servlet-security: Using Java EE Declarative Security to Control Access to Servlet 3

Author: Sherif F. Makary, Pedro Igor
Level: Intermediate
Technologies: Servlet, Security
Summary: Demonstrates how to use Java EE declarative security to control access to Servlet 3
Target Product: EAP
Product Versions: EAP 6.1, EAP 6.2
Source: https://github.com/jboss-developer/jboss-eap-quickstarts/

What is it?

This example demonstrates the use of Java EE declarative security to control access to Servlets and Security in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform.

When you deploy this example, two users are automatically created for you: user quickstartUser with password quickstartPwd1! and user guest with password guest. This data is located in the src/main/resources/import.sql file.

This quickstart takes the following steps to implement Servlet security:

1. Define a security domain in the standalone.xml configuration file using the Database JAAS LoginModule.

2. Add an application user with access rights to the application

    User Name: quickstartUser
    Password: quickstartPwd1!
    Role: quickstarts
   

3. Add another user with no access rights to the application.

    User Name: guest
    Password: guestPwd1!
    Role: notauthorized
   

4. Add a security domain reference to WEB-INF/jboss-web.xml.

5. Add a security constraint to the WEB-INF/web.xml .

6. Add a security annotation to the EJB declaration.

Please note the allowed user role quickstarts in the annotation -@RolesAllowed- is the same as the user role defined in step 2.

Note: This quickstart uses the H2 database included with JBoss EAP 6. It is a lightweight, relational example datasource that is used for examples only. It is not robust or scalable and should NOT be used in a production environment!

System requirements

The application this project produces is designed to be run on Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6.1 or later.

All you need to build this project is Java 6.0 (Java SDK 1.6) or later, Maven 3.0 or later.

Configure Maven

If you have not yet done so, you must Configure Maven before testing the quickstarts.

Add the Application Users

Using the add-user utility script, you must add the following users to the ApplicationRealm:

UserName	Realm	Password	Roles
quickstartUser	ApplicationRealm	quickstartPwd1!	quickstarts
guest	ApplicationRealm	guestPwd1!	notauthorized

The first application user has access rights to the application. The second application user is not authorized to access the application.

To add the application users, open a command prompt and type the following commands:

    For Linux:        
      JBOSS_HOME/bin/add-user.sh -a -u 'quickstartUser' -p 'quickstartPwd1!' -g 'guest'
      JBOSS_HOME/bin/add-user.sh -a -u 'guest' -p 'guestPwd1!' -g 'notauthorized'

    For Windows: 
      JBOSS_HOME\bin\add-user.bat  -a -u 'quickstartUser' -p 'quickstartPwd1!' -g 'guest'
      JBOSS_HOME\bin\add-user.bat -a -u 'guest' -p 'guestPwd1!' -g 'notauthorized'

If you prefer, you can use the add-user utility interactively. For an example of how to use the add-user utility, see instructions in the root README file located here: Add an Application User.

Define a Security Domain Using the Database JAAS Login Module

This quickstart authenticates users using a simple database setup. The datasource configuration is located in the /src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/servlet-security-quickstart-ds.xml file. You can configure the security domain by running the configure-security-domain.cli script provided in the root directory of this quickstart, by using the JBoss CLI interactively, or by manually editing the configuration file.

NOTE - Before you begin:

1. If it is running, stop the JBoss server.
2. Backup the file: JBOSS_HOME/standalone/configuration/standalone.xml
3. After you have completed testing this quickstart, you can replace this file to restore the server to its original configuration.

Configure the Security Domain by Running the JBoss CLI Script

1. Start the JBoss server by typing the following:

    For Linux:  JBOSS_HOME/bin/standalone.sh 
    For Windows:  JBOSS_HOME\bin\standalone.bat
   

2. Open a new command prompt, navigate to the root directory of this quickstart, and run the following command, replacing JBOSS_HOME with the path to your server:

    JBOSS_HOME/bin/jboss-cli.sh --connect --file=configure-security-domain.cli
   

This script adds the servlet-security-quickstart domain to the security subsystem in the server configuration and configures authentication access. You should see the following result when you run the script:

    #1 /subsystem=security/security-domain=servlet-security-quickstart:add(cache-type=default)
    #2 /subsystem=security/security-domain=servlet-security-quickstart/authentication=classic:add(login-modules=[{"code"=>"Database", "flag"=>"required", "module-options"=>[("dsJndiName"=>"java:jboss/datasources/ServletSecurityDS"),("principalsQuery"=>"SELECT PASSWORD FROM USERS WHERE USERNAME = ?"), ("rolesQuery"=>"SELECT R.NAME, 'Roles' FROM USERS_ROLES UR INNER JOIN ROLES R ON R.ID = UR.ROLE_ID INNER JOIN USERS U ON U.ID = UR.USER_ID WHERE U.USERNAME = ?")]}])
    The batch executed successfully.
    {"outcome" => "success"}

Configure the Security Domain Using the JBoss CLI Interactively

1. Start the JBoss server by typing the following:

    For Linux:  JBOSS_HOME/bin/standalone.sh 
    For Windows:  JBOSS_HOME\bin\standalone.bat 
   

2. To start the JBoss CLI tool, open a new command prompt, navigate to the JBOSS_HOME directory, and type the following:

    For Linux: bin/jboss-cli.sh --connect
    For Windows: bin\jboss-cli.bat --connect
   

3. At the prompt, type each of the following commands. After each one, you should see a response with the first line "outcome" => "success".

