Home > Articles

Security

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Authentication Methods

In IIS 4 and 5, a number of authentication solutions were available. The primary methods were those that integrated into the local- or domain-based user/password systems.

Although time has moved on, there aren't many new mechanisms available to us that provide additional authentication solutions. The original built-in systems still exist—anonymous authentication, basic authentication, integrated windows authentication, and digest authentication. As before, IIS will also authenticate users who it can identify as being within the AD.

Two new authentication systems are available in IIS 6, however—Passport Integration and Constrained/Delegated Authentication. The former is designed as an alternative to the existing mechanisms. The latter is a new way of assigning authentication credentials to an application so that it can communicate with other servers or backend services, such as SQL databases in the process of processing a request.

A third authentication system is available programmatically through the ASP.NET Web service extension. This provides mechanisms to authenticate a user for an application and provides pass through facilities to the Windows and AD authentication systems and the new Passport system.

Web Resource

For a tutorial on setting security based on the hosts visiting your sites, go to the Delta Guide series Web site at http://www.deltaguideseries.com and enter article ID# A020303.

Passport Integration

We are generally used to the idea of Single Sign On (SSO) within the office environment—you log in to your Windows machine, and this provides you with access to all the servers, Intranet sites, and email services, for example. But what happens when we extend that to the Internet?

Piles of Passwords

I know I have a lot of passwords and login information across a range of Web sites—but it would be much more convenient if I could just use the same login and password, in a secure fashion, to gain me access to the sites I use regularly.

This is the point of Passport—a central Web site that holds credential and user information which can then be shared among other participating sites. IIS 6 incorporates the capability to communicate directly with the Passport system and authenticate your users through their Passport identities.

You can enable Passport authentication on Web sites served by your own IIS implementations by selecting the .NET Passport authentication. When a user connects to your Web site, IIS will look for a Passport cookie with the user's Passport identity. If the user has a cookie, he is redirected to the main Passport.net site to have his password verified. Once he has logged in correctly, he will be redirected back to the original URL. If he doesn't have a cookie, he is prompted to create one on the Passport site.

Passport and Other Authentication Types

Passport cannot be used in conjunction with other authorization types because Passport operates with cookies rather than the standard HTTP-based authorization system. Therefore, you can only configure a site or directory to support Passport or any other authorization system combination, but not both.

If you need to provide specific access to an area of your site through Passport, you can map users within your Active Directory domain to a known Passport user, and then use the standard security controls and access control lists, merely using Passport as a login mechanism.

Passport Requires Effort!

Passport isn't something you can casually turn on and start using. You will need to become an official Passport Web Site, which involves paying fees to Microsoft and implementing special software. It can take several weeks or more to get fully integrated with Passport, and fees can run into several thousands of dollars per year.

Constrained, Delegated Authentication

If you are supporting a distributed application or are using remote UNC paths to support a local Web service, it's important to be able to retain security between the machines running these services to prevent malicious use or accidental failures causing serious problems.

Windows Server 2003 introduces a system of constrained, delegated authentication. This enables a user to be given access to specific types of services on specific servers as if he were accessing the system locally. Essentially, the primary server—that is, the IIS service—masquerades as the user.

The two recommendations to the use of constrained, delegated authentication according to Microsoft are as follows:

  • Delegation should not enable a server to connect on behalf of the client to any resource in the domain/forest. This is the constrained portion of the system; it defines that users (and servers supporting user access) should be granted access only to specific services—for example, to the SQL service on a given server—rather than to a SQL service on any server, or any service on any server.

  • Delegation should not require the client to share its credentials with the server. This reduces the chances of malicious attacks by enabling the communication to take place without actually exchanging user and password information, removing the ability to snoop and collect the credentials data.

To configure servers to use the constrained, delegated authentication system, you must configure individual server affiliations through the Active Directory Users and Computers tool by setting server and authentication systems.

You can get more information on the steps required to enable authentication at the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Deployment guide; the URL for the relevant page is http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/deploy/confeat/remstorg.asp.

ASP.NET Based Authentication

For authentication within an application, IIS 6 and ASP.NET provide three main forms of authentication system supported by a number of authentication providers within the ASP.NET system:

  • Windows authentication—This uses the authentication provided by the standard IIS 6 authentication mechanisms and interface (that is, digest, integrated, and so on).

  • Passport authentication—Works just like the integrated IIS-based Passport authentication system, but because it can be built into an ASP application, you can provide a friendlier interface.

  • Forms-based authentication—Enables a developer to use a standard ASP form to request credentials that can then be authenticated through the standard mechanisms or a built-in solution.

ASP.NET applications can directly make use of this authentication, and in turn the information can be used with the authorization system.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020