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authentication.md

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Authentication and setting the Acrolinx URL

Acrolinx URL

The Acrolinx Sidebar SDKs usually handle the Acrolinx URL setting. Some scenarios might require an admin to set the Acrolinx URL for all users:

  1. CMS administrator sets the Acrolinx URL for all users.

    • Make sure that you properly validate the Acrolinx URL.
    • To validate an Acrolinx URL, check if you can connect an integration to an Acrolinx instance.

  2. You're a customer and you're building an integration only for your company's use. You can hard-code the Acrolinx URL.

  3. A web server delivers the integration.

    • The web server also acts as a proxy to Acrolinx.
    • Use a relative Acrolinx URL and set the value on the server side.

  4. You use a software distribution system to roll out the integration. You can set the Acrolinx URL with the roll-out mechanism.

Authentication

By default, authentication takes place in the Sidebar. The Sidebar opens a web browser page for sign-in. If users are already authenticated in a CMS, then you ideally use Acrolinx single sign-on (SSO). See points 4 and 5. The Sidebar and Acrolinx platform support different authentication options:

  1. Acrolinx Authentication works with a user database on the Acrolinx platform.

    • Create and manage users in Acrolinx.
    • The Sidebar opens a browser window where users sign in.
    • This option only requires managing users in Acrolinx. You don't have to do any coding in the integration.
    • You cannot use this option if Acrolinx traffic is tunneled through a reverse proxy and provided as a subpath like https://myserver/acrolinx/proxy/
    • If the Acrolinx services are provided on the top-level domain name, then you can use a reverse proxy like https://myserver/.

  2. Acrolinx uses external euthentication like LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) or Active Directory.

    • The sign-in user experience is the same as in option 1, but you don't configure users in Acrolinx.
    • Instead, you configure users on the LDAP-Server.
    • This option only requires configuration to the external directory on the Acrolinx platform.
    • You don't have to do any coding in the integration.

  3. The Acrolinx Platform uses Enterprise Federated Authentication.

    • The user experience will be similar to option 1 and 2.
    • Instead of signing in to the Acrolinx Platform, the user will see a Sign-in page of a 3rd-party system.
    • You can also use this option when traffic is tunneled through a reverse proxy.
    • This option only requires configuration to the external directory on the Acrolinx Platform.
    • You don't have to do any coding in the integration.

  4. Communication is tunneled through an Acrolinx single sign-on (SSO) reverse proxy using a shared secret.

    • The user is already authenticated in a CMS.
    • A proxy built into the CMS knows the username of the current session.
    • Acrolinx and the CMS share a secret. Acrolinx trusts all requests sent with this secret.
    • For security reasons, prevent Acrolinx from having access to the secret.
    • This option is currently only available for JavaScript-based integrations.

  5. For embedded integrations, you can use the same approach as in option 4.

    • You can use the secret directly instead of tunneling all traffic through a proxy.
    • This method is secure since users won't have access to the token of the embedded integration.

  6. For automated integrations, you might want to use an API token.

    • To create an API token, go to the Settings of the relevant user.
    • All checks will be associated with the user whose API token you're using.
    • Some parts of Analytics dashboards that show usernames might not work as expected.
    • Consult with your CSM or account manager to confirm whether your license includes this kind of usage.

Do not hard-code any usernames for checks run by different users.

The authentication method you use often influences the recommended check type. See checking features.