From 27647b38fe1b183010d4c49bce5aa22ea2bb3f48 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Frederick Muriuki Muriithi Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2022 10:12:58 +0300 Subject: auth: Document new ideas for privileges --- docs/authentication_and_authorisation/.gitignore | 1 + ...on-privileges-implementation-idea-20221231.adoc | 88 ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 89 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/authentication_and_authorisation/.gitignore create mode 100644 docs/authentication_and_authorisation/authorisation-privileges-implementation-idea-20221231.adoc (limited to 'docs') diff --git a/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/.gitignore b/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/.gitignore new file mode 100644 index 0000000..16564d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/.gitignore @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +**/*.html \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/authorisation-privileges-implementation-idea-20221231.adoc b/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/authorisation-privileges-implementation-idea-20221231.adoc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..256c5ed --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/authentication_and_authorisation/authorisation-privileges-implementation-idea-20221231.adoc @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ += Implementation of Privileges + +These are some ideas for implementing the privileges system. + +== Naming + +The privileges will have a naming scheme that will be of a form loosely approximating the following form: + +.... +:: +.... + +for example: + +.Example Privileges +[cols="1,5",options="header"] +|=== +| Privilege Name | Description + +| system:group:create-one +| Allows the holder to create only one group, of which they become a member. + Once they are a member of any group, they cannot create another. This could be + added by default for new users, and removed once they are assigned to a group. + +| system:group:create-many +| Allows the holder to create more than one group. Mostly for system + administration use. This privilege will not be accessible to end users. + +| group:user:list +| Allows holder to list any user in the same group as the holder, for which this + privilege is attached + +| group:role:assign +| Allows holder to assign group-level roles to users + +| group:resource:list +| Allows holder to list any resources for which this privilege is attached + +| group:resource:view +| Allows holder to view the details of any resource for which this privilege is + attached +|=== + +It is important to note that *privileges are not assigned directly*, rather, +they are grouped into roles and the roles are assigned to users. + +== Checking Privileges + +To check privileges, a mini-DSL (Domain-Specific Language) is proposed, which +will be used to generate a checker to verify that the user has the appropriate +privileges to access a resource. + +I propose a simple, lisp-like syntax that follows the form: + +.... +(command ...specifications) +.... + +where the *...specifications* is built with the *has* operator: + +for example: + +---- +(resource-access (has "group:resource:view" "group:resource:edit")) +---- + +to view and edit the resource: the user has to have *all* (in this case, both) +of the `group:resource:view` and `group:resource:edit` privileges for this check +to pass. + +---- +(system-access (or (has "system:group:create-one") (has "system:group:create-many"))) +---- + +to enable group creation. The user has to have one or the other of the +`system:group:create-one` or `system:group:create-many` privileges to pass. + +[sidebar] +The *has-** operations acts like an *and*-ing of the privileges and thus would +be equivalent to something like +`(and (has priv1 priv2 ... privn) (has priv1 priv2 ... privm))`. + +The privilege specification can be used to generate portions of queries to check +for access dependent on the type or resource in question, e.g. MRNA +Assay (Probeset), Phenotypes (Publish) or Genotypes. + +The privilege specifications can also be used for checking access to system +management functions like creating groups, and modifying user details. -- cgit v1.2.3