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prairieits

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Security best practice

My apologies if this is not the right topic to ask this question in, but I have a Windows 2000 Server running IIS and SQL Server 2000 with Coldfusion 6.1.

Most of the sites I create simply use a query of a table in the database to authenticate and authorize users.  The not so simple part of that is that I then need to write every page to include a security check.

As a best practice, what is your opinion of the most efficient, yet secure, way to build a site?

I would prefer to just set a folder's permission somehow and let the server check for the proper credentials each time someone accesses a page than for me to have to check for authentication and authorization on every page.

Using Active Directory integration isn't an option for us.  I must use the sql server usernames and passwords for all authentication/authorization.

Thanks in advance,
Jerod
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mrichmon

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prairieits

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mrichmon,

Thanks for the feedback.  Everything I write is for internal use only, so restricting by IP won't work.  The people who I need to defend against are employees who don't have access to applications (in part or at all).  Right now, I run the query, make a cookie if they are listed as an administrative user, make another cookie with their login's unique system id and then use those 2 items to both authenticate (are you logged in?) the user and authorize (do you have permission to see this portion of an application?)

I am putting that code on every page, so when I make an update, it is very slow because all pages need updating.  What I would like to see is something like a package called Authentix (see it at flicks.com)  The only problem is that it can handle initial authentication, but it doesn't handle authorization.

I will keep this open for a little while to see if anyone else brainstorms about something that may be useful.

Thanks,
Jerod
I write session variables and everything is written in Fusebox.

After authentication,  a session variable is written to define authorization to each application.  The application is in its own folder and the index page has a simple if statement for authorization to that specific application.  If authorization fails, display the "no access, contact tech. dept." page.  
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Hi prairieits,
http://www.more.net/security/best/
just check that out... :D

Regards,
---Pinal
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