PDP

The Decorator Pattern

~ Ray Sinnema ~ Leave a comment

decoratingOne design pattern that I don’t see being used very often is Decorator.

I’m not sure why this pattern isn’t more popular, as it’s quite handy.

The Decorator pattern allows one to add functionality to an object in a controlled manner. This works at runtime, even with statically typed languages!

The decorator pattern is an alternative to subclassing. Subclassing adds behavior at compile time, and the change affects all instances of the original class; decorating can provide new behavior at run-time for individual objects.

The Decorator pattern is a good tool for adhering to the open/closed principle.

Some examples may show the value of this pattern.

Example 1: HTTP Authentication

Imagine an HTTP client, for example one that talks to a RESTful service.

Some parts of the service are publicly accessible, but some require the user to log in. The RESTful service responds with a 401 Unauthorized status code when the client tries to access a protected resource.

Changing the client to handle the 401 leads to duplication, since every call could potentially require authentication. So we should extract the authentication code into one place. Where would that place be, though?

Here’s where the Decorator pattern comes in:

public class AuthenticatingHttpClient
    implements HttpClient {

  private final HttpClient wrapped;

  public AuthenticatingHttpClient(HttpClient wrapped) {
    this.wrapped = wrapped;
  }

  @Override
  public Response execute(Request request) {
    Response response = wrapped.execute(request);
    if (response.getStatusCode() == 401) {
      authenticate();
      response = wrapped.execute(request);
    }
    return response;
  }

  protected void authenticate() {
    // ...
  }

}

A REST client now never has to worry about authentication, since the AuthenticatingHttpClient handles that.

Example 2: Caching Authorization Decisions

OK, so the user has logged in, and the REST server knows her identity. It may decide to allow access to a certain resource to one person, but not to another.

IOW, it may implement authorization, perhaps using XACML. In that case, a Policy Decision Point (PDP) is responsible for deciding on access requests.

Checking permissions it often expensive, especially when the permissions become more fine-grained and the access policies more complex. Since access policies usually don’t change very often, this is a perfect candidate for caching.

This is another instance where the Decorator pattern may come in handy:

public class CachingPdp implements Pdp {

  private final Pdp wrapped;

  public CachingPdp(Pdp wrapped) {
    this.wrapped = wrapped;
  }

  @Override
  public ResponseContext decide(
      RequestContext request) {
    ResponseContext response = getCached(request);
    if (response == null) {
      response = wrapped.decide(request);
      cache(request, response);
    }
    return response;
  }

  protected ResponseContext getCached(
      RequestContext request) {
    // ...
  }

  protected void cache(RequestContext request, 
      ResponseContext response) {
    // ...
  }

}

As you can see, the code is very similar to the first example, which is why we call this a pattern.

As you may have guessed from these two examples, the Decorator pattern is really useful for implementing cross-cutting concerns, like the security features of authentication, authorization, and auditing, but that’s certainly not the only place where it shines.

If you look carefully, I’m sure you’ll be able to spot many more opportunities for putting this pattern to work.

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Using a Layered XACML Architecture to Implement Retention

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A previous post showed how the security principle of segmentation led to a small adaption of the XACML architecture for use in the cloud.

This post shows how a similar adaptation may be required on-premise.

Segmentation of Retention and Regular Access Control Policies

Even when we don’t live in a cloud world, there may be reasons for segmentation. Take records management, for instance.

Any piece of data that is marked as a record, may not be deleted until after the end of the retention period (at which point it must be deleted).

This is an access control policy that clearly takes precedence over the regular policies.

A similar situation exists with legal holds.

While it’s certainly possible to achieve that with various policy sets and clever policy combining, the principle of segmentation encourages us to take a different approach. We would like to physically separate the policies into different layers, so that they can never interfere with each other.

Segmenting XACML Policies Using Layered Policy Decision Points

We can create a layered Policy Decision Point (PDP) that wraps smaller PDPs that each deal with a single type of access control policies.

