In today’s digital age, it is common for users to access multiple applications and systems. However, having to remember and enter multiple usernames and passwords can be inconvenient and time-consuming. This is where Single Sign-On (SSO) comes to the rescue. SSO allows users to authenticate once and then access multiple applications without needing to re-enter credentials. In this blog post, we will explore how to implement SSO using Java JASPIC.

What is JASPIC?

JASPIC (Java Authentication Service Provider Interface for Containers) is a Java EE specification that defines a standard API allowing the integration of custom authentication mechanisms into Java EE containers. It enables developers to create custom authentication modules that can be seamlessly integrated with any Java EE-compliant container.

Implementing Single Sign-On using JASPIC

To implement SSO using JASPIC, we need to create a custom authentication module that handles the authentication process and propagates the authenticated user’s credentials to other applications within the same SSO session.

Here is an example of a custom JASPIC authentication module:

public class SSOAuthenticationModule implements ServerAuthModule {
  
  // Initialization methods
  
  @Override
  public void initialize(MessagePolicy requestPolicy, MessagePolicy responsePolicy, CallbackHandler handler, Map<String, ?> options) throws AuthException {
    // Initialization logic
  }
  
  // Other methods
  
  @Override
  public AuthStatus validateRequest(MessageInfo messageInfo, Subject clientSubject, Subject serviceSubject) throws AuthException {
    // Authenticate the request and populate the clientSubject
    // Save the clientSubject in the SSO session for future use
    
    return AuthStatus.SUCCESS;
  }
  
  @Override
  public AuthStatus secureResponse(MessageInfo messageInfo, Subject serviceSubject) throws AuthException {
    // Allow the response to be modified if necessary
   
    return AuthStatus.SEND_SUCCESS;
  }
  
  // Other methods
  
  @Override
  public Class[] getSupportedMessageTypes() {
    // Specify the supported message types
  }
}

In the above code, we have implemented the ServerAuthModule interface, which provides the necessary methods for authentication and authorization. The validateRequest method authenticates the incoming request and populates the clientSubject with the authenticated user’s credentials. The secureResponse method allows us to modify the response if needed.

Once the custom authentication module is implemented, we need to configure it in our Java EE container. The exact configuration steps may vary depending on the container you are using. However, the general process involves adding the authentication module to the container’s configuration file and specifying the desired security constraints.

Conclusion

Implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) using Java JASPIC provides a seamless authentication experience for users by allowing them to authenticate once and access multiple applications without re-entering credentials. By creating a custom authentication module, we can integrate SSO into our Java EE applications. JASPIC provides a standardized API, ensuring compatibility with Java EE-compliant containers.

#Java #SSO