User authentication and SQL authorization embedded example

This example, AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth.java, shows how to use SQL authorization, in addition to Derby's built-in user authentication and user authorization, with the embedded driver.

Important: Derby's built-in authentication mechanism is suitable only for development and testing purposes. It is strongly recommended that production systems rely on LDAP or a user-defined class for authentication. It is also strongly recommended that production systems protect network connections with SSL/TLS.

This example is a single long program. A similar example that uses the client driver, in User authentication and SQL authorization client example, uses one program to set properties and a second program to perform database operations. Either example would work equally well in the other format.

See User authorizations for more information on using SQL authorization, which allows you to use ANSI SQL Standard GRANT and REVOKE statements. Compare this example to the one in User authentication and authorization embedded example, which does not use SQL authorization.

The program does the following:

  1. Starts Derby and creates a database named sqlAuthEmbDB, using the embedded driver. The connection URL creates the database as the user mary, who is therefore the database owner. After SQL authorization is enabled, only the database owner will have the right to set and read database properties.
  2. Sets database properties that create users with different levels of access (no access, read-only access, and full access), that require authentication, and that turn on SQL authorization. The users mary and sqlsam have full access.
  3. Closes the connection, then stops and restarts the database so that the authentication and SQL authorization changes can take effect.
  4. Tries to connect to the database without a username and password, raising an exception.
  5. Tries to connect to the database as a user with no access, raising an exception.
  6. Connects to the database as a user with read-only access; the connection succeeds, but an attempt to create a table raises an exception.
  7. Connects to the database as mary, who has full access; this user creates and populates a table. This user also grants select and insert privileges on this table to another user.
  8. Connects to the database as sqlsam, the user who has been granted select and insert privileges by mary. This user has full (that is, read-write) access on the connection level, but has limited powers for this table because SQL authorization is active. The user successfully performs select and insert operations on the table, but an attempt to delete a row from the table raises an exception.
  9. Connects to the database again as mary, who then deletes the table.
  10. Closes the connection, shuts down the database, then shuts down Derby.

Make sure that the javac command is in your path, then compile the program as follows:

javac AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth.java

When you run AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth, make sure that %DERBY_HOME%\lib\derby.jar (or $DERBY_HOME/lib/derby.jar) is in your classpath. For example, you might use the following command on a Windows system:

java -cp .;%DERBY_HOME%\lib\derby.jar AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth

Source code for AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth.java

import java.sql.*;

public class AuthExampleEmbeddedSQLAuth {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        String driver = "org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver";
        String dbName="sqlAuthEmbDB";
        String dbOwner="mary";
        String connectionURL = "jdbc:derby:" + dbName + 
            ";user=" + dbOwner + ";create=true";
        Connection conn = null;

        // Load the driver. This code is not needed if you are using 
        // JDK 6, because in that environment the driver is loaded 
        // automatically when the application requests a connection.
        try {
            Class.forName(driver);
            System.out.println(driver + " loaded.");
        } catch (java.lang.ClassNotFoundException ce) {
            System.err.print("ClassNotFoundException: ");
            System.err.println(ce.getMessage());
            System.out.println("\n Make sure your CLASSPATH variable " +
                "contains %DERBY_HOME%\\lib\\derby.jar " +
                "(${DERBY_HOME}/lib/derby.jar).\n");
        } catch (Exception ee) {
            errorPrintAndExit(ee);
        }

        // Create and boot the database as user mary (who then becomes
        // the database owner), set up users and then shut down the
        // database
        try {
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + connectionURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionURL);
            System.out.println("Connected to database " + connectionURL);

            turnOnBuiltInUsers(conn);

            // Close connection
            conn.close();
            System.out.println("Closed connection");

            /* Shut down the database to make static properties take
             * effect. Because the default connection mode is now 
             * noAccess, you must specify a user that has access. But
             * because requireAuthentication and sqlAuthorization do not
             * take effect until you restart the database, you do not
             * need to specify a password.
             *
             * Database shutdown throws the 08006 exception to confirm
             * success.
             */
            try {
                DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby:" + dbName +
                    ";user=mary;shutdown=true");
            } catch (SQLException se) {
                if ( !se.getSQLState().equals("08006") ) {
                    throw se;
                }
            }
            System.out.println("Database shut down normally");
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }

        // Restart database and confirm that unauthorized users cannot
        //  access it
        connectionURL = "jdbc:derby:" + dbName;

        // Try to log in with no username or password
        try {
            // connection attempt should fail
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + connectionURL +
                " without username or password");
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(connectionURL);
            System.out.println(
                "ERROR: Unexpectedly connected to database " + dbName);
            cleanUpAndShutDown(conn);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            if (e.getSQLState().equals("08004")) {
                System.out.println("Correct behavior: SQLException: " +
                    e.getMessage());
            } else {
                errorPrintAndExit(e);
            }
        }

