---
sourceDocument: Brazil Platform security
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/platform-security

 Release :

    - brazil

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Brazil Platform security

ft:clusterId :

    - psec

bundleId :

    - psec

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Explore credentials, connections, and aliases

# Explore credentials, connections, and aliases {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Brazil  
Updated October 1, 2026  
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## Summary of Explore credentials, connections, and aliases

In the ServiceNow AI Platform, application integrations rely on connections, credentials, and aliases to securely access external resources.
Before running an integration, you must create and configure these elements:
Show full answer Show less  
* **Connection:** Defines the system integration point, such as an IP address, endpoint, or database details.
* **Credential:** Contains the authentication information like IDs and passwords required to establish the connection.
* **Alias:** Acts as a reusable naming convention that links connection and credential information, simplifying integration setup across environments (e.g., QA, development, production).

Aliases can be either credential aliases (linking to credentials only) or combined connection and credential aliases. Additionally, **child aliases** allow multiple connections under the same parent alias with independent connection and credential settings.

## Benefits

* Centralized management of external service credentials.
* Reusable definitions reduce repetitive configuration across platform features.
* Enable non-administrators to use predefined connections securely.
* Enhance security by minimizing credential exposure.

## Applicable Features

Connections, credentials, and aliases are used in various ServiceNow features including:

* Flow Designer
* IntegrationHub (subscription required)
* Cloud Management
* Discovery
* Orchestration
* Service Mapping

Aliases can be configured through the Connections and Credentials module or via the IntegrationHub Connections dashboard.

## MID Server Credential Synchronization

MID Servers synchronize credentials from the instance to facilitate faster access to network resources during Discovery and Service Mapping. This synchronization occurs via a credentialsreload job that retrieves all credentials, including custom fields. To prevent performance issues caused by custom reference fields, you can adjust system properties:

* **com.snc.credentialsuserfields:** Controls inclusion of custom credential fields (true/false, default true).
* **com.snc.credentialsrecursiondepth:** Limits depth of reference table traversal during sync (integer, default 3).

## Security and Scope Management

* Scope protections can be applied to Connection and Credential records, restricting access to scoped data.
* Domain separation is supported, enabling logical partitioning of data and administrative control based on domains.

## Configuration Templates

Administrators and users with the flowdesigner role can use configuration templates to simplify setup of spoke integrations with third-party systems via a customizable form, streamlining the integration process.  
All
application integrations in the ServiceNow AI Platform use connections,
credentials, and aliases to enable applications to access resources.

Before you can execute an application integration in the ServiceNow AI Platform, you must
create and configure connection information, corresponding credentials, and add an alias. To
understand how ServiceNow defines these
terms:  

Connection
:   A connection is an integration with a system, such as an IP address or
    endpoint with protocols. It contains specific details, such as database particulars,
    when integrating with a database.

Credential
:   A credential is the authentication data required to make the connection,
    such as an ID and password.

Alias
:   An alias is a naming convention, or tag, that ties to a set of
    connections or credentials on your instance. An alias contains the necessary connection
    and credential information to make an application integration. Rather than enter that
    information every time you integrate, you can use an alias. For example, you can
    designate an alias to house your QA, development, and production credentials for the
    same application integration. The alias resolves the application integration for each
    environment.  
    The ServiceNow AI Platform distinguishes different types of aliases:

    Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to credential data only, and resolves during
        runtime.

    Connection and Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to connection information and the credential data
        required to complete the integration, and resolves during runtime.

Within connection and credential aliases, you can also create additional aliases called
child aliases. Child aliases allow you to create multiple connections within
the same application integration. When you create a child alias, the alias you created it
under becomes a parent alias. While child aliases inherit properties from their
parent alias, child aliases carry their own connection and credential information.

## Benefits to using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_ull_gwz_tcb}

* Central location to store and manage credentials to an external service
* Define once and reuse for multiple platform features
* Minimize configuration of other platform features
* Allow non-administrators to use predefined connections and credentials
* Increased security
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_e4c_kwz_tcb}

## Features using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_xkx_tyy_slb}

The following features use connections, credentials, and aliases:

* Flow Designer
* IntegrationHub
* Cloud Management
* Discovery
* Orchestration
* Service Mapping
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_hww_5zy_slb}  
You can set up aliases on the ServiceNow AI Platform in one of two ways:

* Using the Connections and Credentials module. See [Create a Connection \& Credential alias](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0ox0boNbos8OMgqKo1f51w "Define an alias to label a credential or connection record.").
* In the Connections dashboard of Integration Hub. See [Add a connection](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=dashboard-add-connection&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).  
  Note:  
  Integration Hub requires a separate subscription. For more information, see [Request Integration Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=request-ih-overview&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_w1h_qv3_zlb}

## Credential synchronization on MID Servers {#credentials-connections-alias__section_zmz_g5j_4db}

Each MID Serverin your network synchronized with the instance keeps a copy of
every credential that you create. The Management, Instrumentation, and Discovery (MID)
Server is a Java application that enables communication and the movement of data between a
ServiceNow instance and external applications, data sources, and services. This
synchronization speeds up the reading of credentials when applications like Discovery or Service Mapping need to access multiple devices on
the network. The MID Servers synchronize when they find a
credentials_reload job in the ECC Queue. The reload job instructs the
MID Server to make a SOAP call to the instance to get the entire list of credentials in the
Credentials \[discovery_credentials\] table, including all the field values. To learn more,
see [MID Server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=mid-server-landing&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US).  
The SOAP response that your instance sends to each MID Server also includes custom fields that you added to any credential form that you customized. If you added reference fields, the data in the referenced table is also sent as part of the SOAP response. This can lead to performance issues when credential synchronization occurs with multiple MID Servers. To control this, manually add these properties to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table:  
Note:  
To change the values in these properties, add them to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table. If you do not add them, the system uses the default value.
{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db__entry__2}

| Property | Description |
|-|-|
| `com.snc.credentials_user_fields` | Includes all customized fields in credential sync. Set this property to false if you do not want to include the fields that you added to credential forms. * Type: true \| false * Default value: true {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_qj4_mcl_h2b} |
| `com.snc.credentials_recursion_depth` | Defines the number of tables to traverse when the credential-sync mechanism collects fields from reference tables. Lower this number if you are experiencing performance issues and you have customized credential forms that include reference fields to tables that also have reference fields. * Type: integer * Default value: 3 {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_vfn_qcl_h2b} |
[ ]

{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db}
* **[Scope protections for Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/wyLuwmfqEmv9sA78lg9tHQ)**   
  You can classify certain types of Connection \& Credential records as belonging to a scope, and extend scope protections to them. These scope policies protect records you create in a table, and prevent interactions with records that are private to another scope.
* **[Domain separation and Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hSKW5SWmFx1vXe99maAoVA)**   
  Domain separation is supported in Credentials and Connections. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.
* **[Connection \& Credential configuration templates](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/rGDySvq4oTQ6yiQ~w5qJPw)**   
  Enable users with the admin and flow_designer roles to set up spoke integrations with third-party systems using a single, customizable form.