Developing Authentication Enhancements

The development capabilities of SAP NetWeaver Application Server (SAP NetWeaver Application Server) enable you to develop custom enhancements to the standard authentication mechanisms.

By using custom development to enhance authentication, you can strengthen the security of your SAP NetWeaver systems. For example, you can develop GSS API libraries to enable authentication using smart cards and thereby increase the secure storage options for the authentication credentials of SAP NetWeaver users. The GSS API also enables you to use custom development to integrate non-SAP systems in SSO environments with SAP NetWeaver.

In addition, for the Java technology stack of SAP NetWeaver, you can develop and deploy login modules that are compliant with the JAAS standard to use custom authentication checks for user logon.

Integration

The development of authentication enhancements on SAP NetWeaver is related to the underlying technology that you use.

For SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP, you can develop authentication enhancements by using the GSS API V2 provided with Secure Network Communications (SNC).
For SAP NetWeaver AS for Java, you can use SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio to develop custom JAAS login modules.
For enabling SSO to external systems, you can develop web service filters that support authentication with logon tickets.

Prerequisites

When developing authentication enhancements for SAP NetWeaver Application Server for ABAP, install the SAPCryptographic Libraries.
When developing authentication enhancements for SAP NetWeaver AS for Java, SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio is installed and you have sufficient authorizations for deployment to the target SAP NetWeaver AS for Java system.