6. Controlling the Login

Controlling the Login

WOW allows users to login using different security schemes. This is important for applications that require different forms of user authentication.

Sign On Types

• • HTTP Referrer

  • Local Users Only

  • Local Users Only or Operation System Profile

  • Operating System Profile - Users are required to sign on with a user ID and password before using the application. The user ID and password must be recognized by the database or operating system. The actual database access does not use this user ID, it uses the one specified in the connection definition.

  • Personal Connection Pool - The Personal Connection Pool sign on validates a user ID and password against the database, much like the Operating System Profile sign on. However, when an application uses the Personal Connection Pool sign on method, all database accesses by that application will be tied to the profile of whichever user has signed onto the application and requested that database access. All other sign on methods use a shared pool of database connections when accessing the database – this can significantly improve performance but means that the database cannot determine which particular user is accessing it, only which application is doing the access. This sign on type should be selected when the database needs to know which user is accessing it.

  • SQL Operation - Users must provide authentication information based upon the fields specified in an SQL operation. A logical choice for these fields would be the user ID and password; however, this option allows increased flexibility in that you can choose any field in a file to authenticate against. For example, you may use a single PIN field instead of the standard user ID and password combination.

  • Unsecured Sign On - Users are not required to sign on to the application – anyone who knows the application’s URL can use it. This is the default selection.

  • User List Sign On

  • Operating System Plus Operation Filtered Authentication - Databases and Operating Systems commonly have advanced facilities for managing users and passwords. Passwords in particular require special encryptions, change policies, number of characters, and other special processing. WOW applications commonly require user authentication using operating system or database user profiles but then further restrict application access to a subset of users.

  • LDAP Sign On

  • LDAP Plus Operation Sign On

  • Google Sign On

For more information on sign-on security, see Section 42 on WOW Security Protocols.