Chapter 6. EJB Application Security

Example: Set the security identity of an EJB to be the same as its caller

This example sets the security identity for method invocations made by an EJB to be the same as the current caller’s identity. This behavior is the default if you do not specify a <security-identity> element declaration.

Example: Set the security identity of an EJB to a specific role

To set the security identity to a specific role, use the <run-as> and <role-name> tags inside the <security-identity> tag.

Overview

The <method-permission> element defines the logical roles that are allowed to access the EJB methods defined by <method> elements. Several examples demonstrate the syntax of the xml. Multiple method permission statements may be present, and they have a cumulative effect. The <method-permission> element is a child of the <assembly-descriptor> element of the <ejb-jar> descriptor.

Example: Allow roles to access all methods of an EJB

<method-permission>
  <description>The employee and temp-employee roles may access any method
  of the EmployeeService bean </description>
  <role-name>employee</role-name>
  <role-name>temp-employee</role-name>
  <method>
    <ejb-name>EmployeeService</ejb-name>
    <method-name>*</method-name>
  </method>
</method-permission>

Example: Allow roles to access only specific methods of an EJB, and limiting which method parameters can be passed

<method-permission>
  <description>The employee role may access the findByPrimaryKey,
  getEmployeeInfo, and the updateEmployeeInfo(String) method of
  the AcmePayroll bean </description>
  <role-name>employee</role-name>
  <method>
    <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
    <method-name>findByPrimaryKey</method-name>
  </method>
  <method>
    <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
    <method-name>getEmployeeInfo</method-name>
  </method>
  <method>
    <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
    <method-name>updateEmployeeInfo</method-name>
    <method-params>
      <method-param>java.lang.String</method-param>
    </method-params>
  </method>
</method-permission>

Example: Allow any authenticated user to access methods of EJBs

Using the <unchecked/> element allows any authenticated user to use the specified methods.

Example: Completely exclude specific EJB methods from being used

<exclude-list>
  <description>No fireTheCTO methods of the EmployeeFiring bean may be
  used in this deployment</description>
  <method>
    <ejb-name>EmployeeFiring</ejb-name>
    <method-name>fireTheCTO</method-name>
  </method>
</exclude-list>

Example: A complete <assembly-descriptor> containing several <method-permission> blocks

<ejb-jar>
    <assembly-descriptor>
        <method-permission>
            <description>The employee and temp-employee roles may access any
                method of the EmployeeService bean </description>
            <role-name>employee</role-name>
            <role-name>temp-employee</role-name>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>EmployeeService</ejb-name>
                <method-name>*</method-name>
            </method>
        </method-permission>
        <method-permission>
            <description>The employee role may access the findByPrimaryKey,
                getEmployeeInfo, and the updateEmployeeInfo(String) method of
                the AcmePayroll bean </description>
            <role-name>employee</role-name>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
                <method-name>findByPrimaryKey</method-name>
            </method>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
                <method-name>getEmployeeInfo</method-name>
            </method>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>AcmePayroll</ejb-name>
                <method-name>updateEmployeeInfo</method-name>
                <method-params>
                    <method-param>java.lang.String</method-param>
                </method-params>
            </method>
        </method-permission>
        <method-permission>
            <description>The admin role may access any method of the
                EmployeeServiceAdmin bean </description>
            <role-name>admin</role-name>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>EmployeeServiceAdmin</ejb-name>
                <method-name>*</method-name>
            </method>
        </method-permission>
        <method-permission>
            <description>Any authenticated user may access any method of the
                EmployeeServiceHelp bean</description>
            <unchecked/>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>EmployeeServiceHelp</ejb-name>
                <method-name>*</method-name>
            </method>
        </method-permission>
        <exclude-list>
            <description>No fireTheCTO methods of the EmployeeFiring bean may be
                used in this deployment</description>
            <method>
                <ejb-name>EmployeeFiring</ejb-name>
                <method-name>fireTheCTO</method-name>
            </method>
        </exclude-list>
    </assembly-descriptor>
</ejb-jar>

Overview

You can use either XML descriptors or annotations to control which security roles are able to call methods in your Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs). For information on using XML descriptors, refer to Use EJB Method Permissions.

Example: Security Annotations Example

@Stateless
@RolesAllowed({"admin"})
@SecurityDomain("other")
public class WelcomeEJB implements Welcome {
    @PermitAll
    public String WelcomeEveryone(String msg) {
        return "Welcome to " + msg;
    }
    @RunAs("tempemployee")
    public String GoodBye(String msg) {
        return "Goodbye, " + msg;
    }
    public String GoodbyeAdmin(String msg) {
        return "See you later, " + msg;
    }
}