Spring Security Tutorial to Help You Protect Your Information

Kasia Mikoluk

Spring Security, a relatively new Java framework application, is a security program that helps provide authorization, authentication, and a variety of other security features for specific programs. It is designed to allow users to secure their Spring-based Java web applications, and has been a security program of choice for countless programmers worldwide.

If you are a coder, or even someone interested in diving into the coding world, and aren’t worried about web security, consider the risks: without a strong security program like Spring Security you are leaving your own personal web application open to the public, and have put information and data at risk for theft or alteration.

Naturally then, you want to find the most comprehensive security program to protect the application that you have worked so hard to develop. And to make sure your program is protected, consider learning about how to apply Spring Security to protect your interests. This SAP security training course can help you learn more, and you can read further to understand the basics of the respected security program:

What is Spring?

To begin working with Spring Security, you must first understand the original language with which it works, Spring Framework. Spring Framework is an open-source application framework that works with the Java platform, and is used to write a variety of different object-oriented programs or sites. It is most convenient in programs in which you are trying to combine multiple elements together, and provides ease of access for programmers creating code in this medium.

Truly though, while Spring Security can work to secure and provide authorization and authentication for applications and programs written with Spring Framework, the security system can be applied to anything that was written on the Java platform. If you are looking to begin writing a program on Java that might need security from Spring, try taking a simple course on Java fundamentals or a Java course for absolute beginners to get started with the basics. If you would rather skip forward and learn all about the Spring Framework, a Java Spring tutorial might quickly put you ahead of the game.

Basics of Creating a Login

One of the most useful things that Spring Security is capable of providing is that of a login screen and application to help secure your program. Because the language may be slightly different than what you are used to, it is helpful to first understand the correct inputs before attempting to begin coding.

To create a custom login in any Spring XML type file, the code will look like the following:

Login-page”/login” – This sets the login form to be “/login”

Default-target-url=”/welcome” – This notates that if the authentication is a success, it will lead the user to a welcome screen and begin the program

Authentication-failure-url=”/loginfailed” – Conversely, if the authentication was not a success because the user input the incorrect password, the screen will produce a “/loginfailed” window and prevent the user from gaining access to the program

Logout-success-url=”/logout” – If the user intends to logout from the program, they may select the logout option and it will release them from their session.

While a basic security function, the existence of login and logout features are extremely important components that can help protect the integrity of your program. And if you want to apply them in a user-friendly way, employing the use of Spring Security can ensure that you have high-quality protection.

Access to Your Program

If you have created a personalized program, then there is a chance that you want to be the only one that has access to it – after all, it is your project and you should have the ability to modify it and use it as you wish.

Unfortunately though, this isn’t always the case, and if you are a coder you may find that you need to provide access to a variety of people, whether it is individuals helping you, or even privileged users in the company for which you work.

If this is the case, then you need to find a program that can help you provide a customized access screen to give access to those with privilege, and deny access to those who have no right. Spring Security is a good application for this fairly simple feature.

To provide access to specific users with Spring Security, the coding will look like the following:

<intercept-url pattern=”/admin*” access=”ROLE_ADMIN” />

</http>

This simple line of code will change the program so that only users with the title of “ROLE_ADMIN” will have the ability to access the program. Also, with this access feature, anyone who does not have the authority will be directed to a separate “http 403 access denied” screen.

This is an easy way to provide security to the applications that you have developed, and give anyone access that has the rightful authority.

Customize the “403 Access Denied” Page

Like any other non-customized page on the web, the “HTTP 403 Access Denied” is fairly unappealing, and provides virtually no aesthetic pleasure to those that have been denied access. Of course, you don’t need to modify this page to change its look, but if you would rather design it in your own way, Spring Security can help you quickly and efficiently make these alterations.

While there are two ways you can do this, the first is fairly simple and lets you send denied users to a separate page. The code looks like this:

<intercept-url pattern=”/admin*” access=”ROLE_ADMIN” />

<access-denied-handler error-page=”404” />

</http>

If you want to send denied users to a specific page, then put the information within the “error-page” attribute. This can lead them to wherever you would like. This process is a quick and easy way to customize your own denial screen for users that lack access.

While this is only a few features of the Spring Security program, it has multiple attributes that make it worthwhile. If you want to add authentication and authorization to your program, consider using Spring Security for the toughest protection available.