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Posted to users@httpd.apache.org by Lucas Ferreira <lu...@sapao.net> on 2009/03/30 21:03:29 UTC

[users@httpd] Apache reverse proxy and IIS integrated authentication

Hello,

I have a Microsoft IIS web server that uses integrated authentication:

WWW-Authenticate: Negotiate
WWW-Authenticate: NTLM

I would like to setup an Apache-based reverse proxy before this web site. I
have the proxy configured and working for non-authenticated requests, but
every request that requires authentication fails with a "401 Unauthorized"
message. If I remove the proxy, the authentication works fine.

So, is it possible to forward integrated authentication using an Apache
reverse proxy? If yes, where can I find documentation on this?

Thanks a lot,

Lucas

-- 
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other
trees make fun of it?

Re: [users@httpd] Apache reverse proxy and IIS integrated authentication

Posted by Lucas Ferreira <lu...@gmail.com>.
Hello André,

thanks for the answer.

Besides using NTLM, is there any alternative? Would Kerberos work?

Thanks,

Lucas

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 18:40, André Warnier <aw...@ice-sa.com> wrote:

> Lucas Ferreira wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have a Microsoft IIS web server that uses integrated authentication:
>>
>> WWW-Authenticate: Negotiate
>> WWW-Authenticate: NTLM
>>
>> I would like to setup an Apache-based reverse proxy before this web site.
>> I
>> have the proxy configured and working for non-authenticated requests, but
>> every request that requires authentication fails with a "401 Unauthorized"
>> message. If I remove the proxy, the authentication works fine.
>>
>> So, is it possible to forward integrated authentication using an Apache
>> reverse proxy? If yes, where can I find documentation on this?
>>
>>  This may be a problem because NTLM authentication is really
> connection-based (I mean not really per-request), and the connection which
> the browser has with your proxy, is not the same as the connection which the
> proxy sets up with the back-end server.  For example, it would be possible
> for the proxy to "pool" several client browser connections, over a single
> connection to the back-end server, and that would not allow NTLM to work
> properly.
>
> In a bit more details : NTLM authentication requires multiple exchanges
> between the authenticating server and the browser, and these exchanges must
> happen in a certain ordered sequence, on the same HTTP connection.
> So if two browsers (or even two windows in the same browser) each try to
> authenticate to the back-end server, but the proxy multiplexes these
> exchanges over a single connection to the back-end server, then from the
> back-end (IIS) server point of view, the steps are seen as mixed-up (out of
> sequence on that single connection), and it will not work properly.
>
> In summary, I think you are doomed, but I am willing to be proven wrong, as
> the subject is of interest to me also.
> Another good place to ask may be the jCIFS list at   >
> jcifs@lists.samba.org
>
> They are not Apache specialist there, but there are HTTP/NTLM specialists
> lurking there.
> Just be nice and ask your question in a general sense, not expecting them
> to be specifically Apache proxy gurus.
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> The official User-To-User support forum of the Apache HTTP Server Project.
> See <URL:http://httpd.apache.org/userslist.html> for more info.
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@httpd.apache.org
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>


-- 
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other
trees make fun of it?

Re: [users@httpd] Apache reverse proxy and IIS integrated authentication

Posted by Lucas Ferreira <li...@sapao.net>.
Hello André,

thanks for the answer.

Besides using NTLM, is there any alternative? Would Kerberos work?

Thanks,

Lucas

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 18:40, André Warnier <aw...@ice-sa.com> wrote:

> Lucas Ferreira wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have a Microsoft IIS web server that uses integrated authentication:
>>
>> WWW-Authenticate: Negotiate
>> WWW-Authenticate: NTLM
>>
>> I would like to setup an Apache-based reverse proxy before this web site.
>> I
>> have the proxy configured and working for non-authenticated requests, but
>> every request that requires authentication fails with a "401 Unauthorized"
>> message. If I remove the proxy, the authentication works fine.
>>
>> So, is it possible to forward integrated authentication using an Apache
>> reverse proxy? If yes, where can I find documentation on this?
>>
>>  This may be a problem because NTLM authentication is really
> connection-based (I mean not really per-request), and the connection which
> the browser has with your proxy, is not the same as the connection which the
> proxy sets up with the back-end server.  For example, it would be possible
> for the proxy to "pool" several client browser connections, over a single
> connection to the back-end server, and that would not allow NTLM to work
> properly.
>
> In a bit more details : NTLM authentication requires multiple exchanges
> between the authenticating server and the browser, and these exchanges must
> happen in a certain ordered sequence, on the same HTTP connection.
> So if two browsers (or even two windows in the same browser) each try to
> authenticate to the back-end server, but the proxy multiplexes these
> exchanges over a single connection to the back-end server, then from the
> back-end (IIS) server point of view, the steps are seen as mixed-up (out of
> sequence on that single connection), and it will not work properly.
>
> In summary, I think you are doomed, but I am willing to be proven wrong, as
> the subject is of interest to me also.
> Another good place to ask may be the jCIFS list at   >
> jcifs@lists.samba.org
>
> They are not Apache specialist there, but there are HTTP/NTLM specialists
> lurking there.
> Just be nice and ask your question in a general sense, not expecting them
> to be specifically Apache proxy gurus.
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> The official User-To-User support forum of the Apache HTTP Server Project.
> See <URL:http://httpd.apache.org/userslist.html> for more info.
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@httpd.apache.org
>  "   from the digest: users-digest-unsubscribe@httpd.apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@httpd.apache.org
>
>


-- 
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other
trees make fun of it?

Re: [users@httpd] Apache reverse proxy and IIS integrated authentication

Posted by André Warnier <aw...@ice-sa.com>.
Lucas Ferreira wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I have a Microsoft IIS web server that uses integrated authentication:
> 
> WWW-Authenticate: Negotiate
> WWW-Authenticate: NTLM
> 
> I would like to setup an Apache-based reverse proxy before this web site. I
> have the proxy configured and working for non-authenticated requests, but
> every request that requires authentication fails with a "401 Unauthorized"
> message. If I remove the proxy, the authentication works fine.
> 
> So, is it possible to forward integrated authentication using an Apache
> reverse proxy? If yes, where can I find documentation on this?
> 
This may be a problem because NTLM authentication is really 
connection-based (I mean not really per-request), and the connection 
which the browser has with your proxy, is not the same as the connection 
which the proxy sets up with the back-end server.  For example, it would 
be possible for the proxy to "pool" several client browser connections, 
over a single connection to the back-end server, and that would not 
allow NTLM to work properly.

In a bit more details : NTLM authentication requires multiple exchanges 
between the authenticating server and the browser, and these exchanges 
must happen in a certain ordered sequence, on the same HTTP connection.
So if two browsers (or even two windows in the same browser) each try to 
authenticate to the back-end server, but the proxy multiplexes these 
exchanges over a single connection to the back-end server, then from the 
back-end (IIS) server point of view, the steps are seen as mixed-up (out 
of sequence on that single connection), and it will not work properly.

In summary, I think you are doomed, but I am willing to be proven wrong, 
as the subject is of interest to me also.
Another good place to ask may be the jCIFS list at   > jcifs@lists.samba.org

They are not Apache specialist there, but there are HTTP/NTLM 
specialists lurking there.
Just be nice and ask your question in a general sense, not expecting 
them to be specifically Apache proxy gurus.




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