Impersonation in an access system

• US 7,765,298 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Campbell-ERS LLC
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Villavicencio, Francisco J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/560,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/100, 709/217, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a system for managing network access to resources that allows a first entity to impersonate a second entity. In one embodiment, the first entity can impersonate the second entity without knowing the second entity'"'"'s password and/or without altering anything in the entity'"'"'s set of personal information. This invention provides the first entity with the ability to troubleshoot in a live production system without disrupting the users or the system. In one embodiment, the first entity authenticates as itself. Access to resources is provided in response to an authorization process based on the identity of the entity being impersonated.

Claims

1. A method of allowing a first user to impersonate a second user, the method comprising:

receiving at an access system authentication credentials for the first user and an identification of the second user;

authenticating by the access system said first user based on said authentication credentials for said first user;

creating by the access system a cookie that stores an indication of said second user in response to authenticating successfully; and

authorizing by the access system said first user to access a first resource as said second user based on said cookie.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing by the access system a form for said authentication credentials, said form includes a request for a user identification, a password and an impersonatee identification, said user identification and said password correspond to said authentication credentials for said first user, said impersonatee identification corresponds to said identification of said second user.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access system protects said first resource; and

said first resource is separate from said access system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access system protects a plurality of resources; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said cookie stores a distinguished name of said second user and an IP address for said first user.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at an access system a request to access said first resource;

providing by the access system a form for said authentication credentials, said form includes a request for a user identification, a password and an impersonatee identification, said user identification and said password correspond to said authentication credentials for said first user, said impersonatee identification corresponds to said identification of said second user; and

transmitting from the access system said cookie for storage on a device being used by said first user to send said request to access said first resource.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said access system provides access management services and identity management services; and

said first resource is protected by, but separate from, said access system.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said second user, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

said cookie includes said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein:

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile and verifying said password based on said user identity profile are performed by a first authentication plug-in; and

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile and accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile are performed by a second authentication plug-in.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said cookie stores a distinguished name for said second user; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said distinguished name stored in said cookie,

accessing a user identity profile for said second user based on said distinguished name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said second user to said set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said first user;

said identification of said second user corresponds to a set of attributes for said second user;

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said first user; and

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said second user.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said first user; and

authorizing is not based on attributes for said first user.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a login form; and

providing said login form, said login form includes a request for a user identification, a password and an impersonatee identification, said user identification and said password correspond to said authentication credentials for said first user, said impersonatee identification corresponds to said identification of said second user.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at an access system a request from said first user to access a second resource after creating said cookie;

accessing by the access system contents of said cookie and determining not to authenticate said first user in response to said request to access said second resource; and

authorizing by the access system said first user to access said second resource as said second user based on said cookie, wherein authorizing said first user to access said second resource is performed without authenticating said first user in response to said request to access said second resource.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

authenticating and authorizing are performed without knowing a password for said second user.

16. A method for impersonating, comprising:

receiving at an access system authentication credentials for an impersonator and an identification of an impersonatee at an access system, wherein said access system protects a first resource that is separate from said access system;

authenticating by the access system said impersonator based on said authentication credentials for said impersonator; and

authorizing by the access system said impersonator to access said first resource as said impersonatee.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

authenticating and authorizing are performed without knowing a password for said impersonatee.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

said access system protects a plurality of resources that are separate from said access system; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said impersonatee, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

authorizing uses said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile and verifying said password based on said user identity profile are performed by a first authentication plug-in; and

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile and accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile are performed by a second authentication plug-in.

21. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

authenticating provides a name for said impersonatee; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said name,

accessing a user identity profile for said impersonatee based on said name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said impersonatee to said set of one or more authorization rules for said resource.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said impersonator;

said identification of said impersonatee corresponds to a set of attributes for said impersonatee;

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said impersonator; and

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said impersonatee.

23. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at the access system a request to access a second resource from said impersonator after authenticating said impersonator, wherein said access system protects said second resource; and

authorizing by the access system said impersonator to access said second resource as said impersonatee, wherein authorizing said impersonator to access said second resource is performed without authenticating said impersonator in response to said request to access said second resource.

24. A method of allowing a first entity to impersonate a second entity, the method comprising:

receiving at an access system authentication credentials for the first entity and an identification of the second entity at an access system, wherein said access system protects a plurality of resources;

receiving at the access system an indication of one or more of said plurality of resources;

authenticating by the access system said first entity based on said authentication credentials for said first entity; and

authorizing by the access system said first entity to access said one or more of said plurality of resources as said second entity.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said second entity, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

authorizing uses said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

authenticating provides a name for said second entity; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said name,

accessing a user identity profile for said second entity based on said name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said second entity to said set of one or more authorization rules.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said first entity;

said identification of said second entity corresponds to a set of attributes for said second entity;

authorizing is based on one or more attributes for said first entity; and

authorizing is not based on attributes for said first entity.

28. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code stored thereon, said processor readable code, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving authentication credentials for a first user and an identification of a second user;

authenticating said first user based on said authentication credentials for said first user;

creating a cookie that stores an indication of said second user in response to authenticating successfully; and

authorizing said first user to access a first resource as said second user based on said cookie.

29. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

receiving, authenticating and authorizing are performed by an access system;

said access system protects a plurality of resources separate from said access system; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

30. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

said cookie stores a distinguished name of said second user and an IP address for said first user.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said second user, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

said cookie includes said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

32. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

said cookie stores a distinguished name for said second user; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said distinguished name stored in said cookie,

accessing a user identity profile for said second user based on said distinguished name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said second user to said set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource.

33. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said first user;

said identification of said second user corresponds to a set of attributes for said second user;

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said first user; and

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said second user.

34. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 28, wherein:

receiving a request from said first user to access a second resource after creating said cookie;

accessing contents of said cookie and determining not to authenticate said first user in response to said request to access said second resource; and

authorizing said first user to access said second resource as said second user based on said cookie, wherein authorizing said first user to access said second resource is performed without authenticating said first user in response to said request to access said second resource.

35. An apparatus for providing access management that allows for impersonating, comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage device; and

a processing unit in communication with said communication interface and said storage device, said processing unit performs a method comprising;

receiving authentication credentials for a first user and an identification of a second user,

authenticating said first user based on said authentication credentials for said first user,

creating a cookie that stores an indication of said second user in response to authenticating successfully, and

authorizing said first user to access a first resource as said second user based on said cookie.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein:

receiving, authenticating and authorizing are performed by an access system;

said access system protects a plurality of resources separate from said access system; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said second user, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

said cookie includes said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

38. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein:

said cookie stores a distinguished name for said second user; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said distinguished name stored in said cookie,

accessing a user identity profile for said second user based on said distinguished name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said second user to said set of one or more authorization rules for said first resource.

39. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code stored thereon said processor readable code, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving authentication credentials for an impersonator and an identification of an impersonatee at an access system, said access system protects a first resource that is separate from said access system;

authenticating said impersonator based on said authentication credentials for said impersonator, wherein authenticating is performed by said access system; and

authorizing said impersonator to access said first resource as said impersonatee, wherein authorizing is performed by said access system.

40. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 39, wherein:

said access system protects a plurality of resources that are separate from said access system; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

41. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 39 wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said impersonatee, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

authorizing uses said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

42. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 39, wherein:

authenticating provides a name for said impersonatee; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said name,

accessing a user identity profile for said impersonatee based on said name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said impersonatee to said set of one or more authorization rules for said resource.

43. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 39, wherein:

said authentication credentials correspond to a set of attributes for said impersonator;

said identification of said impersonatee corresponds to a set of attributes for said impersonatee;

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said impersonator; and

authorizing is based on one or more of said attributes for said impersonatee.

44. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 39, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a request to access a second resource from said impersonator after authenticating said impersonator, said access system protects said second resource; and

authorizing said impersonator to access said second resource as said impersonatee, wherein authorizing said impersonator to access said second resource is performed without authenticating said impersonator in response to said request to access said second resource.

45. An apparatus for providing access management that allows for impersonating, comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage device; and

a processing unit in communication with said communication interface and said storage device, said processing unit performs a method comprising;

receiving authentication credentials for an impersonator and an identification of an impersonatee at an access system, said access system protects a first resource that is separate from said access system,

authenticating said impersonator based on said authentication credentials for said impersonator, wherein authenticating is performed by said access system, and

authorizing said impersonator to access said first resource as said impersonatee, wherein authorizing is performed by said access system.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

said access system protects a plurality of resources that are separate from said access system; and

said plurality of resources includes said first resource.

47. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

said authentication credentials include an ID and a password;

authenticating includes;

searching a directory server for a first user identity profile that matches said ID,

verifying said password based on said user identity profile,

searching said directory server for a second user identity profile that matches said identification of said impersonatee, and

accessing one or more attributes of said second user identity profile; and

authorizing uses said one or more attributes of said second user identity profile.

48. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

authenticating provides a name for said impersonatee; and

authorizing includes;

accessing said name,

accessing a user identity profile for said impersonatee based on said name,

accessing a set of one or more authorization rules for said resource, and

comparing attributes of said user identity profile for said impersonatee to said set of one or more authorization rules for said resource.