IT-Security (Part 6): WebLogic Server and Authorization

Key words: IT-Security, WebLogic Server, WebLogic Security Framework, Authorization, authorization process, Role Mapping, Roles, Adjudication Process, Security Service Provider Interfaces (SSPIs), Users, Groups, Principals and Subjects

We discussed about Authentication in Part 4 and 5[1]; now let us focus on Authorization topic. Authorization is known as access control too and is used to clear main questions such as: “What can you access?”, “Who has access to a WebLogic resource?”, “Is access allowed?” and in general “Who can do what?“ In order to guarantee integrity, confidentiality (privacy), and availability of resources, WebLogic are restricted accesses to these resources. In other words, authorization process is responsible to grant access to specific resources based on an authenticated user’s privileges.

Authorization: What can you access?

After authentication one user, it is the first question that system has to answer: “What can you access?” In this sense, WebLogic Server has to clear, which resources are available for a particular user, that will be cleared by using the user’s security role and the security policy assigned to the requested WebLogic resource. A WebLogic resource is generally understood as a structured object used to represent an underlying WebLogic Server entity, which can be protected from unauthorized access using security roles and security policies. WebLogic resource implementations are available for[2]:

• Administrative resources
• Application resources
• Common Object Model (COM) resources
• Enterprise Information System (EIS) resources
• Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) resources
• Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) resources
• Java Messaging Service (JMS) resources
• Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) resources
• Server resources
• Web application resources
• Web service resources
• Work Context resources

The Authorization Process

I’m going to clear whole process in a top-down approach. First of all, we have to see what will be happen in Authorization Process? Figure 1 Authorization Process[3] shows how WebLogic Security Framework communicated with a particular Security Provider and Authorization providers respectively.

Authorization Process

Figure 1 Authorization Process

If a user want to use one protected resource, then WebLogic send a request to “Resource Container” that handles the type of WebLogic resource being requested receives the request (for example, the EJB container receives the request for an EJB resource). It forwards to “WebLogic Security Framework” and its request parameters, including information such as the subject of the request and the WebLogic resource being requested. The Role Mapping providers use the request parameters to compute a list of roles to which the subject making the request is entitled and passes the list of applicable roles back to the WebLogic Security Framework. On this information will be decided about authorization: e.g. PERMIT and/or DENY. WebLogic Server provides an auditing to collect, store and distribute information about requests and outcomes. It calls Adjudication. It can happened that for Authorization is defined multiple providers. For such cases is an Adjudication provider available. The WebLogic Security Framework delegates the job of merging any conflicts in the Access Decisions rendered by the Authorization providers to the Adjudication provider. It resolves the conflicts and sends a final decision (TRUE or FALSE) to WebLogic Security Framework.[4]

WebLogic Security Framework

I have mentioned a bit about WebLogic Security Framework in Part 1 and 2[5]. Figure 2 WebLogic Security Service Architecture shows a high-level view of the WebLogic Security Framework. The framework contains interfaces, classes, and exceptions in the weblogic.security.service package. The Framework provides a simplified application programming interface (API) that can be used by security and application developers to define security services. Within that context, the WebLogic Security Framework also acts as an intermediary between the WebLogic containers (Web and EJB), the Resource containers, and the security providers[6].

WebLogic Security Framework

Figure 2 WebLogic Security Service Architecture

The Security Service Provider Interfaces (SSPIs) can be used by developers and third-party vendors to develop security providers for the WebLogic Server environment[7].

Security Provider

Figure 1 Authorization Process presents Security Provider as next module that provides security services to applications to protect WebLogic resources.  A security provider consists of runtime classes and MBeans, which are created from SSPIs and/or Mbean types. Security providers are WebLogic security providers (provided with WebLogic Server) or custom security providers. You can use the security providers that are provided as part of the WebLogic Server product, purchase custom security providers from third-party security vendors, or develop your own custom security providers.

Roles

In order to complete authorization process, is Role Mapping within security provider necessary. Simple to say, a role mapper maps a valid token to a WebLogic user. Formerly that we focus on Roles, I would like to clarify a few more terms.

Users, Groups, Principals and Subjects

User is an entity that is authenticated in our security provider in last steps (See: Part 4 and 5 – Authentication Process[8]). A user can be a person or a software entity or other instances of WebLogic Server. As a result of authentication, a user is assigned an identity, or principal. A principal is an identity assigned to a user or group as a result of authentication and can consist of any number of users and groups. Principals are typically stored within subjects. Both users and groups can be used as principals by WebLogic Server.

