Configuring external authentication

External authentication services (identity providers) allow website visitors to sign in with existing user accounts from other sites or services. When developing MVC websites, you can set up external authentication using the Kentico.Membership API (provided as part of the Kentico.Xperience.AspNet.Mvc5 integration package), in combination with the standard ASP.NET Identity API.

When a user successfully authenticates through an external service, you can use the provided API to create a corresponding user in the shared Xperience database.

The following third-party authentication services are currently supported:

• WS-Federation services (for example Active Directory Federation Services or Azure Active Directory)
• OpenID Connect services (for example Azure Active Directory)
• Google authentication (OAuth 2.0)
• Facebook authentication (OAuth 2.0)

You may be able to set up authentication via other types of services, but only the ones listed above are guaranteed and tested with the Kentico.Membership implementation.

Open your MVC project in Visual Studio.Use the following steps to install and register external authentication services into your MVC project:

1. Install the Microsoft.Owin.Host.SystemWeb NuGet package.

2. Install NuGet packages containing the authentication middleware components required for the services you wish to use:

   • Microsoft.Owin.Security.WsFederation (the package version must be 4.0.0 or newer)
   • Microsoft.Owin.Security.OpenIdConnect (the package version must be 4.0.0 or newer)
   • Microsoft.Owin.Security.Facebook
   • Microsoft.Owin.Security.Google

3. Add a Startup.Auth class to your project’s App_Start folder (or modify your existing authentication startup file).

4. Set up cookie authentication to allow the application to store information about signed in users. See Integrating Xperience membership for details.

   Note: The code registering cookie authentication must be placed before you add any external authentication services.

5. Register any required authentication services within the Startup class (using the OWIN API provided by the installed packages):

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    using System;
    using System.Web;
    using System.Web.Mvc;
   
    using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity;
   
    using Owin;
    using Microsoft.Owin;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security.Cookies;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security.WsFederation;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security.OpenIdConnect;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security.Facebook;
    using Microsoft.Owin.Security.Google;
   
    using CMS.Helpers;
    using CMS.SiteProvider;
   
    using Kentico.Membership;
   
    // Assembly attribute that sets the OWIN startup class
    [assembly: OwinStartup(typeof(LearningKit.App_Start.Startup))]
   
    namespace LearningKit.App_Start
    {
        public partial class Startup
        {
            // Cookie name prefix used by OWIN when creating authentication cookies
            private const string OWIN_COOKIE_PREFIX = ".AspNet.";
   
            public void Configuration(IAppBuilder app)
            {
                // Registers the Kentico.Membership identity implementation
                app.CreatePerOwinContext(() => KenticoUserManager.Initialize(app, new KenticoUserManager(new KenticoUserStore(SiteContext.CurrentSiteName))));
                app.CreatePerOwinContext<KenticoSignInManager>(KenticoSignInManager.Create);
   
                // Configures the authentication cookie
                UrlHelper urlHelper = new UrlHelper(HttpContext.Current.Request.RequestContext);
                app.UseCookieAuthentication(new CookieAuthenticationOptions
                {
                    AuthenticationType = DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ApplicationCookie,
                    // Fill in the name of your sign-in action and controller
                    LoginPath = new PathString(urlHelper.Action("SignIn", "Account")),
                    Provider = new CookieAuthenticationProvider
                    {
                        // Sets the return URL for the sign-in page redirect (fill in the name of your sign-in action and controller)
                        OnApplyRedirect = context => context.Response.Redirect(urlHelper.Action("SignIn", "Account")
                                                     + new Uri(context.RedirectUri).Query)
                    }
                });
   
                // Registers the authentication cookie with the 'Essential' cookie level
                // Ensures that the cookie is preserved when changing a visitor's allowed cookie level below 'Visitor'
                CookieHelper.RegisterCookie(OWIN_COOKIE_PREFIX + DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ApplicationCookie, CookieLevel.Essential);
   
                // Uses a cookie to temporarily store information about users signing in via external authentication services
                app.UseExternalSignInCookie(DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ExternalCookie);
   
                // Registers a WS-Federation authentication service
                app.UseWsFederationAuthentication(
                        new WsFederationAuthenticationOptions
                        {
                        // Set any properties required by your authentication service
                        MetadataAddress = "placeholder", // Fill in the address of your service's WS-Federation metadata
                        Wtrealm = "",
                        // When using external services, Passive authentication mode may help avoid redirect loops for 401 responses
                        AuthenticationMode = AuthenticationMode.Passive
                        });
   
                // Registers an OpenID Connect authentication service
                app.UseOpenIdConnectAuthentication(
                    new OpenIdConnectAuthenticationOptions
                    {
                        // Set any properties required by your authentication service
                        ClientId = "placeholder",
                        ClientSecret = "placeholder",
                        Authority = "https://placeholder",
                        AuthenticationMode = AuthenticationMode.Passive
                    });
   
                // Registers the Facebook authentication service
                app.UseFacebookAuthentication(
                    new FacebookAuthenticationOptions
                    {
                        // Fill in the application ID and secret of your Facebook authentication application
                        AppId = "placeholder",
                        AppSecret = "placeholder"
                    });
   
                // Registers the Google authentication service
                app.UseGoogleAuthentication(
                    new GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationOptions
                    {
                        // Fill in the client ID and secret of your Google authentication application
                        ClientId = "placeholder",
                        ClientSecret = "placeholder"
                    });
            }        
        }
    }
   
   
    

The Xperience identity implementation and the specified external authentication services are now registered for your application. Continue by setting up the components required for using external authentication on your website (controllers, views, etc.).

