Package org.springframework.security.web.authentication.switchuser

Class SwitchUserFilter

java.lang.Object
org.springframework.web.filter.GenericFilterBean
org.springframework.security.web.authentication.switchuser.SwitchUserFilter
All Implemented Interfaces:
jakarta.servlet.Filter, org.springframework.beans.factory.Aware, org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanNameAware, org.springframework.beans.factory.DisposableBean, org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean, org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisherAware, org.springframework.context.EnvironmentAware, org.springframework.context.MessageSourceAware, org.springframework.core.env.EnvironmentCapable, org.springframework.web.context.ServletContextAware
public class SwitchUserFilter extends org.springframework.web.filter.GenericFilterBean implements org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisherAware, org.springframework.context.MessageSourceAware
Switch User processing filter responsible for user context switching.

This filter is similar to Unix 'su' however for Spring Security-managed web applications. A common use-case for this feature is the ability to allow higher-authority users (e.g. ROLE_ADMIN) to switch to a regular user (e.g. ROLE_USER).

This filter assumes that the user performing the switch will be required to be logged in as normal (i.e. as a ROLE_ADMIN user). The user will then access a page/controller that enables the administrator to specify who they wish to become (see switchUserUrl).

Note: This URL will be required to have appropriate security constraints configured so that only users of that role can access it (e.g. ROLE_ADMIN).

On a successful switch, the user's SecurityContext will be updated to reflect the specified user and will also contain an additional SwitchUserGrantedAuthority which contains the original user. Before switching, a check will be made on whether the user is already currently switched, and any current switch will be exited to prevent "nested" switches.

To 'exit' from a user context, the user needs to access a URL (see exitUserUrl) that will switch back to the original user as identified by the ROLE_PREVIOUS_ADMINISTRATOR.

To configure the Switch User Processing Filter, create a bean definition for the Switch User processing filter and add to the filterChainProxy. Note that the filter must come after the FilterSecurityInteceptor in the chain, in order to apply the correct constraints to the switchUserUrl. Example: 

 <bean id="switchUserProcessingFilter" class="org.springframework.security.web.authentication.switchuser.SwitchUserFilter">
    <property name="userDetailsService" ref="userDetailsService" />
    <property name="switchUserUrl" value="/login/impersonate" />
    <property name="exitUserUrl" value="/logout/impersonate" />
    <property name="targetUrl" value="/index.jsp" />
 </bean>
See Also:

  • Field Details

    • SPRING_SECURITY_SWITCH_USERNAME_KEY

      public static final String SPRING_SECURITY_SWITCH_USERNAME_KEY
      See Also:

    • ROLE_PREVIOUS_ADMINISTRATOR

      public static final String ROLE_PREVIOUS_ADMINISTRATOR
      See Also:

    • messages

      protected org.springframework.context.support.MessageSourceAccessor messages

  • Constructor Details

    • SwitchUserFilter

      public SwitchUserFilter()

  • Method Details

    • afterPropertiesSet

      public void afterPropertiesSet()
      Specified by:
      afterPropertiesSet in interface org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean
      Overrides:
      afterPropertiesSet in class org.springframework.web.filter.GenericFilterBean

    • doFilter

      public void doFilter(jakarta.servlet.ServletRequest request, jakarta.servlet.ServletResponse response, jakarta.servlet.FilterChain chain) throws IOException, jakarta.servlet.ServletException
      Specified by:
      doFilter in interface jakarta.servlet.Filter
      Throws:
      IOException
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException

    • attemptSwitchUser

      protected Authentication attemptSwitchUser(jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest request) throws AuthenticationException
      Attempt to switch to another user. If the user does not exist or is not active, return null.
      Returns:
      The new Authentication request if successfully switched to another user, null otherwise.
      Throws:
      UsernameNotFoundException - If the target user is not found.
      LockedException - if the account is locked.
      DisabledException - If the target user is disabled.
      AccountExpiredException - If the target user account is expired.
      CredentialsExpiredException - If the target user credentials are expired.
      AuthenticationException

    • attemptExitUser

      protected Authentication attemptExitUser(jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest request) throws AuthenticationCredentialsNotFoundException
      Attempt to exit from an already switched user.
      Parameters:
      request - The http servlet request
      Returns:
      The original Authentication object or null otherwise.
      Throws:
      AuthenticationCredentialsNotFoundException - If no Authentication associated with this request.

