Authentication

The combination of a user ID and a password is the most common method of authentication. . After users successfully authenticate, the system identifies which resources-specific users have sufficient authorization to access.

We can have simultaneous, multiple log ins with the same user ID and password. However, this method can result in a non-reliable behavior depending on the client or authentication method. For this reason, IBM WebSphere Portal does not support simultaneous, multiple log ins.

WebSphere Portal supports the following methods for login and authentication:

Form-based authentication

Use the IBM WAS Custom Form-based Authentication mechanism to prompt for identities. Users type their user ID and password in the Login portlet.

SSL client certificate authentication

Configure authentication with certificates stored in the browser or on a smart card. The certificates are stored through a SSL client certificate authentication. The authentication is done for the users when they access the protected area of the portal.

Third-party authentication

An external security manager, such as IBM Tivoli Access Manager, is an example.

Parent: Security and authentication considerations
Related:
Federal Information Processing Standards
Plan for single sign-on
Secure communications using SSL
Credential Vault
Caching considerations