CentralAuth

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  1. CentralAuth: Unified Account Management Across Wikis

CentralAuth (CA) is a MediaWiki extension that provides a centralized authentication system for multiple wikis. This means users can log in once and access several wikis without needing separate accounts and passwords for each. It streamlines user experience, simplifies account management, and enhances security across a network of wikis. This article will provide a detailed overview of CentralAuth, its benefits, technical details, configuration, limitations, and troubleshooting tips, geared towards beginners.

What is CentralAuth and Why Use It?

Traditionally, each MediaWiki wiki operates as an independent entity with its own user database. This creates several problems when running multiple wikis, especially those related to the same project or organization:

  • User Confusion: Users need to remember different usernames and passwords for each wiki.
  • Account Management Overhead: Administrators must manage user accounts separately on each wiki. This is time-consuming and prone to errors. User rights management becomes significantly more complex.
  • Inconsistent User Experiences: Different wikis may have different policies regarding user names, account creation, and permissions.
  • Security Concerns: Managing multiple user databases increases the potential attack surface.

CentralAuth addresses these issues by creating a central user database that all participating wikis share. When a user logs in to one wiki, the authentication information is validated against the central database, and a session is established across all connected wikis. This provides a seamless and consistent user experience.

Here are the key benefits of using CentralAuth:

  • Single Sign-On (SSO): Log in once, access multiple wikis.
  • Centralized Account Management: Manage user accounts from a single location. Special:UserRights becomes more manageable.
  • Improved Security: Reduces the attack surface by consolidating user authentication.
  • Simplified User Experience: Users only need to remember one set of credentials.
  • Cross-Wiki Collaboration: Facilitates collaboration between users across different wikis. Interwiki linking becomes more meaningful with unified accounts.
  • Global Blocks and Bans: Administrators can apply blocks and bans globally across all wikis, preventing disruptive users from simply switching to another wiki.

Technical Details and Architecture

CentralAuth functions by leveraging the existing MediaWiki authentication infrastructure and extending it to support a central user database. The core components involved are:

  • Central Wiki: One wiki is designated as the "central wiki." This wiki hosts the central user database and handles authentication requests from other wikis. The central wiki requires robust hardware and database infrastructure.
  • Participating Wikis: These are the wikis that are connected to the central wiki. They rely on the central wiki for authentication.
  • Shared Database: All wikis share the same database tables for user accounts, user groups, and related information. This is *critical* for CentralAuth to function correctly.
  • Authentication Flow: When a user attempts to log in to a participating wiki:
   1.  The wiki sends an authentication request to the central wiki.
   2.  The central wiki verifies the user's credentials against the central user database.
   3.  If the credentials are valid, the central wiki issues a session cookie.
   4.  The participating wiki receives the session cookie and grants the user access.
  • Special Pages: CentralAuth introduces new Special pages for global user management, such as viewing global user rights and managing global blocks.

The communication between wikis is typically handled via HTTP requests. The central wiki acts as an authentication server, and the participating wikis act as clients. The entire process is designed to be transparent to the user, who simply experiences a seamless login experience.

Installation and Configuration

Installing and configuring CentralAuth requires careful planning and execution. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Choose a Central Wiki: Select a wiki to serve as the central wiki. This wiki should be the most stable and reliable in your network. 2. Database Configuration: Ensure all wikis are configured to use the *same* database. This is the most important step. The database schema must be identical across all wikis. Consider using a dedicated database server for improved performance. Database replication can improve availability. 3. Install the Extension: Download the CentralAuth extension from the MediaWiki website ([1](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CentralAuth)). Upload the extension files to your MediaWiki installation. 4. Configure LocalSettings.php: Modify the `LocalSettings.php` file on *all* wikis. 

   *   On the central wiki, add the following line:
       ```php
       wfLoadExtension( 'CentralAuth' );
       ```
   *   On participating wikis, add the following lines, replacing `http://your-central-wiki.com` with the URL of your central wiki:
       ```php
       wfLoadExtension( 'CentralAuth' );
       $wgCentralAuthToken = 'your-secret-token'; // Generate a strong, random token
       $wgCentralAuthServer = 'http://your-central-wiki.com';
       ```
       The `$wgCentralAuthToken` is a shared secret used to secure communication between wikis.  Keep this token confidential.

