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Current File(s): conf/intercept/external-intercept-config.xml (V4.0), conf/idp.properties (V4.1+)
Format: Native Spring, Properties (V4.1+)

Table of Contents
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Overview

The "external" interceptor flow is analagous to the External login flow, but for interceptors. It allows an interceptor to be implemented outside of the IdP's Spring WebFlow architecture and routes through a bridge generally implemented in a Java servlet or JSP page, but can be combined with additional redirects out of and then back into the IdP for additional development flexibility.

Note

Once control is transferred to the external path, the IdP has no control over what happens. While the sensitivity of this feature is much less than with the authentication use case, it's still the deployer's responsibility to ensure the external code does what it's meant to do.

General Configuration

Expand
titleV4.0

Use conf/intercept/external-intercept-config.xml to configure this flow.

The shibboleth.intercept.externalPath bean defines the flow redirection path to the resource that's used to perform the external interceptor's logic, by default a context-relative location. It must be a resource with access to the container session. Modify as needed to match the location of your external interface (see the documentation on flow redirects).

You may also dynamically derive the path to use, typically so that it can vary based on aspects of the request, by defining a bean named shibboleth.intercept.externalPathStrategy of type Function<ProfileRequestContext,String>

Expand
titleV4.1+

The idp.intercept.External.externalPath property defines the flow redirection path to the resource that's used to perform the external interceptor's logic, by default a context-relative location. It must be a resource with access to the container session. Modify as needed to match the location of your external interface (see the documentation on flow redirects).

On upgraded systems, the legacy file conf/intercept/external-intercept-config.xml may be removed if the property is defined in place of the original bean.

You may also dynamically derive the path to use, typically so that it can vary based on aspects of the request, by defining a bean (e.g., in global.xml) named shibboleth.intercept.externalPathStrategy of type Function<ProfileRequestContext,String>

API

The ExternalInterceptor class makes up the interface between the external code and the IdP. The general flow is:

  1. Call ExternalInterceptor.startExternalInterceptor(HttpServletRequest), saving off the result as a key.

  2. Do work as necessary. Any redirects must preserve the key value returned in step 1 because it must be used to complete the flow later.

  3. Set request attributes to communicate the result of the interceptor back (likely just an event, if not successful).

  4. Call ExternalInterceptor.finishExternalInterceptor(String, HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse). The first parameter is the key returned in step 1.

A JSP implementation is below. It works as is, but is obviously not doing anything interesting.

External interceptor example in JSP
Code Block
languagejava
<%@ page pageEncoding="UTF-8" %>
<%@ page import="net.shibboleth.idp.profile.interceptor.ExternalInterceptor" %>
<%@ page import="net.shibboleth.idp.profile.interceptor.ExternalInterceptorException" %>

<%
try {
    final String key = ExternalInterceptor.startExternalInterceptor(request);
    
	// If not successful...
    request.setAttribute(ExternalInterceptor.EVENT_KEY, "CustomEvent");

    ExternalInterceptor.finishExternalInterceptor(key, request, response);
     
} catch (final ExternalInterceptorException e) {
    throw new ServletException("Error processing external interceptor", e);
}
%>

Inputs

On first access to the external resource, the request attributes below will be set.

Name

Type

Function

opensamlProfileRequestContext

ProfileRequestContext

Access to full request context tree

Outputs

Name

Type

Function

event         

String

ID of event to signal as result of the flow (defaults to "proceed" for a successful/continue outcome)

Reference

Expand
titleBeans (V4.0)

The beans defined in conf/intercept/external-intercept-config.xml follow:

Name

Type

Default

Description

shibboleth.intercept.externalPath

String

contextRelative:intercept.jsp

Spring Web Flow redirection expression for the resource

shibboleth.intercept.externalPathStrategy

Function<ProfileRequestContext,String>


A function that returns the redirection expression to use for the resource

Expand
titleBeans (V4.1+)

The following bean may be defined in conf/global.xml:

Name

Type

Description

shibboleth.intercept.externalPathStrategy

Function<ProfileRequestContext,String>

A function that returns the redirection expression to use for the resource

Expand
titleProperties (V4.1+)

The following properties may be defined in idp.properties:

Name

Default

Description

idp.intercept.External.externalPath

contextRelative:intercept.jsp

Spring Web Flow redirection expression for the resource