Web Help Desk 12.7.5 release notes

Release date: May 13, 2021

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 12.7.5. 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. This release includes all hotfixes from the previous version.

New features and improvements

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Web Help Desk12.7.5 offers new security enhancements and feature improvements compared to previous releases.

New FIPS cryptography with TLS 1.2 support

This release implements an updated FIPS-approved cryptography that supports Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2. This implementation provides enhanced end-to-end data security over a computer network.

>> Learn more about enabling FIPS 140-2 compliant cryptography

New default administrator account setup

When you install Web Help Desk for the first time, you are now prompted to enter the credentials for your default administrator, including a new user name and password. This process prevents an unauthorized user from accessing the application using a default set of credentials.

Enhanced PostgreSQL database setup

When you install Web Help Desk with the embedded PostgreSQL database, a message now displays in the administrator console that prompts you to change your default database credentials.

To change your credentials, you can use pgAdmin3 to create a new database login role and transfer the database ownership to your new role. This process secures your database by preventing unauthorized access to the default database credentials. After you create a new database login role and restart the application, the message no longer displays in the console.

You can revert back to your original settings at any time.

pgAdmin3 is a management tool for PostgreSQL, and is included with your Web Help Desk installation. This tool is a database interface and is not the database program.

>> Learn more about changing the default PostgreSQL database credentials

Content Security Policy headers

This release implements content security policy headers to further harden the application.

Updated Open Java Development Kit

This release includes Open Java Development Kit 15.0.2 (OpenJDK 15.0.2). OpenJDK is an open source implementation of the Oracle Java platform.

Updated Apache Tomcat

This release includes Apache Tomcat 9.0.43. Tomcat is an open source software product that creates both a web and application server for your enterprise.

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New customer installation

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See the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide for details about installing Web Help Desk. After you complete the installation, see the Web Help Desk Getting Started Guide. This guide picks up right after the installation process and walks you through the initial steps you need to start using the application.

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 12.7.5 with FIPS mode disabled, install version 12.7.5 on the host server. When the installation is completed, enable FIPS mode.

To install Web Help Desk 12.7.5 with FIPS mode enabled, install version 12.7.2 first. After you complete the installation, upgrade to version 12.7.5 with the FIPS configuration files saved from the 12.7.2 release. When the upgrade is completed, enable FIPS mode.

SQL Server database collation requirements

If you plan to use a Microsoft SQL Server database for your deployment, verify that the server collation in your database is set to case insensitive before you run the installer. If it is set to case sensitive, create a new case insensitive database using SQL Server Management Studio.

See Prepare your Web Help Desk database in the Web Help Desk Administrator Guide for details.

How to upgrade

If you are upgrading from a previous version, see the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide. This guide provides steps and procedures for installing and upgrading Web Help Desk in an evaluation, stand-alone, or integrated Orion deployment.

If FIPS is not enabled in your Web Help Desk 12.7.2, 12.7.3, or 12.7.4 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, 12.7.3, or 12.7.4 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 12.7.5, copy the directories back to their original locations during the upgrade procedure.

See Upgrade to the latest Web Help Desk version in the Web Help Desk Installation and Upgrade Guide for details.

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 9.0.43, 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 9.0.43 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.

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Fixed issues

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Web Help Desk 12.7.5 fixes the following issues.

Case Number	Description
N/A	Inactive techs and clients can no longer create and update tickets through email.
00545110 00561490 00594884	Content Security Policy headers were added for further application hardening.
00454443	All departments listed at Setup > Companies & Locations > Departments now display in alphabetical order.
00464855	Configuring the SolarWinds integration connection to an Orion server no longer generates a network communications error.
00635204	The priority type now adjusts to the correct value when you change the request type in a ticket.
00614147	All room options selected from the Client interface now display in alphabetical order.
00603637 00715198 00720592	Apache Tomcat is updated to the latest minor version.
00616147 00745871	The Graphics Environment, Endorsed Jars, and Extension Dirs values now display in the Web Help Desk Administrator Console at Setup > General > System Information.
00614156	The Department, Location, and Room fields in the Client interface now include readable text.
00610533	Importing assets using a TSV file no longer creates duplicate assets in the application.
00645322 00720761	Bulk action now updates the Asset Custom field when you add five or more assets.
00655215	The page preview at Setup > General > Look feel now displays correctly.
00599835 00658591 00690700 00711288 00763364	The Client interface performance is no longer degraded when you add long hyperlinks in the notes and request details.
00643732	Creating or editing an integrated connection with the Orion server no longer generates an error or prevents you from editing the connection.
00657436	You can now enter a user name in the Client and Tech interfaces using up to 255 characters.
00715198 00720592 00776880	Web Help Desk now supports Apache Tomcat 9.0.43.
00702782	An error message no longer displays when you retrieve new email tickets from an Office 365 email account.
00717260	Adding notes or comments to a ticket no longer overrides the ticket status assigned by an approval process.
00716853	Ticket email history now displays an email recipient using the correct character coding.
00722475	An error no longer displays when clients change their password in the Client interface.
00755026 00763626	All request types display in ascending order when performing an advanced ticket search.

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Legal notices

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