After you register the required authentication services, you need to implement actions that redirect visitors to the external authentication service, process the response, and handle the corresponding user accounts in Xperience.

The following is a basic example of external authentication handling:

1. Create a new controller class in your MVC project or edit an existing one.

2. Prepare the following properties:

   • KenticoSignInManager - gets an instance of the Kentico.Membership.KenticoSignInManager class for the current request – call HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Get<KenticoSignInManager>().

   • KenticoUserManager - gets an instance of the Kentico.Membership.KenticoUserManager class for the current request – call HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Get<KenticoUserManager>().

   • AuthenticationManager - provides access to the authentication middleware functionality (Microsoft.Owin.Security.IAuthenticationManager instance) – use the HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Authentication property.

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       using System;
       using System.Web;
       using System.Web.Mvc;
       using System.Threading.Tasks;
       using CMS.Helpers;
       using CMS.SiteProvider;
       using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity;
       using Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.Owin;
       using Microsoft.Owin.Security;
     
       using Kentico.Membership;
     
     
     
       

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               /// <summary>
               /// Provides access to the Kentico.Membership.KenticoSignInManager instance.
               /// </summary>
               public KenticoSignInManager KenticoSignInManager
               {
                   get
                   {
                       return HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Get<KenticoSignInManager>();
                   }
               }
     
               /// <summary>
               /// Provides access to the Kentico.Membership.KenticoUserManager instance.
               /// </summary>
               public KenticoUserManager KenticoUserManager
               {
                   get
                   {
                       return HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Get<KenticoUserManager>();
                   }
               }
     
               /// <summary>
               /// Provides access to the Microsoft.Owin.Security.IAuthenticationManager instance.
               /// </summary>
               public IAuthenticationManager AuthenticationManager
               {
                   get
                   {
                       return HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Authentication;
                   }
               }
     
     
     
       

3. Add a POST action that handles redirection to external authentication services. Use a parameter to specify the name of the requested authentication middleware instance.

4. Add an action that handles the responses from external services.

   • Call the AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync method to get login information from the external identity provided by the service.
   • Use the KenticoSignInManager.ExternalSignInAsync method to sign in to Xperience based on external data.

5. Add logic that creates new users in the Xperience database if the first sign-in using the external data fails:

   1. Prepare a new Kentico.Membership.User object based on the external login data. You must enable the user object’s IsExternal property.
   2. Call the KenticoUserManager.CreateAsync method to create the user in the Xperience database.
   3. Call the KenticoUserManager.AddLoginAsync method to create a mapping between the new user and the given authentication provider.
   4. (Optional) Add the user to any required roles. See Managing roles from the MVC application to learn how to add users to Xperience roles using the ASP.NET Identity API.
   External authentication example

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            /// <summary>
            /// Redirects authentication requests to an external service. 
            /// Posted parameters include the name of the requested authentication middleware instance and a return URL.
            /// </summary>
            [HttpPost]
            [AllowAnonymous]
            [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
            public ActionResult RequestSignIn(string provider, string returnUrl)
            {
                // Requests a redirect to the external sign-in provider
                // Sets a return URL targeting an action that handles the response
                // Fill in the name of your controller
                return new ChallengeResult(provider, Url.Action("SignInCallback", "ExternalAuthentication", new { ReturnUrl = returnUrl }));
            }
   
            /// <summary>
            /// Handles responses from external authentication services.
            /// </summary>
            [AllowAnonymous]
            public async Task<ActionResult> SignInCallback(string returnUrl)
            {
                // Extracts login info out of the external identity provided by the service
                ExternalLoginInfo loginInfo = await AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync();
   
                // If the external authentication fails, displays a view with appropriate information
                if (loginInfo == null)
                {
                    return View("ExternalAuthenticationFailure");
                }
   
                // Attempts to sign in the user using the external login info
                SignInStatus result = await KenticoSignInManager.ExternalSignInAsync(loginInfo, isPersistent: false);
                switch (result)
                {
                    // Success occurs if the user already exists in the Xperience database and has signed in using the given external service
                    case SignInStatus.Success:
                        // Redirects to the original return URL
                        return RedirectToLocal(returnUrl);
   
                    // The 'LockedOut' status occurs if the user exists in Xperience, but is not enabled
                    case SignInStatus.LockedOut:
                        // Returns a view informing the user about the locked account
                        return View("Lockout");
   
                    case SignInStatus.Failure:
                    default:
                        // Attempts to create a new user in Xperience if the authentication failed
                        IdentityResult userCreation = await CreateExternalUser(loginInfo);
   
