Global Secure Access User Guide
End-User Guide: Microsoft Global Secure Access Client
The Microsoft Global Secure Access (GSA) client secures your connection to your organization’s internal networks and internet resources. This guide explains how to check your connection status, sign in, and temporarily disable it if troubleshooting is required.
1. How to Check Your Status & Sign In
The GSA client typically handles authentication automatically using your Windows log-in session. You can verify your status at any time by checking your system tray.
- Locate the Client: Look for the Global Secure Access icon in your Windows system tray (bottom-right corner near the clock, you may need to click the up arrow to expand it).
- Identify Your Connection State:
- Connected (Active): You will see a blue world globe with a green checkmark circle.
This means you are signed in and securely connected. - Disconnected / Disabled: The world globe icon will appear grayed out with no green checkmark.
This means you are either signed out or the secure connection has been turned off.
- Connected (Active): You will see a blue world globe with a green checkmark circle.
- Manual Sign In: If your icon is grayed out and you need to sign in left-click the tray icon and select Sign In on the right side of the window toward the bottom. Enter your corporate credentials (i.e. student_jd@newriver.edu) if prompted by the pop-up notification. This will show your name in its place if you are already signed in.
2. How to Temporarily Disable the Client
If you experience network issues (such as trying to connect to a public Wi-Fi "captive portal" page at a hotel or airport), you may need to pause the secure tunnel.
- Open Menu: Right-click the Global Secure Access globe icon in the system tray.
- Pause Connection: Select Disable from the context menu.
- Result: Your network traffic will temporarily bypass the secure corporate tunnel and the globe icon will turn gray.
- How to Re-enable: To turn security back on, right-click the grayed-out icon again and choose Enable.
(Note: If you restart your computer, the Global Secure Access services will automatically re-enable themselves to maintain device security.)
3. Password Changes
Currently, there are a few issues with using it due to our Federation with Portal Guard. If you need to change your password you will need to connect to the current vpn or be on campus, press ctrl + alt +del and select change your password from the options listed. Once it has been changed it should update the password used on your laptops. Hopefully this issue will be addressed soon with a future Portal Guard Update.