Data Access Environment set up guide

This guide is intended to help you set up your Data Access Environment (DAE) account, after receiving your account activation email and setting your DAE account password. It provides guidance on:

• system requirements
• setting up two-factor authentication
• logging in using your two-factor authenticator
• the DAE agreement selection screen
• troubleshooting

If you have any questions about guidance or functionality, or are experiencing any operational issues, such as problems with system access, please contact our National Service Desk on 0300 303 5035 or via email at [email protected].

For general enquiries, such as questions about Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) or other data-related issues, please email our Contact Centre at [email protected].

Desktop supported browsers

The desktop browsers that we support are:

• Google Chrome (any version)
• Internet Explorer 10 (or later)
• Safari 5.0 (or later)
• Firefox 3.5 (or later)
• Opera 12 (or later)

Mobile and tablet supported browsers

The mobile and tablet browsers that we support are:

• iOS 5.0 (or later)
• Android 3.0 (or later)
• Chrome (any version)
• Firefox (any version)
• Network configuration

Firewall settings

The network port 443 (TCP outbound) will be required to be open on both your local PC firewall (if enabled) and on your network firewall.

This port is used to establish the secure connection via a web browser.

Whitelisted URLs

If your organisation has firewalls set up you may be requested to click through warnings in your browser.

The following URLs must be allowed (whitelisted) through your organisation’s firewall:

https://access.data.digital.nhs.uk

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk/auth/realms/DAE/protocol/saml/clients/amazon-aws

Sites using proxy servers may need to add a proxy exception for the service for the connection to be successful. This is especially the case where traffic based on port numbers is separated across different proxy servers.

Password requirements

The DAE password requirements are:

• can not match any of the user’s previous 24 DAE passwords
• minimum length of 12 characters
• can not be the user’s username
• must contain at least one uppercase character
• must contain at least one lowercase character
• must contain at least one special character (e.g. ?!#%$)
• must contain at least one numeric character

After receiving your account activation email and setting your password, you must now set up your two-factor authentication to complete your account activation.

DAE uses two-factor authentication to keep your account secure. Two-factor authentication must be setup before you can start using DAE.

After setting up your two-factor authentication you must use it each time you log into DAE.

The NHS England Cyber Security Team recommend using Google Authenticator or GAuth web-based authenticator as two-factor authentication methods for DAE.

Please use the following table to help you decide which authentication option to use:

If you have a smartphone you can use Google Authenticator on your phone to activate your account.

Once you have set up Google Authenticator you must use this each time you log in to DAE.

To set up Google Authenticator on your smartphone:

1. Go to the DAE log in page on your desktop.
2. Enter your email address and password.
3. Click Next.

The Mobile Authenticator Setup screen will be displayed.

Note: If you see a blank page when accessing DAE it is likely due to web permission restrictions.  Please contact your local IT team and request them to 'whitelist' the following URL:

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk

If you continue to experience issues, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

4. Go to the App Store on your smartphone.
5. Search for Google Authenticator.
6. Install the App on your smartphone.
7. Open Google Authenticator on your smartphone.

Please note the following screenshots may vary depending on your smartphone.

8. Tap Get Started.

9. Tap Scan a QR code.

10. Point your camera towards the QR code displayed on the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen on your computer screen.

If the QR code will not scan, please see the I am unable to scan the QR code for Google Authenticator sub-section in Troubleshooting.

11. The QR code will read automatically without any buttons being pressed and a 6-digit code will be displayed on your smartphone.

Only scan the QR code once. You will know that the QR code has been read successfully as the page will change to display the authentication code.

Return to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen on your computer.

12. Enter the code on your smartphone (without the space between the numbers) into the text box on your screen. For example, you would type in 510761 as shown in the example below.

Wait for the countdown to begin at 30 seconds to give yourself enough time.

13. Click Submit.

You have now completed setting up your two-factor authentication.

If you do not have a smartphone you can use GAuth web-based authenticator, from any browser, to activate your DAE account.

Once you have set up GAuth web-based authenticator you must use this each time you log in to DAE.

To set up GAuth web-based authenticator:

1. Go to the DAE log in page.
2. Enter your email address and password.
3. Click Next.

The Mobile Authenticator Setup page will be displayed.