5. Configure Shared Database Settings: In `LocalSettings.php` of all wikis, ensure the database settings (database name, username, password, host) are identical. 6. Enable Cookie Domain: Configure the `$wgCookieDomain` setting in `LocalSettings.php` to a common domain for all wikis. This ensures that session cookies are shared correctly. 7. Clear Cache: Clear the MediaWiki cache on all wikis after making changes to `LocalSettings.php`. 8. Test the Configuration: Log in to one wiki and verify that you can access other wikis without being prompted to log in again.

Advanced Configuration Options

CentralAuth offers several advanced configuration options to customize its behavior:

  • $wgCentralAuthAutoLogin: Enables automatic login to participating wikis after successful authentication on the central wiki.
  • $wgCentralAuthAllowMultipleLogins: Allows users to be logged in to multiple wikis simultaneously.
  • $wgCentralAuthCookiePrefix: Specifies a prefix for the session cookie name. This can be useful if you have multiple CentralAuth installations on the same domain.
  • $wgCentralAuthGlobalBlockRestrictions: Defines restrictions on global blocks, such as minimum block duration and allowed block reasons.
  • $wgCentralAuthEnableEmailChanges: Allows users to change their email address globally.
  • $wgCentralAuthEnableRealNameChanges: Allows users to change their real name globally.

Refer to the official MediaWiki documentation for a complete list of configuration options ([2](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CentralAuth/Configuration)).

Limitations and Considerations

While CentralAuth offers significant benefits, it also has some limitations and considerations:

  • Database Dependency: All wikis *must* share the same database. This can be a challenge if wikis are hosted on different servers or use different database systems.
  • Single Point of Failure: If the central wiki goes down, all participating wikis will be unable to authenticate users. High availability solutions are crucial.
  • Performance Impact: The central wiki may experience increased load due to handling authentication requests from multiple wikis. Proper hardware and database optimization are essential.
  • Complexity: Setting up and configuring CentralAuth can be complex, especially for beginners. Careful planning and testing are required.
  • Extension Conflicts: Potential conflicts with other MediaWiki extensions. Thoroughly test any new extension installations.
  • Migration Challenges: Migrating existing wikis to CentralAuth can be a complex process, requiring careful data migration and user account synchronization.

Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips:

  • Login Issues: If users are unable to log in, verify the following:
   *   The central wiki is online and accessible.
   *   The `$wgCentralAuthToken` and `$wgCentralAuthServer` settings are correct on all participating wikis.
   *   The database settings are identical on all wikis.
   *   The `$wgCookieDomain` setting is configured correctly.
   *   The MediaWiki cache has been cleared.
  • Session Issues: If users are logged out unexpectedly, check the session cookie settings and ensure that the cookie domain is configured correctly.
  • Database Errors: If you encounter database errors, verify that the database schema is identical on all wikis and that the database user has the necessary permissions. Database administration skills are essential.
  • Error Logs: Check the MediaWiki error logs for more detailed information about any errors. Debugging MediaWiki is a valuable skill.
  • Extension Conflicts: Disable other extensions temporarily to see if they are causing conflicts.

Security Best Practices

  • Strong Token: Use a strong, randomly generated token for `$wgCentralAuthToken`.
  • HTTPS: Always use HTTPS to secure communication between wikis.
  • Database Security: Secure your database server and restrict access to authorized users only.
  • Regular Updates: Keep MediaWiki and the CentralAuth extension up to date with the latest security patches.
  • Monitoring: Monitor the central wiki for suspicious activity.
  • Two-Factor Authentication: Implement Two-factor authentication for enhanced security.

Resources and Further Information

Main Page Manual:Configuration settings Special:UserRights Special:BlockList Extension installation Database setup Security Extension User management Interwiki linking Global groups

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