Module: Arrow::AppletAuthentication

Included in:
AccessControls
Defined in:
lib/arrow/appletmixins.rb

Overview

A collection of functions for abstracting authentication and authorization away from Arrow::Applets. Applets which include this module should provide implementations of at least the #get_authenticated_user method, and may provide implementations of other methods to tailor the authentication for their particular applet.

Customization API

[#get_authenticated_user]

Override this method to provide the particulars of your authentication system. The method is given the Arrow::Transaction object that wraps the incoming request, and should return whatever kind of “user” object they wish to use. The only requirement for a user object as far as this mixin is concerned is that it must have a #to_s method, so even a simple username in a String will suffice. If no authorization is possible, return nil, which will cause the #login_action to be invoked.

[#user_is_authorized]

Override this method to provide authorization checks of an authenticated user (the one returned from #get_authenticated_user) against the incoming request. If the user is authorized to run the action, return true, else return false. Failed authorization will cause the #deny_access_action to be invoked.

[#login_action]

Override this method if you wish to customize the login process. By default, this returns a response that prompts the client using Basic HTTP authentication.

[#logout_action]

Override this method if you wish to customize the logout process. By default, this declines the request, which will tell Apache to try to handle the request itself.

[#deny_access_action]

Override this method if you wish to customize what happens when the client sends a request for a resource they are not authorized to interact with. By default, this method returns a simple HTTP FORBIDDEN response.

VCS Id

$Id$

Authors

:include: LICENSE

–

Please see the file LICENSE in the top-level directory for licensing details.

Instance Method Summary collapse

Instance Method Details

#deny_access_action(txn, *args) ⇒ Object

Default AppletAuthentication API: provides a hook for applets which have some actions which require authorization to run; override this to provide a “Forbidden” page. By default, this just returns an HTTP FORBIDDEN response.



83
84
85
86
87
 
# File 'lib/arrow/appletmixins.rb', line 83

def deny_access_action( txn, *args )
	self.log.error "Unauthorized request for %s" % [ txn.uri ]
	txn.status = Apache::FORBIDDEN
	return "access denied"
end

#login_action(txn, *args) ⇒ Object

Default AppletAuthentication API: provides login functionality for actions that require authorization; override this to provide a login form. By default, this just returns an HTTP UNAUTHORIZED response.



63
64
65
66
67
68
 
# File 'lib/arrow/appletmixins.rb', line 63

def ( txn, *args )
	self.log.info "Prompting the client for authentication"
	# :TODO: This really needs to set the WWW-Authenticate header...
	txn.status = Apache::HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED
	return "this resource requires authentication"
end

#logout_action(txn, *args) ⇒ Object

Default AppletAuthentication API: provides login functionality for actions that require authorization; override this to customize the logout process. By default, this just returns nil, which will decline the request.



74
75
76
77
 
# File 'lib/arrow/appletmixins.rb', line 74

def logout_action( txn, *args )
	self.log.info "No logout action provided, passing the request off to the server"
	return Apache::DECLINED
end