Security models

Security in networked applications and enterprise environments is an important issue. A secure application environment is one in which users can function with confidence, and the Product Administrator can be confident that enterprise integrity is maintained.

Authentication and Authorization

Authentication is the process of checking user credentials on logon. Authentication mechanisms perform this check by comparing a user's hashed (encrypted) data against the expected result. Authentication is expressed in the user login and password process – attempts/confirmation or attempts/denial. When a Product Administrator removes login privileges, a user is effectively deleted (if the ADMIN_ADMIN security model is applied, the Administrator can also disable users).

Authorization is the second half of the security mechanism within MainView Middleware Administrator. Authorization consists of user-group management and permissions assignment.

The Five Security Models

Five security models exist in MainView Middleware Administrator, as listed below. Practical choices are often limited by customer security practices already in place.

• ADMIN_ADMIN
• LDAP_ADMIN
• LDAP_LDAP
• PREAUTH_ADMIN
• PREAUTH_LDAP

For further details about these security models, and how to change them, refer to Security policy settings.