View Authentication Scheme Reports in Oracle APEX

 Oracle APEX provides built-in reports that allow developers to view and manage authentication schemes within an application. These reports help track the current authentication scheme, review available authentication methods, and monitor subscription statuses for authentication schemes copied from other applications.

Steps to View Authentication Scheme Reports

1. Navigate to the Authentication Schemes Page

• Log in to Oracle APEX.

• Open App Builder and select the application you want to inspect.

• Click Shared Components > Authentication Schemes.

2. Review the Authentication Scheme Report

On the Authentication Schemes page, a report displays the following key details for each authentication scheme:

• Scheme Name – The name of the authentication scheme.

• Scheme Type – The type of authentication used (e.g., APEX Accounts, LDAP, Social Sign-In, etc.).

• Current Scheme – Indicates which authentication scheme is active for the application.

• Subscribed From – Shows if the authentication scheme is subscribed from another application.

• Subscription Status – Displays whether the authentication scheme is up to date or requires synchronization with its master.

3. Filter or Search for Specific Authentication Schemes

Use the Search bar or filtering options to find a specific authentication scheme based on:

• Scheme Type (e.g., LDAP, Database Accounts, OAuth2).

• Subscription Status (Subscribed, Unsubscribed).

• Active/Inactive Schemes.

4. View Detailed Information for a Specific Authentication Scheme

• Click on an authentication scheme name to open its Edit page.

• Review or modify attributes, including session management settings, authentication process hooks, and login page configurations.

Use Cases for Viewing Authentication Scheme Reports

• Identifying which authentication scheme is currently active in the application.

• Monitoring authentication scheme subscriptions and ensuring they are synchronized with their master definitions.

• Verifying authentication security settings to comply with organizational policies.

• Troubleshooting authentication-related issues by reviewing session settings and authentication behavior.

By leveraging authentication scheme reports, Oracle APEX developers can efficiently manage and monitor authentication settings within their applications.

Use a Procedure to Configure Authentication at Runtime in Oracle

 In Oracle APEX, you can dynamically configure authentication at runtime by specifying a PL/SQL procedure on the Security Attributes page. This allows you to control authentication behavior dynamically, such as switching authentication schemes based on conditions, user roles, or application settings.

Steps to Configure Authentication at Runtime

1. Navigate to the Security Attributes Page

• Log in to Oracle APEX.

• Open App Builder and select the application you want to configure.

• Click Shared Components > Security Attributes.

2. Specify a PL/SQL Procedure for Runtime Authentication

• Locate the Authentication section.

• In the Authentication Procedure Name field, enter the name of a PL/SQL procedure that will determine the authentication behavior.

3. Create the Authentication Procedure in PL/SQL

Define a PL/SQL procedure in your database schema that dynamically configures authentication. The procedure should set the authentication scheme based on conditions like the application ID, session attributes, or other logic.

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE set_authentication AS

  v_auth_scheme VARCHAR2(255);

BEGIN

  -- Example: Switch authentication based on the application ID

  IF :APP_ID = 100 THEN 

    v_auth_scheme := 'APEX_ACCOUNTS';  -- Use APEX authentication

  ELSE

    v_auth_scheme := 'LDAP_AUTH';  -- Use LDAP authentication

  END IF;

  -- Set the authentication scheme for the session

  APEX_UTIL.SET_AUTHENTICATION_SCHEME(v_auth_scheme);

END set_authentication;

/

This procedure selects an authentication scheme based on the application ID and sets it for the session.

4. Apply the Authentication Procedure

• Save the Security Attributes page.

• The authentication will now be dynamically determined based on the procedure at runtime.

5. Test the Configuration

• Run the application and verify that authentication behavior changes dynamically based on the defined procedure.

Use Cases for Runtime Authentication Configuration

• Switching authentication methods based on user roles or groups.

• Enforcing different authentication schemes for different applications.

• Enabling or disabling authentication dynamically based on security policies.

By using a PL/SQL procedure for authentication at runtime, Oracle APEX provides flexibility in managing authentication schemes dynamically, ensuring enhanced security and adaptability.

Subscribe an Authentication Scheme in Oracle APEX

 Subscribing to an Authentication Scheme allows applications to reuse authentication configurations from a master application. This ensures consistency across multiple applications and makes it easier to manage authentication settings.

Why Subscribe to an Authentication Scheme?

• Ensures authentication settings remain consistent across multiple applications.

• Reduces maintenance effort by allowing changes to be managed from a single master scheme.

• Automatically updates subscribed authentication schemes when changes are made to the master.

How to Subscribe to an Authentication Scheme

1. Navigate to the Authentication Schemes Page

• Log in to your Oracle APEX workspace.

• Open App Builder and select your application.

• Click Shared Components from the application menu.

• Under Security, select Authentication Schemes.

2. Select or Create an Authentication Scheme

• If you are creating a new authentication scheme, click Create and follow the setup process.

• If you want to subscribe an existing scheme, select it from the list.

3. Subscribe to an Authentication Scheme

• On the Authentication Scheme Create / Edit page, find the Subscription section.

• Under Subscribe From, select the source application that has the master authentication scheme.

• Click Apply Changes to establish the subscription.

4. Manage Subscription Updates

• When the master authentication scheme is updated, subscribed schemes can be refreshed to reflect changes.

• To update, navigate to Authentication Schemes, select the subscribed scheme, and click Refresh Subscription.

5. Unsubscribe if Needed

• If you want to detach the authentication scheme from the master, select Unsubscribe on the Authentication Scheme Edit page.

• Once unsubscribed, the authentication scheme becomes independent and no longer receives updates from the master.

By subscribing to an authentication scheme, developers can streamline authentication management across multiple applications while maintaining security and consistency.

Creating a Login Page in Oracle APEX

A login page is essential for securing your application by authenticating users before granting access. Oracle APEX automatically generates a login page when you create an application that requires authentication. However, you can also create a custom login page manually.

Steps to Create a Login Page in Oracle APEX

1. Navigate to the App Builder

• Log in to Oracle APEX.

• Open App Builder and select the application where you want to create a login page.

2. Create a New Page

• Click Create to add a new page.

• Select Login Page under Authentication.

• Click Next to proceed.

3. Configure the Login Page

• Page Name: Enter a name for the login page (e.g., "User Login").

• Page Mode: Choose whether this will be the default login page or a custom one.

• Authentication Scheme: Select the authentication scheme to use (e.g., APEX Accounts, Database Authentication, LDAP, Social Sign-In).

• Click Next and then Create Page.

4. Customize the Login Page (Optional)

• Open the newly created Login Page in Page Designer.

• Modify UI elements like the username and password fields, buttons, and messages.

• Add any additional PL/SQL validation logic for custom authentication.

5. Set the Login Page as the Authentication Page

• Go to Shared Components > Authentication Schemes.

• Open your authentication scheme and ensure it references the newly created Login Page as the Login URL.

• Click Apply Changes.

6. Test the Login Page

• Run the application and verify that the login page appears before accessing other pages.

• Enter credentials to confirm authentication works correctly.

Customizing the Login Process

• Use Session State Protection to enhance security.

• Add custom authentication logic using PL/SQL functions.

• Implement password reset functionality if needed.

By following these steps, you can create a fully functional login page in Oracle APEX, ensuring that only authenticated users can access your application.