Adding application level security in Oracle APEX is essential for maintaining a safe and reliable environment for your users. By properly configuring authentication schemes, authorization controls, and session settings, you can prevent unauthorized access and ensure data privacy. Regularly updating and monitoring these security measures will help keep your application protected against evolving threats.
Adding application-level security in Oracle APEX is essential to protect your app's data and functionality. This involves configuring authentication, authorization, and session management to ensure only authorized users access the application and its features.
Adding application level security in Oracle APEX involves several key steps to ensure that your application is protected from unauthorized access and that users only see the data and functionality they are permitted to access. The process begins with configuring authentication schemes, which control how users log in to your application. Oracle APEX offers built-in authentication options like APEX accounts, database accounts, LDAP, or social sign-ins, as well as the ability to create custom authentication methods. You can set the authentication scheme by navigating to Shared Components > Authentication Schemes, where you select or create the appropriate scheme that fits your security requirements.
Authorization schemes are another critical element in securing your application. These schemes define what authenticated users can or cannot do within the app. By creating authorization schemes, you control access to pages, regions, buttons, and other components based on user roles or privileges. For example, you might create roles like ADMIN, MANAGER, and USER, then assign different access rights accordingly. To implement this, go to Shared Components > Authorization Schemes, and define your rules using PL/SQL functions, SQL queries, or predefined conditions.
Session management is also important to maintain application security. You should configure session timeout settings to log users out after a period of inactivity, preventing unauthorized use of unattended sessions. This can be set under Security attributes in the application properties. Additionally, enabling session state protection prevents malicious tampering with session data.
Lastly, consider enabling HTTPS for your application to secure data in transit, and use Oracle APEX’s built-in security features like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) protection and Content Security Policy (CSP). Regularly review your security settings and apply patches or updates to keep your application safe.
By carefully implementing these layers—authentication, authorization, session management, and transport security—you create a secure Oracle APEX application that protects both your data and users effectively.
To implement application-level security in Oracle APEX, start by enabling authentication schemes. You can use built-in schemes such as APEX accounts, database accounts, LDAP, or Single Sign-On (SSO). Choose an authentication method that fits your organization's security requirements.
Next, define authorization schemes to control user access to pages, regions, buttons, and other components based on roles or privileges. Use these schemes to restrict sensitive operations and data views only to authorized users.
Oracle APEX also supports session state protection to prevent unauthorized manipulation of page items and parameters. Enable session timeout settings to automatically log out inactive users, enhancing security further.
Regularly review and update security configurations to align with evolving security policies and best practices. Use built-in monitoring tools to audit user activity and detect potential security issues.
By carefully configuring these application-level security features, you ensure your Oracle APEX application remains secure and reliable, protecting both your users and data.
Application-Level Security in Oracle APEX
Application-level security in Oracle APEX ensures that users can only access the appropriate data and functionality based on their roles and permissions. This security is enforced through authentication, authorization, session state management, and data protection techniques. Implementing security at the application level helps protect sensitive information, prevent unauthorized access, and maintain application integrity.
Authentication in APEX
Authentication verifies a user's identity before granting access to an application. Oracle APEX provides several authentication methods that can be configured at the application level:
Built-in Authentication Schemes
APEX Accounts – Uses Oracle APEX’s internal user management system.
Database Accounts – Requires users to log in with an Oracle database user.
LDAP Directory – Integrates with an LDAP server to authenticate users.
Single Sign-On (SSO) – Allows authentication using enterprise-wide credentials.
Social Sign-In – Enables login using Google, Facebook, or other OAuth providers.
Custom PL/SQL Function – Uses a PL/SQL function to validate user credentials.
Configuring Authentication in Oracle APEX
To set up authentication:
Navigate to Shared Components in the APEX application.
Click Authentication Schemes under the Security section.
Select an authentication type and configure the settings.
Set the authentication scheme as Current to activate it.
Authorization in APEX
Authorization defines what actions a user is allowed to perform after authentication. It is used to control access to pages, buttons, regions, reports, and other components.
Creating an Authorization Scheme
Go to Shared Components → Authorization Schemes.
Click Create and choose Based on a SQL Query or PL/SQL Function.
Define the logic that determines whether a user has the required permissions.
Apply the authorization scheme to pages or components.
Example: Role-Based Access Control
To restrict access to a page for admin users only, use an SQL-based authorization scheme:
EXISTS (
SELECT 1
FROM my_security_table
WHERE user_id = :APP_USER
AND privilege = 'ADMIN'
)
Session State Protection
Oracle APEX maintains user session data, including authentication details, page items, and application state. Session State Protection (SSP) ensures that users cannot tamper with session values by modifying URLs or form submissions.
To enable SSP:
Go to Shared Components → Session State Protection.
Set the Session State Protection Level to Enabled.
Apply Restricted or Checksum Required settings to page items that should not be modified externally.
Securing Data in APEX
Protecting sensitive data is a key part of application-level security. Consider the following best practices:
Using Bind Variables in SQL Queries
Instead of embedding values directly in SQL, use bind variables to prevent SQL injection attacks:
SELECT * FROM employees WHERE department_id = :P1_DEPT_ID
Encrypting Sensitive Data
Store confidential data in an encrypted format using DBMS_CRYPTO functions:
DBMS_CRYPTO.ENCRYPT (
src => UTL_RAW.CAST_TO_RAW('Sensitive Data'),
typ => DBMS_CRYPTO.ENCRYPT_AES256 + DBMS_CRYPTO.CHAIN_CBC,
key => encryption_key
)
Applying Security to UI Components
Authorization schemes can be applied to various UI elements:
Pages – Restrict access based on user roles.
Regions – Show or hide sections dynamically.
Buttons and Items – Enable or disable controls for specific users.
Reports and Interactive Grids – Filter data based on user permissions.
To apply security to a button:
Open the button's properties in Page Designer.
Under Security, set Authorization Scheme to a predefined authorization rule.
Save and run the application.
Logging and Auditing
Monitoring user activity can help detect security issues. Use Database Triggers and APEX Logging to track changes and log user interactions.
Example of logging user activity in a custom table:
CREATE TABLE audit_log (
log_id NUMBER GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY,
user_id VARCHAR2(50),
action VARCHAR2(100),
log_timestamp TIMESTAMP DEFAULT SYSDATE
);
To insert an entry into the log:
INSERT INTO audit_log (user_id, action) VALUES (:APP_USER, 'Page Accessed');
COMMIT;
Application-level security in Oracle APEX involves authentication, authorization, session management, and data protection. By implementing these security measures, developers can build secure and reliable applications that protect sensitive data and ensure controlled user access.
Application level security is a critical aspect of building robust Oracle APEX applications. It ensures that only authorized users can access the application and its features, protecting sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of your system. In this blog, we will explore how to add application level security in Oracle APEX by implementing authentication, authorization, and session management to safeguard your app effectively.
