Authorization and roles

IDM provides role-based authorization that restricts direct HTTP access to REST interface URLs. This access control applies to direct HTTP calls only. Access for internal calls (for example, calls from scripts) is not affected by this mechanism.

When a user authenticates, the user is given a set of default roles, as described in Authentication and Roles. The authorization configuration grants access rights to users, based on these roles acquired during authentication.

You can use internal and managed roles to restrict access, with the following caveats:

Internal roles are not meant to be provisioned or synchronized with external systems.
Internal roles cannot be given assignments.
Event scripts (such as onCreate) cannot be attached to internal roles.
The internal role schema is not configurable.

Authorization roles are referenced in a user’s authzRoles property by default, and are assigned when the user authenticates.

By default, managed users are assigned the openidm-authorized role when they authenticate. The following request shows the authorization roles for user psmith when that user logs in to the server:

curl \
--header "X-OpenIDM-Username: psmith" \
--header "X-OpenIDM-Password: Passw0rd" \
--header "Accept-API-Version: resource=1.0" \
--cacert ca-cert.pem \
--request GET \
"https://<tenant-env-fqdn>/openidm/info/login"
{
  "_id": "login",
  "authenticationId": "psmith",
  "authorization": {
    "userRolesProperty": "authzRoles",
    "component": "managed/realm-name_user",
    "authLogin": false,
    "authenticationIdProperty": "username",
    "roles": [
      "internal/role/openidm-authorized"
    ],
    "ipAddress": "0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1",
    "authenticationId": "psmith",
    "protectedAttributeList": [
      "password"
    ],
    "id": "psmith",
    "moduleId": "MANAGED_USER",
    "queryId": "credential-query"
  }
}

The authorization implementation is configured in two files:

openidm/bin/defaults/script/router-authz.js
project-dir/conf/access.json

IDM calls the router-authz.js script for each request. router-authz.js references your project’s access configuration file (access.json) to determine the allowed HTTP requests. If access is denied, according to the configuration defined in access.json, the router-authz.js script throws an exception, and IDM denies the request.

In addition, the router.json file also defines onResponse relationshipFilter filters. This provides additional filtering to ensure that the user has the appropriate access to see the data of the related object. You can change this behavior by extending or updating /bin/defaults/script/relationshipFilter.js, or by removing the onResponse script if you don’t want additional filtering on relationships. For more information about relationships, refer to Relationships between objects.

You can configure delegated administration to bypass this access control.

The router authorization script

The router authorization script (router-authz.js contains a number of functions that enforce access rules. For example, the following function controls whether users with a certain role can start a specified process:

function isAllowedToStartProcess() {
    var processDefinitionId = request.content._processDefinitionId;
    var key = request.content._key;
    return isProcessOnUsersList(function (process) {
        return (process._id === processDefinitionId) || (process.key === key);
    });
}

You can extend the default authorization mechanism by defining additional functions in router-authz.js and by creating new access control rules in access.json.

Some authorization-related functions in router-authz.js should not be altered, because they affect the security of the server. Such functions are indicated in the comments in that file.

Configure access control in `access.json`

The access.json configuration includes a set of rules that govern access to specific endpoints. These rules are tested in the order in which they appear in the file. You can define more than one rule for the same endpoint. If one rule passes, the request is allowed. If all the rules fail, the request is denied.

The following rule (from a default access.json file) shows the access configuration structure:

{
    "pattern"   : "system/*",
    "roles"     : "internal/role/openidm-admin",
    "methods"   : "action",
    "actions"   : "test,testConfig,createconfiguration,liveSync,authenticate"
}

This rule specifies that users with the openidm-admin role can perform the listed actions on all system endpoints.

The parameters in each access rule are as follows:

pattern

The REST endpoint for which access is being controlled. "*" specifies access to all endpoints in that path. For example, "managed/realm-name_user/*" specifies access to all managed user objects.

roles: A comma-separated list of the roles to which this access configuration applies.