        // Try to log in as a valid user with noAccess
        try {
            // connection attempt should fail
            String newURL = connectionURL + ";user=sa;password=ajaxj3x9";
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + newURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            System.out.println(
                "ERROR: Unexpectedly allowed to connect to database " +
                     dbName);
            cleanUpAndShutDown(conn);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            if (e.getSQLState().equals("08004")) {
                System.out.println("Correct behavior: SQLException: " +
                    e.getMessage());
            } else {
                errorPrintAndExit(e);
            }
        }

        // Log in as a user with read-only access
        try {
            // connection should succeed, but create table should fail
            String newURL = connectionURL + 
                ";user=guest;password=java5w6x";
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + newURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            System.out.println("Connected to database " + dbName +
                " with read-only access");

            Statement s = conn.createStatement();
            s.executeUpdate(
                "CREATE TABLE accessibletbl(textcol VARCHAR(6))");
            System.out.println(
                "ERROR: Unexpectedly allowed to modify database " +
                     dbName);
            cleanUpAndShutDown(conn);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            if (e.getSQLState().equals("25503")) {
                System.out.println("Correct behavior: SQLException: " +
                    e.getMessage());
                try {
                    conn.close();
                } catch (SQLException ee) {
                    errorPrintAndExit(ee);
                }
            } else {
                errorPrintAndExit(e);
            }
        }

        // Log in as a user with full access
        // Create, update, and query table
        // Grant select and insert privileges to another user
        try {
            // this should succeed
            String newURL = connectionURL +
                ";user=mary;password=little7xylamb";
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + newURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            System.out.println("Connected to database " + dbName);

            Statement s = conn.createStatement();

            s.executeUpdate(
                "CREATE TABLE accessibletbl(textcol VARCHAR(6))");
            System.out.println("Created table accessibletbl");
            s.executeUpdate("INSERT INTO accessibletbl VALUES('hello')");

            ResultSet rs = s.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM accessibletbl");
            rs.next();
            System.out.println("Value of accessibletbl/textcol is " + 
                rs.getString(1));

            // grant insert privileges on table to user sqlsam
            s.executeUpdate(
                "GRANT SELECT, INSERT ON accessibletbl TO sqlsam");
            System.out.println(
                "Granted select/insert privileges to sqlsam");

            s.close();
            conn.close();
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }

        // Log in as user with select and insert privileges on the table,
        //  but not delete privileges
        try {
            String newURL = 
                connectionURL + ";user=sqlsam;password=light8q9bulb";
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + newURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            System.out.println("Connected to database " + dbName);

            // look at table
            Statement s = conn.createStatement();
            ResultSet rs = 
                s.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM mary.accessibletbl");
            rs.next();
            System.out.println("Value of accessibletbl/textcol is " + 
                rs.getString(1));

            s.executeUpdate(
                "INSERT INTO mary.accessibletbl VALUES('sam')");
            System.out.println("Inserted string into table");
            
            rs = s.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM mary.accessibletbl");
            while (rs.next()) {
               System.out.println("Value of accessibletbl/textcol is " + 
                   rs.getString(1));
            }
            s.close();
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }

        try {
            Statement s = conn.createStatement();

            // this should fail
            s.executeUpdate("DELETE FROM mary.accessibletbl " +
                "WHERE textcol = 'hello'");
            System.out.println("ERROR: Unexpectedly allowed to DELETE " +
                "table mary.accessibletbl");
            cleanUpAndShutDown(conn);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            if (e.getSQLState().equals("42500")) {
                System.out.println("Correct behavior: SQLException: " +
                    e.getMessage());
                try {
                    conn.close();
                } catch (SQLException ee) {
                    errorPrintAndExit(ee);
                }
            } else {
                errorPrintAndExit(e);
            }
        }

        /* Log in again as mary, delete table
         */
        try {
            String newURL = connectionURL + 
                ";user=mary;password=little7xylamb";
            System.out.println("Trying to connect to " + newURL);
            conn = DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            System.out.println("Connected to database " + dbName);

            Statement s = conn.createStatement();
            s.executeUpdate("DROP TABLE accessibletbl");
            System.out.println("Removed table accessibletbl");
            s.close();
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }
        
        try {
            cleanUpAndShutDown(conn);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }
    }
    
    /**
     * Close connection and shut down database. Since this is embedded
     * mode, we must also shut down the Derby system.
     *
     * @param conn a connection to the database
     */
    public static void cleanUpAndShutDown (Connection conn)
            throws SQLException {

        String dbName="sqlAuthEmbDB";
        String dbOwner="mary";
        String connectionURL = "jdbc:derby:" + dbName;

        try {
            conn.close();
            System.out.println("Closed connection");

