe workarounds for known issues.
If you are looking for previous Web Help Desk release notes, see the Previous Version documentation.
If you are looking for a hotfix, see Web Help Desk Hotfixes.
New features and improvements
Web Help Desk 12.7.3 offers new features and improvements compared to previous releases.
Updated cryptographic protocol support
This release supports Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 for improved data protection over a network.
Beginning in this release, TLS 1.0 and 1.1 are disabled by default. If you have FIPS mode enabled in your deployment, re-enable TLS 1.1 in the tomcat server template XML file to support your legacy systems.
See New customer installation and How to upgrade for details on how to install and upgrade a FIPS deployment for this release.
Updated error logging
In previous releases, all system errors were recorded in the helpdesk.log and whd-spring.log files located at <WebHelpDesk>/log. Beginning in this release, all system errors are recorded in the whd.log file located in the log directory.
This logging method allows you to locate and review all system errors in one location. You can enable or disable logging in the Log Settings window located at System > General > Logs.
>> Learn more about error logging
Updated log settings
The Log Settings window includes an updated interface and default log settings. You can set the log settings based on category to track issues in the application. When you restart Web Help Desk, all log settings return to their default values, as shown below.
If your organization requires specific log settings and levels, you can modify the default log settings in the logback configuration file. After you edit the file, your default logging settings persist after you restart Web Help Desk.
>> Learn how to modify the default log settings
Internal improvements
This release fixed a few cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, including CVE-2019-16958. This release also includes additional updates that improve the product stability and functionality.
Changes to system requirements
This release adds support for the following platforms:
- Apache Tomcat 9.0.37
- Oracle OpenJDK 14
This release removes support for the following platforms:
- HEAT LANrev
New customer installation
See the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide. This guide includes checklists to help you prepare and complete your installation.
Beginning with this release, Web Help Desk no longer includes the Network Security Services (NSS) libraries and additional configuration files required to enable Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode in the application. These libraries are located at:
<WebHelpDesk>\bin\nss-x64<WebHelpDesk>\conf\additional\fips-140-2
To install Web Help Desk 12.7.3 with FIPS mode disabled, install version 12.7.3 on the host server. After you complete the installation, you cannot enable FIPS in a future release.
To install Web Help Desk 12.7.3 with FIPS mode enabled, install version 12.7.2 first. After you complete the installation, upgrade to version 12.7.3 with the FIPS configuration files saved from the 12.7.2 release. When the upgrade is completed, enable FIPS mode.
See the Web Help Desk 12.7.3 Installation and Upgrade Guide for details.
How to upgrade
See the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide. This guide includes checklists to help you prepare and complete your upgrades, gotchas, and troubleshooting steps.
If FIPS is not enabled FIPS in your Web Help Desk 12.7.2 deployment, no additional configuration is required during the upgrade procedure. However, you cannot enable FIPS in a future release.
If FIPS is enabled in your Web Help Desk 12.7.2 deployment, copy the following files to another location before you upgrade:
<WebHelpDesk>\bin\nss-x64<WebHelpDesk>\conf\additional\fips-140-2
When you upgrade to Web Help Desk 12.7.3, copy the directories back to their original locations during the upgrade procedure.
To upgrade with FIPS mode disabled, see the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide.
To upgrade with FIPS mode enabled, see the Web Help Desk Administrator Guide.
Install the MySQL JDBC driver
Beginning with Web Help Desk 12.7.1, Oracle Java is replaced with the Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK). This update modifies the directory structure where the MySQL JDBC driver is installed. To prevent errors after the upgrade, install the driver on your host server in the new location to prevent errors in the application after the upgrade.
See Install the MySQL JDBC Driver in the Web Help Desk Administrator Guide for installation instructions.
Upgrade your Apache Tomcat software
The software installer includes Apache Tomcat 9.0.37, which provides enhanced security and is required for this release.
When you upgrade your Web Help Desk software, the upgrade procedure replaces the <WebHelpDesk>\conf\tomcat_web_template.xml file with an updated file that includes the Tomcat 9.0.37 settings.
Before you upgrade, back up your current tomcat_web_template.xml file to an external directory. When the upgrade is completed, add your personal settings to the updated file from your backup file.
Fixed issues
WHD 12.7.3 fixes the following issues.
| Case Number | Description |
|---|---|
|
00412217 00456957 00503671 00503851 00504880 |
Web Help Desk no longer hangs when processing an incoming email. |
|
00462484 00466265 |
BBCode now displays properly in the client interface, notes, and tickets. |
|
00463630 |
A customer survey now includes a valid ticket hyperlink. |
|
00464814 00474655 |
Uploading attachments to tickets using the REST API now works correctly. |
|
00493333 00500312 |
Upgrading Web Help Desk no longer generates an error. |
|
00546155 00549319 |
The Web Help Desk Administrator Console no longer hangs while performing tasks. |
|
00554481 |
Ticket links from an email now work properly when running the Web Help Desk Administrator Console in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). |
|
N/A |
Clients no longer see costs in a ticket when Cost Visible to Admin is deselected in the default client admin permissions. |
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