The roles referenced here align with the object’s security context (security.authorization.roles). The authzRoles relationship property of a managed user produces this security context value during authentication.
methods: A comma-separated list of the methods that can be performed with this access. Methods can include create, read, update, delete, patch, action, query. A value of "*" indicates that all methods are allowed. A value of "" indicates that no methods are allowed.
actions: A comma-separated list of the allowed actions. The possible actions depend on the resource (URL) that is being exposed. Note that the actions in the default access.json file do not list all the supported actions on each resource.

A value of "*" indicates that all actions exposed for that resource are allowed. A value of "" indicates that no actions are allowed.
customAuthz: An optional parameter that lets you define a custom function for additional authorization checks. Custom functions are defined in router-authz.js .
excludePatterns: An optional parameter that lets you specify endpoints to which access should not be granted.

Change the access configuration over REST

You can manage the access configuration at the endpoint openidm/config/access. To change an access rule, first get the current access configuration, amend it to change the access rule, then submit the updated configuration in a PUT request. This example restricts access to the info endpoint to users who have authenticated:

Get the current access configuration

curl \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
--header "Accept-API-Version: resource=1.0"  \
--request GET \
"https://<tenant-env-fqdn>/openidm/config/access"
{
  "_id": "access",
  "configs": [
    {
      "pattern": "info/*",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "authentication",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "login,logout"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "identityProviders",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "getAuthRedirect,handlePostAuth,getLogoutUrl"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "identityProviders",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "normalizeProfile"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "identityProviders",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "config/ui/themeconfig",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "info/uiconfig",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "config/selfservice/kbaConfig",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled(['registration', 'passwordReset'])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "config/ui/dashboard",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "info/features",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "query",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "privilege",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "listPrivileges"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "privilege/*",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/registration",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('registration')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/socialUserClaim",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('registration')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/reset",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('passwordReset')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/username",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('retrieveUsername')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/profile",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/termsAndConditions",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/kbaUpdate",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "submitRequirements"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "policy/*",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "validateObject",
      "customAuthz": "context.current.name === 'selfservice'"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "policy/selfservice/registration",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action,read",
      "actions": "validateObject",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('registration')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "policy/selfservice/reset",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action,read",
      "actions": "validateObject",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('passwordReset')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/kba",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('kba')"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-reg",
      "methods": "create",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled('registration') && isSelfServiceRequest() && onlyEditableManagedObjectProperties('user', [])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "query",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled(['registration', 'retrieveUsername', 'passwordReset']) && isSelfServiceRequest()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user/*",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled(['retrieveUsername', 'passwordReset']) && isSelfServiceRequest()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user/*",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "patch,action",
      "actions": "patch",
      "customAuthz": "(checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled(['registration', 'passwordReset']) || checkIfProgressiveProfileIsEnabled()) && isSelfServiceRequest() && onlyEditableManagedObjectProperties('user', [])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "external/email",
      "roles": "*",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "send",
      "customAuthz": "checkIfAnyFeatureEnabled(['registration', 'retrieveUsername', 'passwordReset']) && isSelfServiceRequest()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "schema/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "consent",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "action,query",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "*",
      "actions": "*",
      "excludePatterns": "repo,repo/*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "system/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "create,read,update,delete,patch,query",
      "actions": ""
    },
    {
      "pattern": "system/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "script",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "system/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "test,testConfig,createconfiguration,liveSync,authenticate"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "repo",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "*",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "disallowCommandAction()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "repo/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "*",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "disallowCommandAction()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "repo/link",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-admin",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "command",
      "customAuthz": "request.additionalParameters.commandId === 'delete-mapping-links'"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "create,read,query,patch"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "internal/role/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read,query"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "profile/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "create,read,action,update",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "policy/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "schema/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "consent",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "action,query",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/kba",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/terms",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "identityProviders",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "read"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "external/email",
      "roles": "internal/role/platform-provisioning",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "sendTemplate"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "policy/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read,action",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "config/ui/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "authentication",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "reauthenticate"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read,action,delete",
      "actions": "bind,unbind",
      "customAuthz": "ownDataOnly()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "update,patch,action",
      "actions": "patch",
      "customAuthz": "ownDataOnly() && onlyEditableManagedObjectProperties('user', []) && reauthIfProtectedAttributeChange()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "selfservice/user/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "patch,action",
      "actions": "patch",
      "customAuthz": "(request.resourcePath === 'selfservice/user/' + context.security.authorization.id) && onlyEditableManagedObjectProperties('user', [])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "endpoint/getprocessesforuser",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "endpoint/gettasksview",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "query",
      "actions": "*"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "workflow/taskinstance/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "complete",
      "customAuthz": "isMyTask()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "workflow/taskinstance/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read,update",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "canUpdateTask()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "workflow/processinstance",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "create",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "isAllowedToStartProcess()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "workflow/processdefinition/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "*",
      "actions": "read",
      "customAuthz": "isOneOfMyWorkflows()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-cert",
      "methods": "patch,action",
      "actions": "patch",
      "customAuthz": "isQueryOneOf({'managed/realm-name_user': ['for-userName']}) && restrictPatchToFields(['password'])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "internal/usermeta/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "ownRelationship()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "internal/notification/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read,delete",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "ownRelationship()"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/realm-name_user/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read,query",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "ownRelationshipCollection(['idps','_meta','_notifications'])"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "notification",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "action",
      "actions": "deleteNotificationsForTarget",
      "customAuthz": "request.additionalParameters.target === (context.security.authorization.component + '/' + context.security.authorization.id)"
    },
    {
      "pattern": "managed/*",
      "roles": "internal/role/openidm-authorized",
      "methods": "read",
      "actions": "*",
      "customAuthz": "ownIDP()"
    }
  ]
}