The PDP with retention policies is asked for a decision first. When the decision is NotApplicable it means the resource being accessed is not under retention, and the decision is forwarded to the next PDP, which uses regular access control policies.

The retention policies will probably require a PIP to look up resource attributes, like is-under-retention.

Segmentation Implementation Patterns

While the multi-tenant XACML architecture was an example of a dispatching mechanism, the layered architecture is an example of the Chain of Responsibility pattern.

Supporting Multiple XACML Representations

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We’re in the process of registering an XML media type for the eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML). Simultaneously, the XACML Technical Committee is working on a JSON format.

Both media types are useful in the context of another committee effort, the REST profile. This post explains what benefit these profiles will bring once approved, and how to support them in clients and servers.

Media Types Support Content Negotiation

With the REST profile, any application can communicate with a Policy Decision Point (PDP) in a RESTful manner. The media types make it possible to communicate with such a PDP in a manner that is most convenient for the client, using a process called content negotiation.

For instance, a web application that is mainly implemented in JavaScript may prefer to use JSON for communication with the PDP, to avoid having to bring in infrastructure to deal with XML.

Content negotiation is not just a convenience feature, however. It also facilitates evolution.

A server with many clients that understand 2.0 may start also serving 3.0, for instance. The older clients stay functional using 2.0, whereas newer clients can communicate in 3.0 syntax with the same server.

This avoids having to upgrade all the clients at the same time as the server.

So how does a server that supports multiple versions and/or formats know which one to serve to a particular client? The answer is the Accept HTTP header. For instance, a client can send Accept: application/xacml+xml; version=2.0 to get an XACML 2.0 XML format, or Accept: application/xacml+json; version=3.0 to get an XACML 3.0 JSON answer.

The value for the Accept header is a list of media types that are acceptable to the client, in decreasing order of precedence. For instance, a new client could prefer 3.0, but still work with older servers that only support 2.0 by sending Accept: application/xacml+xml; version=3.0, application/xacml+xml; version=2.0.

Supporting Multiple Versions and Formats

So there is value for both servers and clients to support multiple versions and/or formats. Now how does one go about implementing this? The short answer is: using indirection.

The longer answer is to make an abstraction for the version/format combination. We’ll dub this abstraction a representation.

For instance, an XACML request is really not much more than a collection of categorized attributes, while a response is basically a collection of results.

Instead of working with, say, the XACML 3.0 XML form of a request, the client or server code should work with the abstract representation. For each version/format combination, you then add a parser and a builder.

The parser reads the concrete syntax and creates the abstract representation from it. Conversely, the builder takes the abstract representation and converts it to the desired concrete syntax.

In many cases, you can re-use parts of the parsers and builders between representations. For instance, all the XML formats of XACML have in common that they require XML parsing/serialization.

In a design like this, no code ever needs to be modified when a new version of the specification or a new serialization format comes out. All you have to do is add a parser and a builder, and all the other code can stay the way it is.

The only exception is when a new version introduces new capabilities and your code wants to use those. In that case, you probably must also change the abstract representation to accommodate the new functionality.

XACML Vendor: Axiomatics

~ Ray Sinnema ~ 1 Comment

This is the second in a series of posts where I interview XACML vendors. This time it’s Axiomatics’ turn. Their CTO Erik Rissanen is editor of the XACML 3.0 specification.

Why does the world need XACML? What benefits do your customers realize?

The world needs a standardized way to externalize authorization processing from the rest of the application logic – this is where the XACML standard comes in. Customers have different requirements for implementing externalized authorization and, therefore, can derive different benefits.

Here are some of the key benefits we have seen for customers:

  • The ability to share sensitive data with customers, partners and supply chain members
  • Implement fine grained authorization at every level of the application – presentation, application, middleware and data tiers
  • Deploy applications with clearly audit-able access control
  • Build and deploy applications and services faster than the competition
  • Move workloads more easily to the most efficient compute, storage or data capacity
  • Protect access to applications and resources regardless of where they are hosted
  • Implement access control consistently across all layers of an application as well as across application environments deployed on different platforms
  • Exploit dynamic access controls that are much more flexible than roles

What products do you have in the XACML space?