Groups are logically ordered sets of users. Usually, group members have something in common. For example, a company may separate its IT-Department into two groups, Admins and Developers. In this form, it will be possible to define different levels of access to WebLogic resources, depending on their group membership. Managing groups is more efficient than managing large numbers of users individually. For example, an administrator can specify permissions for several users at one time by placing the users in a group, assigning the group to a security role, and then associating the security role with a WebLogic resource via a security policy. All user names and groups must be unique within a security realm[9].

Security Roles

Role is a dynamically computed privilege that is granted to users or groups based on specific conditions. The difference between groups and roles is that a group is a static identity that a server administrator assigns, while membership in a role is dynamically calculated based on data such as user name, group membership, or the time of day. Security roles are granted to individual users or to groups, and multiple roles can be used to create security policies for a WebLogic resource. A security role is a privilege granted to users or groups based on specific conditions[10].

Like groups, security roles allow you to restrict access to WebLogic resources for several users at once. However, unlike groups, security roles[11]:

• Are computed and granted to users or groups dynamically, based on conditions such as user name, group membership, or the time of day.
• Can be scoped to specific WebLogic resources within a single application in a WebLogic Server domain (unlike groups, which are always scoped to an entire WebLogic Server domain).

Granting a security role to a user or a group confers the defined access privileges to that user or group, as long as the user or group is “in” the security role. Multiple users or groups can be granted a single security role. It can be summarized as follows:

Groups are static and defined on Domain level (coarse granularity) and Roles are dynamic and defined on Resource level (fine granularity). Continued…

See too last parts of IT-Security and Oracle Fusion Middleware:

1. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/it-security-weblogic-server_1/
2. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/it-security-part-2-weblogic-server-and-oracle-platform-security-services-opss-2/
3. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/it-security-part-3-weblogic-server-and-java-security-features/
4. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/
5. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/it-security-part-5-weblogic-server-perimeter-authentication-and-identity-assertion/

 

[1] See: http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/

and http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/it-security-part-5-weblogic-server-perimeter-authentication-and-identity-assertion/

[2] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Understanding Security for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), E13710-06

[3] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Securing Oracle WebLogic Server 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), E13707-06

[4] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Securing Oracle WebLogic Server 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), E13707-06

[5] See: http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/it-security-weblogic-server_1/

and http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/it-security-part-2-weblogic-server-and-oracle-platform-security-services-opss-2/

[6] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24329_01/web.1211/e24484/archtect.htm

[7] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24329_01/web.1211/e24446/security.htm#autoId3

[8] See: http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/

and http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/it-security-part-5-weblogic-server-perimeter-authentication-and-identity-assertion/

[9] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E28280_01/apirefs.1111/e13952/taskhelp/security/ManageUsersAndGroups.html

[10] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/secwlres/secroles.html

[11] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs90/secintro/realm_chap.html

IT-Security: Part 1 to 5 as PDF file

Key words:IT-Security, Security Challenges, OPSS Architecture, WebLogic Server, JAAS, JAAS LoginModules, Authentication, Basic Authentication, Certificate Authentication, Digest Authentication, perimeter Authentication and Identity Assertion

Until now I have published five parts of a series of articles on IT-Security and Oracle Fusion Middleware:

1. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/it-security-weblogic-server_1/
2. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/it-security-part-2-weblogic-server-and-oracle-platform-security-services-opss-2/
3. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/it-security-part-3-weblogic-server-and-java-security-features/
4. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/
5. http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/it-security-part-5-weblogic-server-perimeter-authentication-and-identity-assertion/

I’m going to continue the IT-Security’s articles and you can access to complete first five parts as PDF-file here:

WebLogic-Server_IT_Security_1til5

IT-Security (Part 5): WebLogic Server, perimeter Authentication and Identity Assertion

I tried to discuss about “perimeter authentication” in one extra part of IT-Security’s blogs, because this authentication’s process is an essential approach in a heterogonous world of systems, applications and technologies that they need to trust and communicate to each other.  Generally, we discussed about perimeter authentication, if a remote user requires an asserted identity and some form of proof material to an authentication server that performs the verification and then passes an artifact, or token, to the application server domain.[1]

If we want to identify a remote user outside of the WebLogic server domain, as an authentication server, then we need to another approach for authenticating’s process instead basic authentication with username and password[2]. This authentication’s process is called perimeter authentication. It establishes trust via a passphrase, e.g. tokens. Tokens will be generated as part of the authentication process of users or system processes and could have many different types and / or vendors, e.g. Kerberos and Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML). WebLogic Server is able to use the token(s) so that users are not requested to sign on more than once.

