This is a sample to use JAAS authentication with a windows active directory server. I use a Sun Java System Application Server, so the steps with other servers could be different.

Step 1: Defining LDAP realm

In this example you must define a LDAP realm named «ads-realm» with the following parameters:

Realm class:

com.sun.enterprise.security.auth.realm.ldap.LDAPReam

Properties:

directory            = ldap://ads.host.name:389
base-dn              = DC=ads,DC=domain,DC=com
search-bind-dn       = user
search-bind-password = password
search-filter        = (&(objectClass=user)(sAMAccountName=%s))
group-search-filter  = (&(objectClass=group)(member=%d))
jaas-context         = ldapRealm

You must change directory, base-dn, search-bind-dn and search-bind-password to your active directory configuration. The «search-bind-dn» and «search-bind-password» parameters are needed, because with default settings active directory doesn’t allow anonymous users to browse the directory.

Step 2: Setting the following JVM Switch for refferals

The following JVM switch is needed with active directory LDAP servers:

-Djava.naming.referral=follow

Add this switch to your server startup script or with the admin console.

Step 3a: Basic authentication

Add the following section to your web.xml or go to Step 3b for form
based authentication.

  BASIC
  ads-realm

Step 3b: Form based authentication

Add the following section to your web.xml:

  FORM
  ads-realm
  
    /login.html
    /login.html
  

Create the page /login.html with a least the following code:

  
  
    

      Username: 

      Password: 

      
    
  

Step 4: Adding security role to web.xml

Add at least one security role to your web.xml, in this example «userRole».

  userRole

Step 5: Adding security constraint to web.xml

Now we must create a security constraint and the path to the pages we want to allow only authenticated access. In this sample the access to the folder /pages/ is resticted to authenticated users in role «userRole».

  SecurityConstraint
  
    SecuredFolder
      /pages/*
    
    
      userRole
    
  
    NONE
  

Step 6: Create role mapping between active directory group and role

Role mappings are defined in sun-web.xml for the Sun Java System Application Server, so add the following section:

  userRole
  users

This maps the active directory group «users» to our role «userRole»,
so only users in the group «users» can access our secured folder.