CAS integration

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    1. CAS Integration

Central Authentication Service (CAS) is a widely used open-source single sign-on (SSO) protocol, allowing users to authenticate once and access multiple related applications without re-entering their credentials. Integrating CAS with a MediaWiki installation provides a streamlined and secure authentication experience for your users. This article provides a comprehensive guide to CAS integration for beginners, covering the concepts, prerequisites, configuration steps, troubleshooting, and considerations for a successful implementation.

Understanding CAS and SSO

Before diving into the integration process, it's crucial to understand the core principles of CAS and SSO.

  • Single Sign-On (SSO): SSO is an authentication scheme that enables users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. Instead of remembering and entering separate usernames and passwords for each application, users log in once and are granted access to all authorized applications.
  • Central Authentication Service (CAS): CAS is a specific implementation of SSO. It operates on a client-server model. The CAS server is responsible for authenticating users, while the applications (in this case, your MediaWiki site) act as CAS clients. When a user attempts to access a protected resource on the MediaWiki site, the site redirects the user to the CAS server for authentication. Upon successful authentication, the CAS server redirects the user back to the MediaWiki site with a ticket, which the site uses to grant access.
  • Benefits of CAS Integration:
   *   Improved User Experience: Users only need to remember one set of credentials.
   *   Enhanced Security: Centralized authentication simplifies security management and policy enforcement.
   *   Simplified Administration: Managing user accounts and permissions becomes easier with a central authentication system.
   *   Compliance: CAS can help meet compliance requirements related to user authentication and access control.

Prerequisites

Before you begin the CAS integration process, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

1. A Running CAS Server: You need a functional CAS server installation. This can be a standalone server or hosted by a third-party provider. Ensure you have the CAS server’s URL (e.g., `https://cas.example.com:8443`).

2. MediaWiki Installation: A working installation of MediaWiki version 1.40 or later.

3. PHP Extensions: Ensure the necessary PHP extensions are installed and enabled on your MediaWiki server. These typically include:

   *   `curl`: For making HTTP requests to the CAS server.
   *   `openssl`: For secure communication with the CAS server (HTTPS).
   *   `session`: For managing user sessions.

4. Web Server Access: Administrative access to your web server (e.g., Apache or Nginx) to configure the MediaWiki virtual host.

5. Administrative Access to MediaWiki: You need to be able to edit the `LocalSettings.php` file.

Configuration Steps

The primary configuration for CAS integration in MediaWiki is done through the `LocalSettings.php` file. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Install the CAS Extension: The CAS extension is not included with the core MediaWiki distribution. You need to download it from the MediaWiki Extensions Repository (search for "CAS") and install it. Extract the extension files into your `extensions/` directory.

2. Enable the Extension: In your `LocalSettings.php` file, add the following line:

   ```php
   wfLoadExtension( 'CAS' );
   ```

3. Configure CAS Settings: Add the following configuration settings to your `LocalSettings.php` file. Replace the placeholder values with your actual CAS server details:

   ```php
   $wgCASServer = 'https://cas.example.com:8443'; // CAS Server URL
   $wgCASLoginURL = 'https://cas.example.com:8443/login'; // CAS Login URL
   $wgCASValidateURL = 'https://cas.example.com:8443/serviceValidate'; // CAS Validation URL
   $wgCASLogoutURL = 'https://cas.example.com:8443/logout'; // CAS Logout URL
   $wgCASAttribute = 'username'; // Attribute containing the username
   $wgCASAllowAnonymous = false; // Whether to allow anonymous access
   $wgCASUseSessionCookies = true; // Use session cookies for SSO
   $wgCASProxyChain = false; // Set to true if using a proxy server
   ```
   *   `$wgCASServer`: The base URL of your CAS server.
   *   `$wgCASLoginURL`: The URL users are redirected to for login.
   *   `$wgCASValidateURL`: The URL used to validate the CAS ticket.
   *   `$wgCASLogoutURL`: The URL used for user logout.
   *   `$wgCASAttribute`: Specifies the attribute returned by the CAS server that contains the username.  Common attributes include 'username', 'uid', or 'principalName'.
   *   `$wgCASAllowAnonymous`: Determines whether anonymous access is permitted. If set to `false`, all users must authenticate via CAS.
   *   `$wgCASUseSessionCookies`:  Controls whether session cookies are used for SSO.  Typically set to `true`.
   *   `$wgCASProxyChain`: Set to `true` if your MediaWiki server is behind a proxy server.

4. Configure Authentication Providers in MediaWiki: You need to tell MediaWiki to use the CAS extension for authentication. Add or modify the following line in `LocalSettings.php`:

   ```php
   $wgAuthenticationProviders = [
       'CAS'
   ];
   ```
   This ensures that CAS is the primary authentication method, overriding any other configured methods.  You can add other authentication providers to the array if you need a fallback mechanism.

5. Clear MediaWiki Cache: After making changes to `LocalSettings.php`, clear the MediaWiki cache to ensure the new configuration is applied. You can do this by visiting `https://yourmediawiki.com/w/index.php?title=Special:PurgeCache` (replace `yourmediawiki.com` with your actual domain).

Testing the Integration

After completing the configuration steps, it's essential to test the integration thoroughly.

1. Login Attempt: Try to log in to your MediaWiki site. You should be redirected to the CAS server's login page.

2. Successful Authentication: Enter valid CAS credentials and submit the login form. Upon successful authentication, you should be redirected back to your MediaWiki site and logged in as the corresponding user.

3. User Account Creation: If the user does not have an existing account in MediaWiki, the CAS extension should automatically create a new account based on the username attribute returned by the CAS server. Ensure that the `$wgCASAttribute` is correctly configured to provide the desired username.

4. Logout: Test the logout functionality. Logging out of MediaWiki should redirect you to the CAS server's logout page.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during the CAS integration process, here are some common troubleshooting steps:

  • Check CAS Server Logs: Examine the CAS server logs for any errors related to authentication or validation.
  • Check MediaWiki Error Logs: Review the MediaWiki error logs for PHP errors or warnings.
  • Verify Configuration Settings: Double-check all configuration settings in `LocalSettings.php` for accuracy, especially the CAS server URLs and the `$wgCASAttribute` value.
  • Enable Debugging: Enable debugging in the CAS extension by setting `$wgCASDebug = true;` in `LocalSettings.php`. This will provide more detailed logging information.
  • Firewall Issues: Ensure that your firewall allows communication between the MediaWiki server and the CAS server.
  • SSL/TLS Issues: Verify that your SSL/TLS certificates are valid and properly configured. Mismatched hostnames or expired certificates can cause authentication failures.
  • Attribute Mapping: Confirm that the attribute returned by the CAS server (specified by `$wgCASAttribute`) actually contains the username as expected.

Advanced Configuration and Considerations

  • Custom Attribute Mapping: You can customize the attribute mapping to retrieve additional user information from the CAS server, such as email address or group membership. This requires extending the CAS extension to handle the custom attributes.
  • CAS Proxying: If your MediaWiki server is behind a proxy server, configure the `$wgCASProxyChain` setting to `true`. You may also need to configure the proxy server to forward CAS requests correctly.
  • Security Considerations:
   *   HTTPS: Always use HTTPS for communication between the MediaWiki server and the CAS server to protect user credentials.
   *   CAS Server Security:  Ensure your CAS server is properly secured and regularly updated.
   *   Session Management:  Properly configure session management settings in MediaWiki to prevent session hijacking.
  • Performance: Monitor the performance of your MediaWiki site after integrating CAS. CAS integration can add some overhead, so optimize your server configuration if necessary.

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