This form of authentication operates with authentication agent. It performs an authentication process that outcomes in a token. It contains the authentication information of user and guarantees for the user’s identity. The Figure1 Perimeter Authentication[3] presents the sequence of events in authenticating process:

Remote User sends a request with passphrase to Authentication Agent. It creates a token and sends to WebLogic Server to access resources and / or application(s). The WebLogic Server perform perimeter authentication via Identity Assertion.

Perimeter Authentication

Figure 1 Perimeter Authentication

We can define the Identity Assertion provider, as a specific form of Authentication provider that permits users or applications to assert their identity using tokens. With other words, it supports user’s mappers, which map a valid token to a WLS-User. It is possible to develop your own or use a third-party security vendor’s Identity Assertion providers. Identity assertion can use perimeter authentication schemes such as the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), the Simple and Protected GSS-API Negotiation Mechanism (SPNEGO), or enhancements to protocols such as Common Secure Interoperability (CSI) v2 and support single sign-on.[4]  The WebLogic Identity Assertion providers support the following token types[5] (here is a selected list of token types):

• AU_TYPE, for a WebLogicAuthenticatedUserused as a token.
• X509 is an ITU-T standard for a public key infrastructure (PKI) and Privilege Management Infrastructure (PMI) and RFC 4158 provides information and guidance for certification path building.[6]

• X509_TYPE, for an X509 client certificate used as a token:
• CSI_X509_CERTCHAIN_TYPE, for a CSIv2 X509 certificate chain identity used as a token.

“The Negotiate Identity Assertion provider is used for SSO with Microsoft clients that support the SPNEGO protocol. The Negotiate Identity Assertion provider decodes SPNEGO tokens to obtain Kerberos tokens, validates the Kerberos tokens, and maps Kerberos tokens to WebLogic users. The Negotiate Identity Assertion provider utilizes the Java Generic Security Service (GSS) Application Programming Interface (API) to accept the GSS security context via Kerberos. The Negotiate Identity Assertion provider is for Windows NT Integrated Login.” [7]

• AUTHORIZATION_NEGOTIATE, for a SPNEGO internal token used as a token.
• WWW_AUTHENTICATE_NEGOTIATE, for a SPNEGO internal token used as a token.

“The SAML Identity Assertion providers handle SAML assertion tokens when WebLogic Server acts as a SAML destination site. The SAML Identity Assertion providers consume and validate SAML assertion tokens and determines if the assertion is to be trusted (using either the proof material available in the SOAP message, the client certificate, or some other configuration indicator).”^[8]   I am going back to SAML topic in an additional article(s).

• SAML_ASSERTION_B64_TYPE, for a Base64 encoded SAML.assertion used as a token.
• SAML_ASSERTION_DOM_TYPE, for a SAML DOM element used as a token.
• SAML_ASSERTION_TYPE, for a SAML string XML form used as a token.
• SAML2_ASSERTION_DOM_TYPE, for a SAML2 DOM element used as a token.
• SAML2_ASSERTION_TYPE, for a SAML2 string XML form used as a token.
• SAML_SSO_CREDENTIAL_TYPE, for a SAML string consisting of the TARGET parameter concatenated with the assertion itself and used as a token.

I introduced about Digest Authentication[9] in previous blog and WebLogic supports für Web Service application the following Digest type:

• WSSE_PASSWORD_DIGEST_TYPE, for a username token with a password type of password digest used as a token.

The Authentication and Identity Assertion Process

Now, we can compare Basic authentication Process with Identity Assertion Process. On Figure 2 Authentication Process (Principal Validation Process)[10] shows the authentication process for a fat-client login. A user attempts to log into a system using a username/password combination. WebLogic Server establishes trust by calling the configured Authentication provider’s LoginModule, which validates the user’s username and password and returns a subject that is populated with principals per Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) [11] requirements. In this way, an authentication context will be established and user can access to certain resource and / or components in WebLogic Domain.