Axiomatics has three core products today:

  • The Axiomatics Policy Server which is a modular XACML-driven authorization server. It fully implements XACML 2.0 and XACML 3.0 and respects the XACML architecture.
  • The Axiomatics Policy Auditor which is a web-based product administrators and business users alike can use to analyze XACML policies to identify security gaps or create a list of entitlements. Generally, the auditor helps answer the question “How can an access be granted?”
  • The Axiomatics Reverse Query takes on a novel approach to authorization. Where one typically creates binary requests (Can Alice do this?) and the Axiomatics Policy Server would reply with a Yes or No, the Axiomatics Reverse Query helps invert the process to tackle the list question. We have noticed that our customers sometimes want to know the list of users that have access to an application or the list of resources a given user can access. This is what we call the list question or reverse querying.
    The Axiomatics Reverse Query is an SDK that requires integration with a given application. With this in mind, Axiomatics engineering have developed extra glue / integration layers to plug into target environments and products. For instance, Axiomatics will release shortly the Axiomatics Reverse Query for Oracle Virtual Private Database. Axiomatics also uses the SDK to drive authorization inside Windows Server 2012. And there are many more integration options we have yet to explore.

In addition, Axiomatics has now released a free tool and a new language called ALFA, the Axiomatics Language for Authorization. ALFA is a lightweight version of XACML with shorthand notations. It borrows much of its syntax from programming languages developers are most familiar with e.g. Java and C#. The tool is a free plugin for the Eclipse IDE which lets developers author ALFA using the usual Eclipse features such as syntax checking and auto-complete. The plugin eventually generates XACML 3.0 conformant policies on the fly from the ALFA the developers write. Axiomatics published a video on its YouTube channel showing how to use the tool.

What versions of the spec do you support? What optional parts? What profiles?

Axiomatics fully supports XACML 2.0 and XACML 3.0 including all optional profiles as specified in our attestation email.

What sets your product(s) apart from the competition?

Axiomatics has historically been what we could call a pure play XACML vendor. This reflects our dedication to the standard and the fact that Axiomatics implements the XACML core and all profiles – no other vendor has adopted such a comprehensive strategy. Furthermore, Axiomatics only uses the XACML policy language, rather than attempting to convert between XACML and one or more proprietary, legacy policy language formats. The comprehensiveness of the XACML policy language gives customers the most flexibility – as well as interoperability – across a multitude of applications and usage scenarios.

This also made Axiomatics a very generic solution for all things fine-grained authorization. This means the Axiomatics solution can be applied to any type of application, in particular .NET or J2SE/J2EE applications but also increasingly COTS such as SharePoint and databases such as Oracle VPD.

Axiomatics also leverages the key benefits of the XACML architecture to provide a very modular set of products. This means our core engine can be plugged into a various set of frameworks extremely easily: the authorization engine can be embedded or exposed as a web service (SOAP, REST, Thrift…). It also means our products scale extremely well and allow for a single point of management with literally hundreds of decision points and as many enforcement points. This makes our product the fastest, most elegant approach to enterprise authorization.

Axiomatics’ auditing capablities are quite unique too: with the Policy Auditor, it is possible to know what could possibly happen, rather a simple audit of what did actually happen. This means it is easier than ever to produce reports that will keep auditors satisfied the enterprise is correctly protected.

Lastly, Axiomatics has over 6 years experience in the area and is always listening to its customers. As a result, new products have been designed to better address customer needs. One such example is our Axiomatics Reverse Query which reverses the authorization process to be able to tackle a new series of authorization requirements our customers in the financial sector had. Instead of getting yes/no answers, these customers wanted a list of resources a user can access (e.g. a list of bank accounts) or a list of employees who can view a given piece of information. By actively listening to our customers we are able to deliver new innovative products that best match their needs.

What customers use your product(s)? What is your biggest deployment?

