Question

Setting security-constraint in web.xml

Asked by: boonleng

I try to set the security-constraint in web.xml to retrict user from directly access to JSP files and force user to use SSL connection.

The following codes work fine in Tomcat, but there's no effect in WAS.
 
      <security-constraint>
            <web-resource-collection>
                  <web-resource-name>SecureConnection</web-resource-name>
                  <url-pattern>*</url-pattern>
                  <http-method>GET</http-method>
                  <http-method>POST</http-method>
            </web-resource-collection>
            <auth-constraint/>
            <user-data-constraint>
                  <transport-guarantee>CONFIDENTIAL</transport-guarantee>
            </user-data-constraint>
      </security-constraint>
      <security-constraint>
            <web-resource-collection>
                  <web-resource-name>ProtectedFolder</web-resource-name>
                  <url-pattern>/jsp/*</url-pattern>
                  <http-method>DELETE</http-method>
                  <http-method>GET</http-method>
                  <http-method>POST</http-method>
                  <http-method>PUT</http-method>
            </web-resource-collection>
            <auth-constraint/>
      </security-constraint>

Am I missing some configuration? Im currently testing it on WSAD 5.0.
Thanks.

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Asked On
2004-09-22 at 02:04:57ID21140315
Tags

security

Topic

IBM Websphere Application Server

Participating Experts
2
Points
100
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: damonfPosted on 2004-09-22 at 07:11:56ID: 12123139

In WAS and WSAD, you have to turn on global security in order for security constraints to work.  Turning it on in WSAD can be problematic.  I was never able to get it to work myself.  It works fine in WAS however.

See this Q where another user had the same problem:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Application_Servers/Websphere/Q_21091334.html

 

by: rama_krishna580Posted on 2004-09-22 at 18:55:31ID: 12129562

Hi,
 Look at this..

<security-constraint>    
<web-resource-collection>          
<web-resource-name>SecureOrdersEast</web-resource-name>          
<description> Security constraint for  resources in the orders/east directory  </description>          
<url-pattern>/orders/east/*</url-pattern>          
<http-method>POST</http-method>          
<http-method>GET</http-method>    
</web-resource-collection>    
<auth-constraint>          
<description>  constraint for east coast sales  </description>          
<role-name>east</role-name>          
<role-name>manager</role-name>    
</auth-constraint>
<user-data-constraint>          
<description>SSL not required</description>          
<transport-guarantee>NONE</transport-guarantee>    
</user-data-constraint></security-constraint>

And for more info refer here..
http://e-docs.bea.com/wls/docs81/security/thin_client.html#1046060

R.K

 

by: boonlengPosted on 2004-09-27 at 23:13:54ID: 12166872

damonf:

The security contraint is now working on my WAS, but is there a way that i can remove the popup window asking for user name and password when try to access the retricted area?
Thanks.

 

by: damonfPosted on 2004-09-28 at 05:27:11ID: 12168717

Not sure what you mean by "remove" ... if you secure the site, then you have to authenticate.  It won't do it automatically.  However, if you would rather have a web page ask for the userid/pw as opposed to the "401 challenge" popup, just change the authentication type from "basic" to "form".  Then specify a JSP to present for the form auth.

 

by: boonlengPosted on 2004-09-28 at 21:03:30ID: 12176663

Currently all users access the site will check for authentication,
but for anonymous users who dont have the userid/password,
how can i direct them to use SSL connection without ask for userid/password?
or i have to set Redirect to https:// in httpd.conf when user using http://?

 

by: damonfPosted on 2004-09-29 at 05:52:19ID: 12179178

Can you describe the mechanics of how an authenticated user comes to your application, and then do the same for unauthenticated?  That is, what URL do they hit, what do you expect the server to do next.

The reason I ask:  it seems to me you could have an UNsecured page that takes care of the redirect for you ... then secure/authenticate AFTER you redirect the user.  If you want the first https:// page to be "hittable" by unathenticated user, then don't secure that page.

But what is it that you want unauthenticated user to be able to do?

 

by: boonlengPosted on 2004-09-29 at 22:45:56ID: 12187200

This is my application senario:
Basically my site have 2 kinds of user authentication, one is through a login page which validate user againts user profile in database, and another way is access using digital certificate and validate in a remote server. I dont have any user or role sets in my web.xml.

Users are access through secure connection when they first go to the site, but i dont want the user change from https to http at the browser once they have autheticated. if the user switch back to unsecure connection after autheticate, the user will be redirect back to use secure connection.

Any suggestion?

 

by: damonfPosted on 2004-09-30 at 05:33:03ID: 12189205

Just disable the http:// transport in the WAS console if you aren't using it.  That is, go into web containers and look under transports.  Turn it off there.

Another suggestion:  since you aren't using any of the WAS authentication features, don't bother with the J2EE security.  On my apps, all access is anonymous but I have my own code that forces user to login and authenticate to my database.

 

by: boonlengPosted on 2004-09-30 at 06:37:00ID: 12189736

Thanks a lot :)

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