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Onboarding

This article helps you get started with using your new GravityZone product.

To take your first steps in using your GravityZone product, follow the sections below:

First steps

Before you can start using the Bitdefender GravityZone solution, follow these steps:

  1. Check the GravityZone virtual appliance requirements section and then Prerequisites.

  2. Install the GravityZone virtual appliance.

  3. Follow the steps presented in this article to set up GravityZone Control Center, create your account and validate your license keys.

    Note

    You will receive the license key via email after you complete your purchase. For more information on licensing, refer to License management

For additional information about the installation process and specific cases, refer to the Installation section.

Use two-factor authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to GravityZone accounts, by requiring an authentication code in addition to Control Center credentials. 2FA requires downloading and installing the Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or any two-factor TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password Algorithm) authenticator app on a device such as a smartphone or computer. The authentication app generates a six-digit code each 30 seconds. To complete the Control Center login, after entering the password, the user will have to provide also the six-digit authentication code.

When connecting to Control Center using 2FA, follow these steps:

  1. Open your web browser.

  2. Go to the following address: https://gravityzone.bitdefender.com.

  3. Enter the email address of your account and click Next.

    Enter your username and click Next.

  4. Enter the password of your account and click Next.

  5. When connecting for the first time, configure two-factor authentication and enter the required six-digit code. Learn more.

    By default, you must enter the six-digit code from your authentication app every time you log in.

    GZ-login-credentials.PNG

    To skip this step, select the Trust this browser option so that GravityZone does not require the six-digit code for up to 90 days.

    Note

    The Trust this browser option is disabled by default. As an administrator, you can enable it and configure the interval for trusting browsers for all accounts under your company, including yours, in the My Company > Authentication tab. Learn more.

    The Trust this browser option is disabled by default. You can enable and configure the Trust this browser option in the Configuration > Miscellaneous section of Control Center. Learn more.

    To revoke the current device or all devices that skip the six-digit code for your account, refer to this topic. To revoke all devices for other accounts, refer to this topic.

    If you have selected Trust this browser, but GravityZone still requires the six-digit code when you log in again, check the troubleshooting scenarios in this topic.

  6. Agree to Bitdefender Terms of Service and click Continue to log in.

Watch a full video tutorial on the topic here:

Configure two-factor authentication

When connecting for the first time in Control Center and your account has two-factor authentication enforced, you are prompted to enable two-factor authentication in a configuration page, after entering GravityZone credentials. Follow these steps:

  1. Download and install on your device, such as a smartphone or a computer, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or any two-factor TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password Algorithm) authenticator compatible with the standard RFC6238.

    • Learn how to download and install Google Authenticator here.

    • Learn how to download and install Microsoft Authenticator here.

    • Learn how to configure an authenticator on your computer here.

  2. On your device, open the authenticator.

  3. In the Add an account screen, scan the QR code from the GravityZone configuration page, to link the app to your GravityZone account. Alternately, use the secret key displayed under the QE code (copy and paste it if you use a computer).

    gz_cl_op_pt_connecting_to_control_center_enable_2fa.png

    This action is required only once.

    Important

    Make sure to copy and save the secret key in a safe location. Click Print a backup to create a PDF file with the QR code and secret key. If the device used for activating two-factor authentication is lost or replaced, you will need to install Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or any two-factor TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password Algorithm) authenticator - compatible with the standard RFC6238, on a new device and provide the secret key to link it to your GravityZone account.

    If you did not have the secret key, contact your Bitdefender administrator to reset or disable two-factor authentication.

  4. Enter the six-digit code from the authenticator in the Authentication code field.

  5. Click Enable to complete the feature activation and to log in to Control Center.

The initial setup

Configure endpoint protection and deploy the security agent

This section provides you with the steps required to deploy security agents on your endpoints and customize the level of protection provided for each one by setting up custom installation packages.

Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools (BEST) is the security agent that monitors and protects the endpoint, and reports the information to GravityZone.

Depending on your needs and current network setup, BEST may be deployed in multiple ways.

Follow the steps below to create and deploy a package as efficiently as possible. Refer to the Installation page for in-depth customization options.

Important

Before you start the installation check the prerequisites outlined in ???.

To install BEST, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your GravityZone console.

