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WebSphere Application Server - IBM Redbooks

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Note: <strong>WebSphere</strong> <strong>Application</strong> <strong>Server</strong> - Express can only secure components<br />

that it owns. In many instances, you will be providing an HTML interface into<br />

your applications using an external Web server. Any static pages that are<br />

served from the Web server must be protected using Web server related<br />

security mechanisms. These mechanisms are transparent to the <strong>WebSphere</strong><br />

<strong>Application</strong> <strong>Server</strong> - Express.<br />

16.3 Authenticating users<br />

Authentication is the process of identifying a user and determining whether the<br />

user is who he claims to be. This is typically the first security check done in a<br />

Web application, and is done by collecting a user ID and password from the user<br />

and comparing that to a user registry. The login ID becomes the principal used in<br />

future authorization actions.<br />

► Basic authentication<br />

The user is challenged and must enter a user ID and password. The user ID<br />

and password are encoded by the browser and included in the HTTP request<br />

to the server. If you select basic authentication, Express <strong>Application</strong> <strong>Server</strong><br />

provides the login forms and authenticates using the operating system<br />

security.<br />

► Form-based authentication<br />

This method allows the developer to control the authentication process. This<br />

means that whenever a resource is accessed and authentication is required,<br />

your form will be used to collect and process the login information. By default,<br />

the user ID and password values supplied by the end user are transmitted in<br />

clear text as parameter values in the HTTP request. To secure the user<br />

information during transmission, this channel should be encrypted.<br />

Note: For any type of authentication to take place, you must have enabled<br />

<strong>WebSphere</strong> security and secured at least one resource.<br />

The authentication method is configured in the Web deployment descriptor under<br />

the Pages tab.<br />

Chapter 16. Security 553

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