    /subsystem=security/security-domain=servlet-security-quickstart/:add(cache-type=default)
   
    /subsystem=security/security-domain=servlet-security-quickstart/authentication=classic:add(login-modules=[{"code"=>"Database", "flag"=>"required", "module-options"=>[("dsJndiName"=>"java:jboss/datasources/ServletSecurityDS"),("principalsQuery"=>"SELECT PASSWORD FROM USERS WHERE USERNAME = ?"), ("rolesQuery"=>"SELECT R.NAME, 'Roles' FROM USERS_ROLES UR INNER JOIN ROLES R ON R.ID = UR.ROLE_ID INNER JOIN USERS U ON U.ID = UR.USER_ID WHERE U.USERNAME = ?")]}])
   
    /:reload
   

Configure the Security Domain by Manually Editing the Server Configuration File

1. If it is running, stop the JBoss server.

2. Backup the file: JBOSS_HOME/standalone/configuration/standalone.xml

3. Open the JBOSS_HOME/standalone/configuration/standalone.xml file in an editor and locate the subsystem urn:jboss:domain:security.

4. Add the following XML to the :

   <security-domain name="servlet-security-quickstart" cache-type="default">
         <authentication>
     	    <login-module code="Database" flag="required">
       	      <module-option name="dsJndiName" value="java:jboss/datasources/ServletSecurityDS"/>
               <module-option name="principalsQuery" value="SELECT PASSWORD FROM USERS WHERE USERNAME = ?"/>
               <module-option name="rolesQuery" value="SELECT R.NAME, 'Roles' FROM USERS_ROLES UR INNER JOIN ROLES R ON R.ID = UR.ROLE_ID INNER JOIN USERS U ON U.ID = UR.USER_ID WHERE U.USERNAME = ?"/>
           </login-module>
       </authentication>
   </security-domain>
   

Please note that the security domain name servlet-security-quickstart must match the one defined in the /src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/jboss-web.xml file.

Start the JBoss Server

1. Open a command prompt and navigate to the root of the JBoss server directory.

2. The following shows the command line to start the server:

    For Linux:   JBOSS_HOME/bin/standalone.sh
    For Windows: JBOSS_HOME\bin\standalone.bat
   

Build and Deploy the Quickstart

NOTE: The following build command assumes you have configured your Maven user settings. If you have not, you must include Maven setting arguments on the command line. See Build and Deploy the Quickstarts for complete instructions and additional options.

1. Make sure you have started the JBoss Server as described above.

2. Open a command prompt and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

3. Type this command to build and deploy the archive:

    mvn clean install jboss-as:deploy
   

4. This will deploy target/jboss-servlet-security.war to the running instance of the server.

Access the Application

The application will be running at the following URL http://localhost:8080/jboss-servlet-security/.

When you access the application, you should get a browser login challenge.

Log in using the username quickstartUser and password quickstartPwd1!. The browser will display the following security info:

Successfully called Secured Servlet

Principal : quickstartUser
Remote User : quickstartUser
Authentication Type : BASIC

Now close the browser. Open a new browser and log in with username guest and password guestPwd1!. The browser will display the following error:

    HTTP Status 403 - Access to the requested resource has been denied

    type Status report
    message Access to the requested resource has been denied
    description Access to the specified resource (Access to the requested resource has been denied) has been forbidden.

Server Log: Expected warnings and errors

Note: You will see the following warning in the server log. You can ignore this warning.

    HHH000431: Unable to determine H2 database version, certain features may not work

Undeploy the Archive

1. Make sure you have started the JBoss Server as described above.

2. Open a command prompt and navigate to the root directory of this quickstart.

3. When you are finished testing, type this command to undeploy the archive:

    mvn jboss-as:undeploy
   

Remove the Security Domain Configuration

You can remove the security domain configuration by running the remove-security-domain.cli script provided in the root directory of this quickstart or by manually restoring the back-up copy the configuration file.

Remove the Security Domain Configuration by Running the JBoss CLI Script

1. Start the JBoss server by typing the following:

    For Linux:  JBOSS_HOME_SERVER_1/bin/standalone.sh
    For Windows:  JBOSS_HOME_SERVER_1\bin\standalone.bat
   

2. Open a new command prompt, navigate to the root directory of this quickstart, and run the following command, replacing JBOSS_HOME with the path to your server:

    JBOSS_HOME/bin/jboss-cli.sh --connect --file=remove-security-domain.cli 
   

This script removes the test queue from the messaging subsystem in the server configuration. You should see the following result when you run the script:

    #1 /subsystem=security/security-domain=quickstart-domain:remove
    The batch executed successfully.
    {"outcome" => "success"}

Remove the Security Domain Configuration Manually

1. If it is running, stop the JBoss server.
2. Replace the JBOSS_HOME/standalone/configuration/standalone.xml file with the back-up copy of the file.

Run the Quickstart in JBoss Developer Studio or Eclipse

You can also start the server and deploy the quickstarts from Eclipse using JBoss tools. For more information, see Use JBoss Developer Studio or Eclipse to Run the Quickstarts

Debug the Application

If you want to debug the source code or look at the Javadocs of any library in the project, run either of the following commands to pull them into your local repository. The IDE should then detect them.

  mvn dependency:sources
  mvn dependency:resolve -Dclassifier=javadoc