    • requiresExitUser

      protected boolean requiresExitUser(jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest request)
      Checks the request URI for the presence of exitUserUrl.
      Parameters:
      request - The http servlet request
      Returns:
      true if the request requires a exit user, false otherwise.
      See Also:

    • requiresSwitchUser

      protected boolean requiresSwitchUser(jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest request)
      Checks the request URI for the presence of switchUserUrl.
      Parameters:
      request - The http servlet request
      Returns:
      true if the request requires a switch, false otherwise.
      See Also:

    • setApplicationEventPublisher

      public void setApplicationEventPublisher(org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisher eventPublisher) throws org.springframework.beans.BeansException
      Specified by:
      setApplicationEventPublisher in interface org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisherAware
      Throws:
      org.springframework.beans.BeansException

    • setAuthenticationDetailsSource

      public void setAuthenticationDetailsSource(AuthenticationDetailsSource<jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest,?> authenticationDetailsSource)

    • setMessageSource

      public void setMessageSource(org.springframework.context.MessageSource messageSource)
      Specified by:
      setMessageSource in interface org.springframework.context.MessageSourceAware

    • setUserDetailsService

      public void setUserDetailsService(UserDetailsService userDetailsService)
      Sets the authentication data access object.
      Parameters:
      userDetailsService - The UserDetailsService which will be used to load information for the user that is being switched to.

    • setExitUserUrl

      public void setExitUserUrl(String exitUserUrl)
      Set the URL to respond to exit user processing. This is a shortcut for setExitUserMatcher(RequestMatcher).
      Parameters:
      exitUserUrl - The exit user URL.

    • setExitUserMatcher

      public void setExitUserMatcher(RequestMatcher exitUserMatcher)
      Set the matcher to respond to exit user processing.
      Parameters:
      exitUserMatcher - The exit matcher to use.

    • setSwitchUserUrl

      public void setSwitchUserUrl(String switchUserUrl)
      Set the URL to respond to switch user processing. This is a shortcut for setSwitchUserMatcher(RequestMatcher)
      Parameters:
      switchUserUrl - The switch user URL.

    • setSwitchUserMatcher

      public void setSwitchUserMatcher(RequestMatcher switchUserMatcher)
      Set the matcher to respond to switch user processing.
      Parameters:
      switchUserMatcher - The switch user matcher.

    • setTargetUrl

      public void setTargetUrl(String targetUrl)
      Sets the URL to go to after a successful switch / exit user request. Use setSuccessHandler instead if you need more customized behaviour.
      Parameters:
      targetUrl - The target url.

    • setSuccessHandler

      public void setSuccessHandler(AuthenticationSuccessHandler successHandler)
      Used to define custom behaviour on a successful switch or exit user.

      Can be used instead of setting targetUrl.

    • setSwitchFailureUrl

      public void setSwitchFailureUrl(String switchFailureUrl)
      Sets the URL to which a user should be redirected if the switch fails. For example, this might happen because the account they are attempting to switch to is invalid (the user doesn't exist, account is locked etc).

      If not set, an error message will be written to the response.

      Use failureHandler instead if you need more customized behaviour.

      Parameters:
      switchFailureUrl - the url to redirect to.

    • setFailureHandler

      public void setFailureHandler(AuthenticationFailureHandler failureHandler)
      Used to define custom behaviour when a switch fails.

      Can be used instead of setting switchFailureUrl.

    • setSwitchUserAuthorityChanger

      public void setSwitchUserAuthorityChanger(SwitchUserAuthorityChanger switchUserAuthorityChanger)
      Parameters:
      switchUserAuthorityChanger - to use to fine-tune the authorities granted to subclasses (may be null if SwitchUserFilter should not fine-tune the authorities)

    • setUserDetailsChecker

      public void setUserDetailsChecker(UserDetailsChecker userDetailsChecker)
      Sets the UserDetailsChecker that is called on the target user whenever the user is switched.
      Parameters:
      userDetailsChecker - the UserDetailsChecker that checks the status of the user that is being switched to. Defaults to AccountStatusUserDetailsChecker.

    • setUsernameParameter

      public void setUsernameParameter(String usernameParameter)
      Allows the parameter containing the username to be customized.
      Parameters:
      usernameParameter - the parameter name. Defaults to username

    • setSwitchAuthorityRole

      public void setSwitchAuthorityRole(String switchAuthorityRole)
      Allows the role of the switchAuthority to be customized.
      Parameters:
      switchAuthorityRole - the role name. Defaults to ROLE_PREVIOUS_ADMINISTRATOR

    • setSecurityContextHolderStrategy

      public void setSecurityContextHolderStrategy(SecurityContextHolderStrategy securityContextHolderStrategy)
      Sets the SecurityContextHolderStrategy to use. The default action is to use the SecurityContextHolderStrategy stored in SecurityContextHolder.
      Since:
      5.8

    • setSecurityContextRepository

      public void setSecurityContextRepository(SecurityContextRepository securityContextRepository)
      Sets the SecurityContextRepository to save the SecurityContext on switch user success. The default is RequestAttributeSecurityContextRepository.
      Parameters:
      securityContextRepository - the SecurityContextRepository to use. Cannot be null.
      Since:
      5.7.7