            // As mary, the database owner, shut down the database.
            try {
                String newURL = connectionURL + ";user=" + dbOwner +
                    ";password=little7xylamb;shutdown=true";
                DriverManager.getConnection(newURL);
            } catch (SQLException se) {
                if ( !se.getSQLState().equals("08006") ) {
                    throw se;
                }
            }
            System.out.println("Database shut down normally");

            try {
                DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:derby:;shutdown=true");
            } catch (SQLException se) {
                if ( !se.getSQLState().equals("XJ015") ) {
                    throw se;
                }
            }

            System.out.println("Derby system shut down normally");
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            errorPrintAndExit(e);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Turn on built-in user authentication and SQL authorization.
     *
     * Default connection mode is fullAccess, but SQL authorization
     * restricts access to the owners of database objects.
     * 
     * @param conn a connection to the database
     */
    public static void turnOnBuiltInUsers(Connection conn) 
            throws SQLException {

        String setProperty = 
            "CALL SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_SET_DATABASE_PROPERTY(";
        String getProperty = 
            "VALUES SYSCS_UTIL.SYSCS_GET_DATABASE_PROPERTY(";
        String requireAuth = "'derby.connection.requireAuthentication'";
        String sqlAuthorization = "'derby.database.sqlAuthorization'";
        String defaultConnMode =
            "'derby.database.defaultConnectionMode'";
        String fullAccessUsers = "'derby.database.fullAccessUsers'";
        String readOnlyAccessUsers =
            "'derby.database.readOnlyAccessUsers'";
        String provider = "'derby.authentication.provider'";
        String propertiesOnly = "'derby.database.propertiesOnly'";

        System.out.println(
            "Turning on authentication and SQL authorization.");
        Statement s = conn.createStatement();

        // Set requireAuthentication
        s.executeUpdate(setProperty + requireAuth + ", 'true')");
        // Set sqlAuthorization
        s.executeUpdate(setProperty + sqlAuthorization + ", 'true')");

        // Retrieve and display property values
        ResultSet rs = s.executeQuery(getProperty + requireAuth + ")");
        rs.next();
        System.out.println(
            "Value of requireAuthentication is " + rs.getString(1));

        rs = s.executeQuery(getProperty + sqlAuthorization + ")");
        rs.next();
        System.out.println(
            "Value of sqlAuthorization is " + rs.getString(1));

        // Set authentication scheme to Derby builtin
        s.executeUpdate(setProperty + provider + ", 'BUILTIN')");

        // Create some sample users
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + "'derby.user.sa', 'ajaxj3x9')");
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + "'derby.user.guest', 'java5w6x')");
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + "'derby.user.mary', 'little7xylamb')");
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + "'derby.user.sqlsam', 'light8q9bulb')");

        // Define noAccess as default connection mode
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + defaultConnMode + ", 'noAccess')");

        // Confirm default connection mode
        rs = s.executeQuery(getProperty + defaultConnMode + ")");
        rs.next();
        System.out.println("Value of defaultConnectionMode is " +
            rs.getString(1));

        // Define read-write users
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + fullAccessUsers + ", 'sqlsam,mary')");

        // Define read-only user
        s.executeUpdate(
            setProperty + readOnlyAccessUsers + ", 'guest')");
        
        // Therefore, user sa has no access

        // Confirm full-access users
        rs = s.executeQuery(getProperty + fullAccessUsers + ")");
        rs.next();
        System.out.println(
            "Value of fullAccessUsers is " + rs.getString(1));

        // Confirm read-only users
        rs = s.executeQuery(getProperty + readOnlyAccessUsers + ")");
        rs.next();
        System.out.println(
            "Value of readOnlyAccessUsers is " + rs.getString(1));

        // We would set the following property to TRUE only when we were
        // ready to deploy. Setting it to FALSE means that we can always
        // override using system properties if we accidentally paint
        // ourselves into a corner.
        s.executeUpdate(setProperty + propertiesOnly + ", 'false')");
        s.close();
    }

    /** 
     * Report exceptions, with special handling of SQLExceptions,
     * and exit.
     *
     * @param e an exception (Throwable)
     */
    static void errorPrintAndExit(Throwable e) {
        if (e instanceof SQLException)
            SQLExceptionPrint((SQLException)e);
        else {
            System.out.println("A non-SQL error occurred.");
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        System.exit(1);
    }

    /**
     * Iterate through a stack of SQLExceptions.
     *
     * @param sqle a SQLException
     */
    static void SQLExceptionPrint(SQLException sqle) {
        while (sqle != null) {
            System.out.println("\n---SQLException Caught---\n");
            System.out.println("SQLState:   " + (sqle).getSQLState());
            System.out.println("Severity: " + (sqle).getErrorCode());
            System.out.println("Message:  " + (sqle).getMessage());
            sqle = sqle.getNextException();
        }
    }
}
Parent topic: User authentication examples using SQL authorization