README.apache-2.4(3)

APACHE 2.4 PORTING NOTES

  VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Apache 2.4 has a VERY different authentication API from previous versions. You will not be able to simply ugrade apache and upgrade AuthCookie in order to migrate to Apache 2.4. You will also need to port your AuthCookie subclass over to the Apache 2.4 API, and update your Apache configuration for Apache 2.4.

This document attempts to help you understand the changes required and how to port your module over to Apache 2.4. If your subclass stopped working when you migrated to Apache 2.4, please make sure you have read and understand everything in this document before filing a bug report.

  Changes Required to Run Under Apache 2.4

Mod Perl
    You need at least "mod_perl" version 2.0.9, which is the first official release to support Apache 2.4.

Apache::Test
    You need Apache::Test version 1.39 or later. Previous versions do not define the constant APACHE2_4 which is needed for the test suite.

Your AuthCookie Subclass
    •   Your module must inherit from "Apache2_4::AuthCookie" instead of "Apache2::AuthCookie"

    •   You must change every method that was called as a "PerlAuthzHandler" under previous versions to return one of the following values:

        Apache2::Const::AUTHZ_DENIED_NO_USER
            return this constant if "$r->user" is empty/undefined.

        Apache2::Const::AUTHZ_DENIED
            return this constant if "$r->user" is not authorized for the current request.

        Apache2::Const::AUTHZ_GRANTED
            return this constant if "$r->user" is authorized for the current request

httpd.conf
    •   Replace all "PerlAuthzHandler" entries with top level "PerlAddAuthzProvider" entries.

        "PerlAuthzHandler" is gone in Apache 2.4. It has been replaced with "PerlAddAuthzProvider". "PerlAddAUthzProvider" methods are expected to return one of "AUTHZ_DENIED_NO_USER", "AUTHZ_GRANTED", or "AUTHZ_DENIED". Other return values are not valid. Be sure you have ported your authz methods to return the appropriate constant!

    •   Add a "PerlAddAuthzProvider" directive that calls "authz_handler()"

        E.g.:

            PerlAddAuthzProvider user Sample::Apache2::AuthCookieHandler->authz_handler

        Note that you can use something other than "user". e.g.: "my-user" if you have other authentication modules in use that are responsible for "Requires user ..." directives.

    •   Remove All Instances of PerlAuthzHandler that call authorize()

        E.g.: remove all all instances of:

            PerlAuthzHandler Your::AuthCookie::Handler->authorize

  Important Internal API Changes for Apache 2.4

authorize() has been removed
    In "Apache2_4::AuthCookie", "authorize()" is replaced by "authz_handler". "authz_handler" has a different return type from "authorize". Apache expects a return value of one of "AUTHZ_GRANTED", "AUTHZ_DENIED", or "AUTHZ_DENIED_NO_USER".

${auth_name}Satisfy
    Satisfy support is removed as it is no longer needed with Apache 2.4.

    You can handle other non-user requirements with RequireAll, and additional AuthzProvider handlers:

    e.g.:

        PerlAddAuthzProvider user    Your::AuthCookieHandler->authz_handler
        PerlAddAuthzProvider species Your::AuthCookieHandler->authz_species_handler

        <RequireAll>
          Require valid-user
          Require species gerbil
        </RequireAll>

    see: https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/howto/auth.html#reqaccessctrl

Unauthorized User HTTP Response Code
    In Apache 2.4, in mod_authz_core, if no authz_handlers return "AUTHZ_GRANTED", then "HTTP_UNAUTHORIZED" is returned. In previous versions, "HTTP_FORBIDDEN" was returned. You can get the old behaviour if you want it with:

        AuthzSendForbiddenOnFailure On

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

•   Why is my authz method called twice per request?

    This is normal behaviour under Apache 2.4. You are expected to return "Apache2::Const::AUTHZ_DENIED_NO_USER" IF "$r->user" has not yet been set. Your authz handler will be called a second time after the user has been authenticated.

TODO

•   add support for mod_auth_socache if possible