Axiomatics has several Fortune 50 customers. Some of the world’s largest banks and enterprises are Axiomatics customers. Axiomatics customers are based in the US and Europe mainly. One famous customer where Axiomatics is used intensively is PayPal. It is probably Axiomatics’ current biggest deployment in terms of transactions.

A US-based bank has also deployed Axiomatics products across three continents in order to protect trading applications.

What programming languages do you support? Will you support the upcoming REST and JSON profiles?

Axiomatics supports Java and C#. Axiomatics has been used in customer deployments with other languages such as Python.

Axiomatics is active in defining the new REST profile of the XACML TC and will try to align with it as much as possible. Axiomatics is also leading the design of a JSON-based PEP-PDP interaction. JSON as well as Thrift are likely to be the next communication protocols supported.

Do you support OpenAz? Spring Security? Other open source efforts?

Axiomatics does not currently support OpenAZ but has been watching the specification in order to eventually take part. Axiomatics already supports Spring Security. In addition, there is a new open source initiative aimed at defining a standard PEP API which Axiomatics and other vendors are taking part in.

How easy is it to write a PEP for your product(s)? And a PIP? How long does an implementation of your product(s) usually take?

Should customers decide to write a custom PEP rather than use an off-the-shelf PEP, they can use a Java or C# SDK to quickly write PEPs. Axiomatics has published a video explaining how to write a PEP in 5 minutes and 20 lines of code.

An implementation of our product can take from 1 week to 3 months or more depending on the customer requirements, the complexity of the desired architecture, and the number of integration points.

Can your product(s) be embedded (i.e. run in-process)?

The Axiomatics PDP can be embedded. Customers sometimes choose this approach to achieve even greater levels of performance.

What optimizations have you made? Can you share performance numbers?

There are many factors such as number of policies, complexity of policies, number of PIP look-ups and others that have an effect on performance. One of our customers shared the result of their internal product evaluation where they reached 30.000 requests per second.

The Axiomatics PDP is also used to secure transactions for several hundred million users and protect the medical records of all 9 million Swedish citizens.

XACML Vendor: eNitiatives

~ Ray Sinnema ~ 2 Comments

This is a new series of posts where I interview XACML vendors. The first one that was kind enough to participate was eNitiatives.

Why does the world need XACML? What benefits do your customers realize?

Our primary customers are in Government, Defense, Intelligence, Telecommunications, and Health, with some key multinationals. All of these customers are concerned about providing fine grained authorizations for controlled access to digital assets. In the Defense, Government, and Intelligence sectors this is especially critical.

What products do you have in the XACML space?

We have two current products where we have implemented XACML, and one upcoming:

  1. Firstly we have ViewDS. This is our LDAPv3, X.500 and ACP 133(D) Directory server. Here we have built a PEP into our Directory server and use XACML to provide Policy Based Access Control to all data that we store within our Directory. Our Directory includes an Indexing and Search engine supporting 24 different types of searching and matching and fully supports XPath queries and can understand XML content.

    ViewDS has a Management Agent used to control and manage content in our Directory Server. In our latest release, it now has an inbuilt Policy Administration Point tool. ViewDS also has an inbuilt Policy Decision Point. ViewDS thus acts as both an Identity Store and a Policy Information Point as policies can be stored in the Directory schema and are treated as Directory Attributes. As well as XACMLv3, ViewDS fully supports RBAC, Label Based Access Control and Time Based Access Control

  2. Our Second Product is known as ViewDS Access Sentinel. Access Sentinel is an XACMLv3 Policy Decision Point designed to be used for externalizing authorization policy for external applications. Access Sentinel provides a combined PDP, PIP, two PAPs and a number of PEPs off the shelf. ViewDS Access Sentinel can use either ViewDS as its identity store, or an external LDAP Directory or Virtual Directory as its LDAP Identity Store.

