135
OWA_SEC

The OWA_SEC package provides an interface for custom authentication.

The chapter contains the following topics:

• Using OWA_SEC
  • Operational Notes
• Summary of OWA_SEC Subprograms

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Using OWA_SEC

• Operational Notes

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Operational Notes

Parameters that have default values are optional.

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Summary of OWA_SEC Subprograms

Table 135-1 OWA_SEC Package Subprograms  

Subprogram	Description
GET_CLIENT_HOSTNAME Function	Returns the client's hostname
GET_CLIENT_IP Function	Returns the client's IP address
GET_PASSWORD Function	Returns the password that the user entered
GET_USER_ID Function	Returns the username that the user entered
SET_AUTHORIZATION Procedure	Enables the PL/SQL application to use custom authentication
SET_PROTECTION_REALM Procedure	Defines the realm that the page is in

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GET_CLIENT_HOSTNAME Function

This function returns the hostname of the client.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.GET_CLIENT_HOSTNAME
 RETURN VARCHAR2;

Return Values

The hostname.

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GET_CLIENT_IP Function

This function returns the IP address of the client.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.GET_CLIENT_IP 
  RETURN OWA_UTIL.IP_ADDRESS;

Return Values

The IP address. The owa_util.ip_address data type is a PL/SQL table where the first four elements contain the four numbers of the IP address. For example, if the IP address is 123.45.67.89 and the variable ipaddr is of the owa_util.ip_address data type, the variable would contain the following values:

ipaddr(1) = 123
ipaddr(2) = 45
ipaddr(3) = 67
ipaddr(4) = 89

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GET_PASSWORD Function

This function returns the password that the user used to log in.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.GET_PASSWORD 
  RETURN VARCHAR2;

Return Values

The password.

Usage Notes

For security reasons, this function returns a true value only when custom authentication is used. If you call this function when you are not using custom authentication, the function returns an undefined value. Thus, the database passwords are not exposed.

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GET_USER_ID Function

This function returns the username that the user used to log in.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.GET_USER_ID 
  RETURN VARCHAR2;

Return Values

The username.

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SET_AUTHORIZATION Procedure

This procedure, called in the initialization portion of the OWA_CUSTOM package, sets the authorization scheme for the PL/SQL Gateway. This implements your authorize function, which authorizes the user before his requested procedure is run. The placement of the authorize function depends on the scheme you select.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.SET_AUTHORIZATION(
    scheme         IN       INTEGER);

Parameters

Table 135-2  SET_AUTHORIZATION Procedure Parameters

Parameter

Description

scheme

The authorization scheme. It is one of the following schemes for SET_AUTHORIZATION: OWA_SEC.NO_CHECK - Specifies that the PL/SQL application is not to do any custom authentication. This is the default. OWA_SEC.GLOBAL - Defines an authorize function that is called for all users and all procedures. This is the OWA_CUSTOM.AUTHORIZE Function in the "sys" schema. OWA_SEC.PER_PACKAGE - Define an authorize function that is called when procedures in a package or anonymous procedures are called. If the procedures are in a package, the package.AUTHORIZE function in the user's schema is called to authorize the user. If the procedures are not in a package, then the anonymous authorize function in the user's schema is called. OWA_SEC.CUSTOM - Implements different authorize functions for each user. The function OWA_CUSTOM.AUTHORIZE Function in the user's schema is called to authorize the user. If the user's schema does not contain an OWA_CUSTOM.AUTHORIZE Function, the PL/SQL Gateway looks for it in the "sys" schema. The custom authorize function has the following signature: FUNCTION AUTHORIZE RETURN BOOLEAN; If the function returns TRUE, authentication succeeded. If it returns FALSE, authentication failed. If the authorize function is not defined, the Gateway returns an error and fails.

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SET_PROTECTION_REALM Procedure

This procedure sets the realm of the page that is returned to the user. The user enters a username and login that already exist in the realm.

Syntax

OWA_SEC.SET_PROTECTION_REALM(
   realm      IN      VARCHAR2);

Parameters

Table 135-3 SET_PROTECTION_REALM Procedure Parameters

Parameter	Description
realm	The realm where the page belongs. This string is displayed to the user.