Authentication Process (Principal Validation Process)

 

Figure 2 Authentication Process (Principal Validation Process)

Figure 3 Perimeter Authentication presents the perimeter authentication process[12].

1. A token from outside of WebLogic Server is passed to an Identity Assertion provider that is responsible for validating tokens of that type and that is configured as “active”.
2. If the token is successfully validated, the Identity Assertion provider maps the token to a WebLogic Server username, and sends that username back to WebLogic Server, which then continues the authentication process as described above. It requires the same components, but also adds an Identity Assertion provider. Specifically, the username is sent via a Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS)CallbackHandlerand passed to each configured Authentication provider’s LoginModule, so that the LoginModule can populate the subject with the appropriate principals.

Perimeter Authentication

 

Figure 3 Perimeter Authentication

If you compare the two ways of authentication, then you can find out a core security characteristic of WebLogic Server too. It is mean; WebLogic Server security architecture has a consistence modular structure and therefore can response rapid to new challenges and technologies in security area. This architecture is capable to expand its features und integrate new security components in itself.

[1] Oracle® Fusion Middleware: Understanding Security for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), E13710-06

[2] For „Basic Authentication: Username/Password“ see: http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/

[3] Oracle® Fusion Middleware: Understanding Security for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), E13710-06

[4] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Developing Security Providers for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), Part Number E13718-05, http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/ia.htm

[5] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Developing Security Providers for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), Part Number E13718-05, http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/ia.htm

[6] See: http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4158

[7] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Developing Security Providers for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), Part Number E13718-05, http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/ia.htm

[8] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Developing Security Providers for Oracle WebLogic Server, 11g Release 1 (10.3.6), Part Number E13718-05, http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/ia.htm

[9] See http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/it-security-weblogic-server-and-authentication-part-4/

[10] See: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/atn.htm#i1141106

[11] IT-Security (Part 3): WebLogic Server and Java Security Features: http://thecattlecrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/it-security-part-3-weblogic-server-and-java-security-features/

[12] See http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/web.1111/e13718/ia.htm

IT-Security: WebLogic Server and Authentication – Part 4

As I mentioned, JAAS is able for two important tasks: authentication and authorization of users. Now, let us see more about them.

Authentication: Who are you?

Authentication verifies that the user is who she/he claims to be. But user is also an entity and could be a person, a software entity or other instances of WebLogic Server (so called “resources”). WLS performs proof material typically through a JAAS LoginModule and JAAS authentication is implemented in a pluggable method. A user’s identity is confirmed through the credentials presented by that user, such as:

1. something one has, e.g. credentials issued by a trusted authority such as a passport or a smart card
2. something one knows, e.g. a shared secret such as a password,
3. something one is, e.g. biometric information

A combination of several types of credentials is known as “strong” authentication; e.g. using an ATM card (credential 1) with a PIN or password (credential 2).[1]

Types of Authentication

WebLogic Server is able to perform the different types of authentication, because it can use the WebLogic Authentication provider or custom security providers. Administrators are able to define a user and password with WebLogic Authentication provider. The all passwords will be encrypted. Users may be placed into groups or be related with security roles.

Basic Authentication: Username/Password

Basic authentication is defined via The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF®) so: “The “basic” authentication scheme is based on the model that the client must authenticate itself with a user-ID and a password for each realm.  The realm value should be considered an opaque string which can only be compared for equality with other realms on that server. The server will service the request only if it can validate the user-ID and password for the protection space of the Request-URI. There are no optional authentication parameters.”[2]

In this type of authentication will be user/password requested. WebLogic scenario looks like this: the user and sent ID/PW to WebLogic Server. It checks them and if it is reliable, gives access to the protected WebLogic resource. In background, WebLogic Server checks the security policy of the WebLogic resource and the principal (that the user has been assigned) to make sure that the user has the obligatory permissions to continue.

 

In addition, you can use https. User/password will be encrypted between client and server through SSL communication. It is an extra advantage that the transaction between client and server will not be performed in clear text.

Certificate Authentication

We are going to discuss about Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) in the next articles. SSL delivers protected connections. The SSL-communicating authenticate identity of two entity and/or application that communicate through a network connection. In addition, the whole SSL-communication is encrypted. WebLogic Server provides a pure-Java implementation of SSL and supports One-Way- and Two-Way- SSL authentication.