                        // Attempts to sign in again with the new user created based on the external authentication data
                        result = await KenticoSignInManager.ExternalSignInAsync(loginInfo, isPersistent: false);
   
                        // Verifies that the user was created successfully and was able to sign in
                        if (userCreation.Succeeded && result == SignInStatus.Success)
                        {
                            // Redirects to the original return URL
                            return RedirectToLocal(returnUrl);
                        }
   
                        // If the user creation was not successful, displays corresponding error messages
                        foreach (string error in userCreation.Errors)
                        {
                            ModelState.AddModelError(String.Empty, error);
                        }
                        return View();
   
                        // Optional extension:
                        // Send the loginInfo data as a view model and create a form that allows adjustments of the user data.
                        // Allows visitors to resolve errors such as conflicts with existing usernames in Xperience.
                        // Then post the data to another action and attempt to create the user account again.
                        // The action can access the original loginInfo using the AuthenticationManager.GetExternalLoginInfoAsync() method.
                }
            }
   
            /// <summary>
            /// Creates users in Xperience based on external login data.
            /// </summary>
            private async Task<IdentityResult> CreateExternalUser(ExternalLoginInfo loginInfo)
            {
                // Prepares a new user entity based on the external login data
                Kentico.Membership.User user = new User
                {
                    UserName = ValidationHelper.GetSafeUserName(loginInfo.DefaultUserName ?? loginInfo.Email, SiteContext.CurrentSiteName),
                    Email = loginInfo.Email,
                    Enabled = true, // The user is enabled by default
                    IsExternal = true // IsExternal must always be true for users created via external authentication
                    // Set any other required user properties using the data available in loginInfo
                };
   
                // Attempts to create the user in the Xperience database
                IdentityResult result = await KenticoUserManager.CreateAsync(user);
                if (result.Succeeded)
                {
                    // If the user was created successfully, creates a mapping between the user and the given authentication provider
                    result = await KenticoUserManager.AddLoginAsync(user.Id, loginInfo.Login);
                }
   
                return result;
            }
   
            /// <summary>
            /// Redirects to a specified return URL if it belongs to the MVC website or to the site's home page.
            /// </summary>
            private ActionResult RedirectToLocal(string returnUrl)
            {
                if (Url.IsLocalUrl(returnUrl))
                {
                    return Redirect(returnUrl);
                }
   
                return RedirectToAction("Index", "Home");
            }
   
            /// <summary>
            /// Custom type that processes the result of an action method.
            /// </summary>
            internal class ChallengeResult : HttpUnauthorizedResult
            {
                public ChallengeResult(string provider, string redirectUri)
                {
                    LoginProvider = provider;
                    RedirectUri = redirectUri;
                }
   
                public string LoginProvider { get; set; }
                public string RedirectUri { get; set; }
   
                // Called to run the action result using the specified controller context
                public override void ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context)
                {
                    var properties = new AuthenticationProperties { RedirectUri = RedirectUri };
   
                    // Adds information into the response environment that causes the specified authentication middleware to challenge the caller
                    context.HttpContext.GetOwinContext().Authentication.Challenge(properties, LoginProvider);
                }
            }
   
   
   
    

6. Design the user interface required for external authentication on your website

   • Add buttons onto your website’s sign-in page that target the RequestSignIn action. Supply parameters that specify the provider type for each authentication service and optionally a return URL.

     Example of external authentication buttons (Razor view)

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       @using Microsoft.Owin.Security
     
       @{
           @* Gets a collection of the authentication services registered in your application's startup class *@
           var authServices = Context.GetOwinContext().Authentication.GetExternalAuthenticationTypes();
     
           @* Generates a form with buttons targeting the RequestSignIn action. Optionally pass a redirect URL as a parameter. *@
           using (Html.BeginForm("RequestSignIn", "ExternalAuthentication"))
           {
               @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
               <p>
                   @foreach (AuthenticationDescription p in authServices)
                   {
                       <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default" id="@p.AuthenticationType" name="provider" value="@p.AuthenticationType" title="Sign in using your @p.Caption account">@p.AuthenticationType</button>
                   }
               </p>
           }
       }
     
     
     
       

   • Create a view for displaying information in situations where the external authentication fails (ExternalAuthenticationFailure in the example).

   • Create a view for displaying information in situations where the external authentication succeeds, but the matching Xperience user account is disabled (Lockout in the example).

   • Create a view for the SignInCallback action.

     In the most basic version of the SignInCallback view, you only need to display error messages in situations where the external authentication succeeds, but Xperience is unable to create a matching user account.

     You can implement an extended version with an editing form that allows visitors to adjust and resubmit the data of the new user account (using a strongly typed view that receives the external login data from the action).

Visitors can now sign in on the website through the external authentication services that you registered in the Startup class. Upon successful authentication, the system creates a corresponding user account in the shared Xperience database, along with a mapping between the user and the given authentication provider.