    ViewDS also supports multiple schemas and with its inbuilt join engine, ViewDS Access Sentinel plus ViewDS Discovery server offers the capability to also join other data from external services. We have a number of PEPs available and will be announcing some new ones in our v7.3 release. We also offer a second PAP tool for providing fully delegated policy creation

  3. Also in our next release (ViewDS v7.3) we will be launching a third product: ViewDS Identity Bridge. ViewDS Identity Bridge is a bidirectional synchronization and provisioning engine. This will also support XACMLv3

ViewDS and ViewDS Access Sentinel are available for Oracle Solaris 11g, two versions of GNU/Linux and Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7. Other implementations on versions of UNIX are available.

What versions of the spec do you support? What optional parts? What profiles?

In ViewDS version 7.2 (the current release) we support the core specification minus XPath, the Administration and Delegation Profile, the Hierarchical Resource Profile, the Multiple Decision Profile, the Privacy Profile, the Intellectual Property Control Profile and the Export Compliance-US Profile.

An internal build of ViewDS Access Sentinel already supports XPath version 1.0, and we have now built support for XPath in our two XACML PAPs. This capability will be in the next release due out in September. The next release will also support the administration and delegation profile and the multiple decision profile. We are also looking at an implementation of the Export ITAR Profile for a specific US Customer. We are also considering the GeoXACML extensions.

What sets your product(s) apart from the competition?

Unlike other vendors we do not require an external database license such as SQL Server or Oracle to store policies or require an external server. Our PDP, PIP, Attribute Identity Store and PAP are all in the one platform.

This means our product performs well, as all activities are internal function calls. That is, there is no external processing. Because we treat XACML policies as standard directory attributes (ViewDS itself fully supports XML), we can use standard directory protocols to distribute policies which are kept fully in sync with the associated identity attributes. Our Policy Administration Point tools also allow the creation of policies without the need to write any XML and support a capability known as Named Expressions.

What customers use your product(s)? What is your biggest deployment?

All of our ViewDS customers worldwide (our product is in use in Defense, Intelligence, Government, Aviation, Health and multinational corporations with installations in 16 countries) that upgrade to ViewDS v7.2 released in March will have the full capability of XACMLv3 in this release. Roughly 30% of our customers have upgraded already. Our largest implementation covers 26M identities, but our product has been tested with up to hundreds of millions of entries.

ViewDS Access Sentinel was released 3 months ago as a stand-alone product. So far we have a small number of installations in Australia and North America in the Government and Defense sectors.

What programming languages do you support? Will you support the upcoming REST and JSON profiles?

For PEP development, in our V7.2 release we currently support C#/.NET. We now have a PEP library for Java complete but not yet released. This will be provided to customers for the v7.3 release due in September.

Our current plan is to support both the REST Profile and the JSON Profile. However, the REST draft is not publicly available, has not been listed in the working group’s deliverables and hasn’t even been accepted by the working group yet according to the draft itself. This Working Draft (WD) has been produced by one or more TC Members; but we understand has not yet been voted on by the TC or approved as a Committee Draft (Committee Specification Draft or a Committee Note Draft).

Do you support OpenAz? Spring Security? Other open source efforts?

We are currently involved with other XACML vendors (BitKoo/Quest/Dell and Axiomatics) led by Felix Gaethgens from Axiomatics in an open source effort that is getting underway to create a PEP API and implementation for XACML version 3.0 among other things. We are not involved in any other open source effort.

However, we partner with Ping Identity for integration of Authentication and Authorization.

How easy is it to write a PEP for your product(s)? And a PIP? How long does an implementation of your product(s) usually take?

We provide a C#/.NET library known as PDP Liaison and now have a Java equivalent available to allow application vendors to create PEPs in a matter of days. We are currently considering making these Open Source solutions.

We expect a customer to be live in test mode and creating policies in 3 days depending on whether they are using ViewDS as the Identity Store or an external Identity store such as Active Directory.

Can your product(s) be embedded (i.e. run in-process)?

The PDP runs in a separate process.

What optimizations have you made? Can you share performance numbers?

Performance will vary depending on the number and nature of the policies, but version 7.2 has been clocked at 3650 XACML authorization requests per second with a single quad-core Intel Xeon E5430 CPU at 2.66 Ghz.