Simple to say, if a WLS to authenticate to a client, then we have a One-Way SSL. If a client to authenticate to a WLS, then we have Two-Way SSL. One-Way SSL is obligatory but Two-Way SSL is optional. During “handshaking” exchange the applications and/ or entities digital certificates. The digital certificate is supplied by an entity, which authenticates the identity of WebLogic Server.

Afterwards, the both sides, also WebLogic Server and client, decide on the encryption algorithms to be used. As third step, SSL-connection generates the encryption keys to be used for the remainder of the session. The encryption keys is a hybrid encryption approach that it uses advantages of asymmetric and symmetric encryption therefore, it is known as a good combination between better performance and security in network communication.

Digest Authentication

We are going back to this topic for deeper discussion. As an introduction, we can start with the definition of The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF®): “Like Basic Access Authentication, the Digest scheme is based on a simple challenge-response paradigm. The Digest scheme challenges using a nonce value. A valid response contains a checksum (by default, the MD5 checksum) of the username, the password, the given nonce value, the HTTP method, and the requested URI. In this way, the password is never sent in the clear. Just as with the Basic scheme, the username and password must be prearranged in some fashion not addressed by this document.”[3]

Weblogic Server supports digest authentication and is resistant to replay attacks. “The implementation maintains a cache of used nonces/timestamps for a specified period of time. All requests with a timestamp older than the specified timestamp are rejected as well as any requests that use the same timestamp/nonce pair as the most recent timestamp/nonce pair still in the cache. WebLogic Server stores this cache in a database.”[4]

I’m going to continue with Authentication’s topic in next part of IT-Secrutity and WebLogic Server.

 

[1] See Oracle Fusion Middleware Security Overview http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23943_01/core.1111/e12889.pdf

Oracle Fusion Middleware 11.1.1.5, Security Guides http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/security.htm

Oracle® Fusion Middleware Securing Oracle WebLogic Server http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/web.1111/e13707/toc.htm

Oracle Platform Security Services 11gR1 (White Paper)

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/id-mgmt/opss-tech-wp-131775.pdf

[2] Request for Comments: 2617: The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF®): https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc2617/

[3] Request for Comments: 2617: The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF®): https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc2617/

[4] Oracle® Fusion Middleware Understanding Security for Oracle WebLogic Server 11g Release 1 (10.3.5) http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/web.1111/e13710/toc.htm

Orchestrierung der IT-Sicherheit: Wie sieht es mit der Oracle Fusion Middleware aus?

Es gab am 06. März 2014 in Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften München den DOAG Regionaltreffen München/Südbayern. Ich habe  dort einen Vortrag über „Orchestrierung der IT-Sicherheit: Wie sieht es mit der Oracle Fusion Middleware aus?“  gehalten. Hier finden Sie mein Abstract und meine Präsentation:
Orchestrierung ist eine riesige Symphonie verschiedenster Komponenten im IT-Bereich. Die Orchestrierung der IT-Sicherheit ist daher mehr als nur eine klassische administrative Aufgabe, die auf Netzwerkebene zu realisieren ist. IT-Sicherheit ist eine Herausforderung im Zeitalter des Cloud Computing, der veränderten Herausforderungen in einer verteilten, heterogenen und noch mehr komplexen IT-Welt.
In diesem Vortrag wird gezeigt, dass allein die traditionellen IT-Sicherheitsansätze und Maßnahmen nicht ausreichen, um neue technische aber auch organisatorische Fragen zu beantworten. Nach einer kurzen Einführung in die Problematik  werden Lösungsansätze von Oracle vorgestellt. Ein besonderer Fokus wird dabei auf Oracle WebLogic Server und Oracle Plattform Security Services (OPSS) gelegt.

Orchestrator_Security_V2.3_Kurz

IT-Security (Part 3): WebLogic Server and Java Security Features

WebLogic Server supports the Java SE and Java EE Security to protect the resources of whole system. The resources could be Web applications, Uniform Resource Locator (URL), Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs), and Connector components.

Java SE capabilities: Security APIs

Java uses APIs to access security features and functionality and its architecture contains a large set of application programming interfaces (APIs), tools, and implementations of commonly-used security algorithms, and protocols. This delivers the developer a complete security framework for writing applications and enables them to extend the platform with new security mechanisms.[2]

Java Authentication and Authorization Services (JAAS)

WebLogic Server uses the Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) classes to consistently and securely authenticate to the client. JAAS is a part of Java SE Security APIs and a set of Java packages that enable services to authenticate and enforce access controls upon users and /or fat-client authentication for applications, applets, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), or servlets.

