TPRM and the Explicit Roles plugin

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of TPRM and the Explicit Roles plugin

    Activating the Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) plugin also installs the Explicit Roles plugin, enhancing role management for internal and external users within ServiceNow. Administrators are responsible for assigning thesncinternalandsncexternalroles to control access to the instance and its resources.

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    Key Features

    • Automatic Role Assignment: Third-party contacts receive the sncexternal role upon creation, ensuring access to the Third-party portal.
    • Role-Based Access Control: Various tables utilize the Roles field to determine access. If the field is empty, all users can access the record.
    • Role Updates: Upon installation, the Explicit Roles plugin updates the Roles field in existing items (e.g., Service Catalog items) to sncinternal, limiting access to only those users with this role.

    Key Outcomes

    Post-installation, all existing users are granted the sncinternal role, allowing them access to previously unrestricted items. New users must be explicitly assigned the sncinternal role to access these items. The Explicit Roles plugin affects multiple tables, ensuring that access control is consistent across various components in the ServiceNow environment. This includes:

    • Access Control [syssecurityacl]: Assigns sncinternal role to all ACLs without a requirement.
    • Catalog Items [sccatitem]: Updates empty Roles fields to include sncinternal.
    • Portal Pages, Reports, and other components also receive similar updates, enforcing role-based access.

    This ensures that access is strictly managed, enhancing security and compliance within your ServiceNow instance.

    Activating the Third-party Risk Management plugin also installs the Explicit Roles plugin. Administrators assign the snc_internal and snc_external roles to provide internal and external users access to the instance.

    When third-party contacts are created, they are automatically assigned the snc_external role, giving them access to resources related to the Third-party portal.

    Various tables provide role-based access to record by setting the Roles field. If the Roles field is empty, all users have access to that record. For example, if the Roles field for a Service Catalog item has an empty Roles field, all users have access to that Service Catalog item.

    However, when the Explicit Roles plugin is installed, the Roles field is updated to snc_internal. Also, all users are given the snc_internal role. Continuing with the previous example:
    • Before installing the Explicit Roles plugin, if a Service Catalog item had an empty Roles field, it was accessible to every user.
    • After installing the Explicit roles plugin, the Roles field of the Service Catalog item is updated to snc_internal and all existing users are given the snc_internal role, making the catalog item accessible to those users.
    • After that, all new users must be assigned the snc_internal role, or they will not have access to that Service Catalog item.

    The following table describes the changes to tables affected by the Explicit Roles plugin.

    Table 1. Tables affected by the Explicit Roles plugin
    Table Changes
    Access Control

    [sys_security_acl]

    		 For all existing and newly created ACLs without a role requirement, the snc_internal role is assigned.
    Catalog item

    [sc_cat_item]

    		 For all records where the Roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. If the glide.sc.use_user_criteria property is set to false, newly created catalog items are automatically assigned the snc_internal role. If the property is set to true, the SNC External user criteria is added to all newly created catalog items, excluding external users from viewing the record.
    Page

    [content_page]

    		 For sites that have a login page, where the Read roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. For sites that have no login page or that have automatically created content pages, the public role is added.
    Navigation Menu [sys_app_application] For all records where the Roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. Newly created navigation menus with an empty Roles field are also automatically assigned the snc_internal role.
    Overview Help Panel [sys_ui_overview_help_panel] For all records where the Roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. Newly created overview panels with an empty Roles field are also assigned the snc_internal role.
    Portal Page [sys_portal_page] For all records where the Read roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. Newly created portal pages with an empty Read roles field are also automatically assigned the snc_internal role.
    Processor [sys_processor] For all records where the Roles field is empty, the snc_internal role is added. Newly created processors with an empty Roles field are also automatically assigned the snc_internal role.
    Report [sys_report] For all records where the Roles field is empty, snc_internal is added. Newly created reports that have an empty Roles field when sharing are also automatically assigned the snc_internal role.