Note: If you see a blank page when accessing DAE it is likely due to web permission restrictions. Please contact your local IT team and request them to ‘whitelist’ the following URL:

https://auth.idp.data.digital.nhs.uk

If you continue to experience issues, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

4. Click Unable to scan?

5. Highlight and copy the 30-digit code. Make a note of the code if you are unable to copy it.

6. Open your web browser and go to http://gauth.apps.gbraad.nl.
7. Click on the pen icon in the top right corner.

8. Click Add.

9. Paste or type the 30-digit code in the Secret key field.
10. In the Account name field enter a meaningful name, for example, ‘DAE’.
11. Click Add.

The page will display a 6-digit code and a countdown.

12. Click on the pen icon to stop editing.

The following page will be displayed:

13. Wait until the timer (circled red) shows 30 seconds then copy or make a note of the 6-digit code.

Return to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen.

14. Paste or enter the 6-digit code.
15. Click Submit.

You have now completed setting up your two-factor authentication.

Once you have set up your two-factor authentication you can log in to DAE.

To log into DAE with Google Authenticator:

1. Go to the DAE log in page.

2. Enter your email address and password.

3. Click Next.

The two-factor authentication screen will be displayed.

4. Open Google Authenticator on your smartphone.
5. Enter the code from the smartphone into the box on the two-factor authentication screen (without the space between the numbers). This must be done before the 30 second timer runs out.

6. Click Log in.

Refer to the relevant DAE user guidance for details on how to complete the login to your required analytical tool.

To log into DAE with GAuth web-based authenticator:

1. Go to the DAE log in page.
2. Enter your email address and password.
3. Click Next.

The two-factor authentication screen will be displayed.

4. Go to https://gauth.apps.gbraad.nl/.
5. Wait until the timer (circled red) shows 30 seconds then copy or make a note of the 6-digit code.

6. Paste or type the code into the Authentication code field.
7. Click Log in.

Refer to the relevant DAE user guidance for details on how to complete the login to your required analytical tool.

When completing the login to your required analytical tool, the DAE Agreement Selection screen will be displayed. This screen allows you to select the Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) which permits access to the required analytical tool. When the DSA is selected you will have access to the data within that agreement.

The information to the right of the DAE Agreement Selection screen will populate once you select an agreement. 

The following information displays:

I am unable to scan the QR code for Google Authenticator

If you are unable to scan the QR code, you can manually enter this. Follow the instructions below and then follow the two-factor Google Authenticator set up instructions.

1. Go back to the Mobile Authenticator Setup screen and click Unable to scan?

2. Highlight and copy the 30-digit code. If you cannot copy it, make a note of the code.

How do I delete an authentication account?

If you are using Google Authenticator:

1. Select the three dots in the top right corner.

2. Select Edit from the pop-up.

3. Select the account you want to delete by tapping on the pen to the right of the account.

The account you have selected will be displayed.

4. Select the delete icon in the top right corner.

A warning message will appear.

5. Select Remove account to delete the account you have selected.

6. You will return to the Get Started screen where you can now set up two-factor authentication for another account.

If you are using GAuth Web-Based Authenticator:

1.  Select the pen in the top right corner of the screen to enable editing.

2.  Select the cross aligned with the entry you want to remove.

My two-factor authentication code is not being accepted

If the two-factor authentication code displayed on your smartphone returns an invalid code error message, you may have a time and date mismatch between your smartphone and desktop computer.

If they are different, follow the steps below to correct this issue:

1. Check the time and date on your smartphone settings.
2. Check with your computer to see it matches.
3. If they do not match, you must change the time and date in your Smartphone Settings.

If you have an Android smartphone you can sync the time and date with the Google Authenticator app:

1. Go to the main menu on the Google Authenticator app.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Time correction for codes.
4. Click Sync now.

How do I reset my two-factor authentication

To reset your two-factor authentication please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected].

I am using a new device with two-factor authentication

If you need to use a new or alternative device for your two-factor authentication, please contact the National Service Desk by email at [email protected] to request a reset. You will then be able to set up two-factor authentication on your new device.

How do I check my internet connection speed

If you are experiencing issues, you can conduct a speed test to check the speed at which your internet connection is running. A possible site to use is https://broadbandtest.which.co.uk/_.