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LDAP/AD Authentication#

Overview#

This feature was created to allow LDAP compliant security services such as Microsoft Active Directory to be the password control for the Self-Service users when logging in.

Features#

This provides integration with LDAP servers such as Microsoft Active Directory for login authentication for Self-Service interfaces, to allow user to use their network login user ID and password to login to the application. At the same time the user’s personal data is protected from being viewed by others when the user is away from their PC, or in situations where multiple employees may be sharing one PC.

While the majority of users are on the client’s network utilizing Active Directory, there are several departments on their own networks as well as other groups of users, such as retirees, who do not have Active Directory accounts on the client’s network. For users with Active Directory accounts, password management (issuing/resetting) needs to be performed through the client’s Help Desk. For users without Active Directory accounts, password management will be handled through the application’s existing password management functionality.

Users with Active Directory accounts will use their network login user ID and password for authenticating whether accessing the applications from their work PC (already logged into the client’s network) or when accessing the applications from off-site locations (from PC’s not already logged into the client’s network).

The Candidate Self Service will not use Active Directory validation.

Setup#

There are preferences on the IMST that must be setup in order for this to be activated in the Self-Service system.

IMST - Preferences:

• SS LOGIN TYPE - Must be set to “ACCESSOR”
• LDAP AUTH ON - ‘Y’ or ‘N’ to enable or disable, respectively, LDAP authentication. Defaulted to ‘N’.
• LDAP ENCRYPTION – Hash algorithm used to encrypt passwords on LDAP server. Defaulted to ‘DIGEST-MD5’. This is currently the only supported value and doesn't need to be setup.

IMLN - Setup Lexion X_LDAP_DOMAINS entries: If you only have one domain you just need to create one entry. If you have an LDAP forest or multiple forests you need to create an entry for each domain and the user selects the domain they are to be validated against. The Displayed field will be what is shown to the user and the Meaning field must contain the domain name. The saved value can be anything but cannot be duplicated withing the Lexicon.

As an example, at HLC, our Active Directory hostname is ‘valasca.highlinecorp.com’ so we might set up the Lexicon with:

• Saved Value: 02
• Displayed: High Line Corp.
• Meaning: valasca.highlinecorp.com

The accessor information (access key & password) must be established for each Identity record(IEID). The password can be cleared out ONLY if the LDAP AUTH ON site preference is set to 'Y'.

LOGIN Flow#

When the user selects the Self Service interface, the application will display the appropriate login page:

• The user must enter the ‘Access Key’
• The Password field will be displayed empty and will be entered by the user.
• When the user clicks “Continue” the application will verify the Access Key against the Accessor records for the Identities table (IEID) and if it exists, then it will authenticate both the user name and password against Active Directory.
  • If Active Directory authentication passes, continue with logging in of user into application.
  • If Active Directory authentication fails, before displaying a failed login message, authenticate using standard KnowledgeBase methods. IF the password is NULL in KnowledgeBase the user is ONLY allowed to log in via the Active Directory authentication.

Forgotten Passwords#

For the Employee/Manager Self Service interface, clients have the ability to add header/footer pages to the Forgotten Password page so as to be able to indicate the steps the user should take when the user is a member of the client’s Active Directory. This is done in the IMMS for message “SS_CHG_PW_EN_10”.

If the Access Key is entered and found to currently have a NULL password, a new password should not be generated and the user should be given a message back to indicate they are “externally authenticated” and need to contact their system administration.

Ex: Server is set to authenticate the user against external LDAP server. User sees this screen after clicking on ‘Forgot Password?’ link.

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