  2. Go to the Installation Packages page, under Network.

  3. Click the Create button at the top of the table.

  4. Fill in the information under the General tab:

    onboarding_package_353917_en.png
  5. Scroll down to the Modules section, and select the modules you want to deploy on your endpoints.

    Note

    You can identify the features you have access to using this feature matrix.

  6. Optional: you can further customize the installation package. Learn more

  7. Scroll down and click the Save button.

  8. Select the newly created package from the list of packages and click Send download links.

    onboarding_send_links_353917_en.png
  9. Enter the email addresses of the users that will be deploying the security agents on your endpoints, and click Send.

  10. On your endpoints, open the link to download the installation package.

    Important

    Do not rename the installation file. It may cause errors.

  11. Run the file.

Configure your policies

The above procedure makes use of the default GravityZone policy, which is automatically applied to an endpoint when the BEST agent is deployed.

Some features need to be activated in the policy that is applied to an endpoint. If they are not, the feature will not be active on the endpoint. To enable a feature, you will need to copy and edit the default policy and apply it to the endpoints where you want the feature deployed.

The following features are enabled by default:

  • Advanced Anti-Exploit

  • Advanced Threat Control

  • Bitdefender EDR

  • Firewall

  • HyperDetect

  • Network Attack Defense

  • eXtended Detection and Response

The following features are not enabled by default:

  • Content Control

  • Device Control

  • Endpoint Risk Analytics

  • Full Disk Encryption

  • Integrity Monitoring

  • Security for Storage

Additionally, the following features require further configuration:

  • Patch Management

  • Security for Exchange

You can find what options need to be configured in a policy for each feature in the Feature specific deployment guides.

Running scans

Important

We recommend you first run a full scan after the installation process.

To run a full scan, follow these steps:

  1. In the left side of the console, click Network.

  2. Select the endpoints you want to scan.

  3. Click task.png Tasks and then Scan.

  4. In the Type category, select Full Scan.

    scan_task_details_c_247139_en.png
  5. Save your changes.

Security monitoring

Once you have finished configuring protection for all your endpoints, you can monitor and keep track of security events and incidents by using the following resources:

Important

The data and endpoints under the sections described below is only available if the security agent has been deployed on your endpoints.

Check endpoint statuses

The Network page provides several features for exploring and managing all endpoints available in your network. It also enables you to run tasks remotely and to generate reports.

You can find a list of your managed endpoints in the network page, organised into folders, companies or networks. Information is displayed for each endpoint including an icon that indicates the status of the endpoint. Refer to Network object types and statuses for a list with all available icon types and statuses.

For detailed status information regarding your endpoints, refer to the Checking the endpoints status section.

Check Reports

Control Center allows you to create and view centralized reports that can be used for multiple purposes, such as:

  • Monitoring and ensuring compliance with the organization's security policies.

  • Checking and assessing network security status.

  • Identifying network security issues, threats and vulnerabilities.

  • Monitoring security incidents and malware activity.

  • Providing upper management with easy-to-interpret data on network security.

Several different report types are available so that you can easily get the information you need. The information is presented as easy-to-read interactive charts and tables, allowing you to quickly check the network security status and identify security issues.

For more information on creating, scheduling, and viewing reports, refer to Reports.

Create portlets

Portlets provide you with security event information from your environment. You can customize the portlets and create your own, specifying the protection mechanism you would like the monitor and the time interval you would like to see in the data.

To create a portlet follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Dashboard page.

  2. Click the Add portlet button on the upper right side of the page.

  3. Select the portlet you wish to create.

    Note

    You can customize the Dashboard page by dragging and dropping a portlet to the position that best suits your needs.

There is a portlet available for each report type provided by the console.

Check Notifications

Notifications keep you up to date with the security status of your environment.

Click the notifications.png Notification icon on the right side of the Control Center to display the Notification area.

To configure notifications, click the configure.png Configure button and select the type of notifications you want to receive. For help with configuration settings, refer to Configuring notification settings.

Troubleshooting and support

If you encounter any difficulties while using GravityZone, refer to the dedicated troubleshooting chapters below:

If you haven't found your answer, you can always check our FAQ page or contact the Bitdefender Enterprise Support.