JAAS uses a Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) framework, and permits the use of new or updated authentication technologies without requiring modifications to the application. Therefore, only developers of custom Authentication providers and developers of remote fat client applications need to be involved with JAAS directly. Users of thin clients or developers of within-container fat client applications do not require the direct use or knowledge of JAAS.

JAAS LoginModules

All LoginModules are responsible for authenticating users within the security realm (we are going to discuss about that later) and for populating a subject with the necessary principals (users/groups). LoginModules contains necessary methods for Login Context, Accounts, Credentials, configuration of them, and different ways to exception handling. Each Authentication providers will be configured in a security realm, its LoginModules will store principals within the same subject too. I try to present that with an example: Via WebLogic Server Admin Console: Home >myDomain > Domain Structure click on Security Realms and then create a new realm “Moh_Realm-0” and then click on “OK”

Figure 1 create a new Realm

Select new realm and then click on tab “provider”, and then click on “New”, in order to create a new provider:

Figure 2 open the new Realm

In this use case, we select type: “WebLogic Authentication Provider” and give a name e.g. “DefAuthN”, then “OK”.  The WebLogic Authentication provider is configured in the default security realm (myrealm). The WebLogic Authentication provider allows you to edit, list, and manage users, groups, and group membership. User and group information is stored in the embedded LDAP server.[3]

 Figure 3 create a new Authentication Provider

After define “Provider”, we have to restart Admin Server. Now, we can check and compare users of new realm (Moh_Realm-0) with default realm (myrealm) of WebLogic. For myrealm, Icreated a new user named “userDOAG” and we see the following list there (Home >Summary of Security Realms >myrealm >Users and Groups)

Figure 4 users of myrealm

But I didn’t create same user for Moh_Realm-0 (Home >DefAuthN>Summary of Security Realms >Moh_Realm-0 >Users and Groups):

Figure 5 users of Moh_Realm-0

It shows, that we can use security provider in different gatherings und expand our security realm with additional user, groups, and security providers. We are working on it in next part of this article.

JAAS Control Flags

 

The JAAS Control Flag attribute determines how the LoginModule for the WebLogic Authentication provider is used in the login sequence. The values for the Control Flag attribute are as follows: Home >Summary of Security Realms > Moh_Realm-0 >Providers > DefAuthN

Figure 6 Control flags via Admin Consol

• REQUIRED – This LoginModule must succeed. Even if it fails, authentication proceeds down the list of LoginModules for the configured Authentication providers. This setting is the default.
• REQUISITE – This LoginModule must succeed. If other Authentication providers are configured and this LoginModule succeeds, authentication proceeds down the list of LoginModules. Otherwise, return control to the application.
• SUFFICIENT – This LoginModule needs not succeed. If it does succeed, return control to the application. If it fails and other Authentication providers are configured, authentication proceeds down the LoginModule list
• OPTIONAL – The user is allowed to pass or fail the authentication test of these Authentication providers. However, if all Authentication providers configured in a security realm have the JAAS Control Flag set to OPTIONAL, the user must pass the authentication test of one of the configured providers.[4]

Now, we can focus on two important JAAS-tasks: authentication and authorization of users…[5]

References

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[1] IT-Security (Part 1): http://modj.org/home/aktueles/it-security-weblogic-server-and-oracle-platform-security-services-opss/e17330b741d0e387ead1a36591466a7c.html

IT-Security (Part 2): http://modj.org/home/aktueles/it-security-part-2-weblogic-server-and-oracle-platform-security-services-opss/bf195ca487b11219057a63e5cd86156d.html

[2] See: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/security/overview/jsoverview.html

[3] More detail in: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24329_01/apirefs.1211/e24403/core/index.html

[4] Oracle Fusion Middleware: Understanding Security for Oracle WebLogic Server 12c Release 1, (12.1.1), E24484-02, January 2012: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24329_01/web.1211/e24484.pdf

[5] See too: Do you forget your WebLogic Server password? No problem!, http://modj.org/home/aktueles/do-you-forget-your-weblogic-server-password-no-problem/5c5934e54ca474d3e02ca37ef713799c.html