Replace the Access Configuration

curl \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
--header "Content-type: application/json" \
--header "Accept-API-Version: resource=1.0"  \
--request PUT \
--data '{
  "_id": "access",
  "configs": complete-configuration} ]
}' \
"https://<tenant-env-fqdn>/openidm/config/access"
{
  "_id": "access",
  "configs": complete-configuration} ]
}

Grant internal authorization roles manually

Apart from the default roles that users get when they authenticate, you can grant internal authorization roles manually, over REST or using the IDM admin UI. This mechanism works in the same way as the granting of managed roles. For information about granting managed roles, refer to Grant Roles to a User. To grant an internal role manually through the IDM admin UI:

From the navigation bar, click Manage > User, and click a user.
From the Authorization Roles tab, click Add Authorization Roles.
Select Internal Role as the Type, click in the Authorization Roles field to select from the list of defined Internal Roles, and click Add.

To manually grant an internal role over REST, add a reference to the internal role to the user’s authzRoles property. The following command adds the openidm-admin role to user bjensen (with ID 9dce06d4-2fc1-4830-a92b-bd35c2f6bcbb):

curl \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
--header "Accept-API-Version: resource=1.0" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--cacert ca-cert.pem \
--request PATCH \
--data '[
  {
    "operation": "add",
    "field": "/authzRoles/-",
    "value": {"_ref" : "internal/role/openidm-admin"}
  }
]' \
"https://<tenant-env-fqdn>/openidm/managed/realm-name_user/9dce06d4-2fc1-4830-a92b-bd35c2f6bcbb"
{
  "_id": "9dce06d4-2fc1-4830-a92b-bd35c2f6bcbb",
  "_rev": "0000000050c62938",
  "mail": "bjensen@example.com",
  "givenName": "Barbara",
  "sn": "Jensen",
  "description": "Created By CSV",
  "userName": "bjensen",
  "telephoneNumber": "1234567",
  "accountStatus": "active",
  "effectiveRoles": [],
  "effectiveAssignments": []
}

You can also grant internal roles dynamically using conditional role grants.

Because internal roles are not managed objects, you cannot manipulate them in the same way as managed roles. Therefore, you cannot add a user to an internal role, as you would to a managed role.

To add users directly to an internal role, add the users as values of the role’s authzMembers property. For example:

curl \
--header "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--cacert ca-cert.pem \
--request POST \
--data '{"_ref":"managed/realm-name_user/bjensen"}' \
"https://<tenant-env-fqdn>/openidm/internal/role/3042798d-37fd-49aa-bae3-52598d2c8dc4/authzMembers?_action=create"

PingOne Advanced Identity Cloud

Authorization and roles

The router authorization script

Configure access control in access.json

Change the access configuration over REST

Grant internal authorization roles manually

Configure access control in `access.json`