Introduction to the Identity and Access Management - WSO2 Identity Server

Introduction

This tutorial introduces the basics of Identity and Access Management (IAM) using WSO2 Identity Server. IAM is crucial for managing user identities and controlling access to resources securely. This guide will help you understand the fundamental concepts and set up WSO2 Identity Server for your applications.

Step 1: Understanding Identity and Access Management

• Identity and Access Management refers to the policies and technologies used to manage user identities and access to resources.
• Key components include:
  • User authentication: Verifying user identity.
  • User authorization: Granting access rights to resources.
  • User management: Creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts.

Practical Tip: Familiarize yourself with terms like Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and federated identity for a broader understanding of IAM concepts.

Step 2: Setting Up WSO2 Identity Server

• Download the WSO2 Identity Server from the official website.
• Follow these steps to install:
  1. Unzip the downloaded file.
  2. Navigate to the bin directory.
  3. Run the server using the command:

     ./wso2server.sh (for Linux/Mac)
     wso2server.bat (for Windows)
     

• Once the server is running, access the management console at: https://localhost:9443/carbon.

Common Pitfall: Ensure that your Java version is compatible with the WSO2 Identity Server requirements to avoid runtime errors.

Step 3: Configuring User Stores

• WSO2 Identity Server allows integration with various user stores.
• To configure:
  1. Log in to the management console.
  2. Navigate to Main > Manage > User Stores.
  3. Click on Add User Store and fill in the required details such as:
     • User Store Type (e.g., JDBC, LDAP)
     • Connection URL
     • User Credentials

Real-World Application: Integrating LDAP user stores is common in enterprise environments to manage user identities centrally.

Step 4: Setting Up Applications

• To manage access to your applications:

  1. Register your application by navigating to Main > Manage > Service Providers.
  2. Click Add and fill in the application details.
  3. Configure OAuth/OpenID Connect settings for authorization.

• Save the configurations and note down the client ID and secret for your application.

Practical Tip: Use the provided sample applications from WSO2 to test your configurations effectively.

Step 5: Implementing Security Features

• Enable security features like SSO and MFA:
  1. Navigate to Main > Identity > Service Providers.
  2. Select your service provider and enable SSO.
  3. For MFA, go to Main > Identity > Authentication > Step-Up Authentication and configure options.

Common Pitfall: Test each security feature in a staging environment before deploying to production to ensure proper functioning.

Conclusion

With the steps outlined in this tutorial, you should have a basic understanding of Identity and Access Management using WSO2 Identity Server. You have learned to set up the server, configure user stores, register applications, and implement security features. For further learning, explore more advanced topics like API security and user provisioning through WSO2's training resources.