Custom authentication methods in SSRS

 Implementing custom authentication methods in SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) allows you to integrate your own authentication logic, such as single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), or integration with third-party authentication providers. Custom authentication in SSRS involves creating and deploying a custom security extension. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Custom Authentication in SSRS

1. Set Up the Development Environment

1. Install Visual Studio:

   • Ensure you have Visual Studio installed with the necessary components to develop .NET applications.

2. Install SQL Server Reporting Services:

   • Make sure you have SSRS installed and configured on your SQL Server instance.

2. Create the Custom Security Extension

1. Create a New Class Library Project:

   • Open Visual Studio and create a new Class Library project.
   • Name it something like CustomSecurityExtension.

2. Add References:

   • Add references to the necessary SSRS libraries. You will typically need Microsoft.ReportingServices.Interfaces and System.Web.

3. Implement the Interfaces:

   • Implement the required interfaces from Microsoft.ReportingServices.Interfaces. The key interfaces you need to implement are IAuthenticationExtension2 and IAuthorizationExtension.

   csharp
   using Microsoft.ReportingServices.Interfaces;
   using System;
   using System.Collections.Specialized;
   using System.Web.Security;
   
   public class CustomSecurityExtension : IAuthenticationExtension2, IAuthorizationExtension
   {
       // Implement IAuthenticationExtension2 methods
       public bool LogonUser(string userName, string password, string authority)
       {
           // Custom authentication logic
           return userName == "admin" && password == "password";
       }
   
       public void SetConfiguration(StringCollection configuration)
       {
           // Optional: Set any configuration settings
       }
   
       public bool IsValidPrincipalName(string principalName)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public void GetUserInfo(out string userName, out IntPtr userToken)
       {
           userName = "admin";
           userToken = IntPtr.Zero;
       }
   
       // Implement IAuthorizationExtension methods
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, ReportOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           // Custom authorization logic
           return true;
       }
   
       public void SetConfiguration(StringCollection configuration)
       {
           // Optional: Set any configuration settings
       }
   
       public bool IsValidPrincipalName(string principalName)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public void GetUserInfo(out string userName, out IntPtr userToken)
       {
           userName = "admin";
           userToken = IntPtr.Zero;
       }
   
       public string LocalizedName
       {
           get { return null; }
       }
   
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, CatalogOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, FolderOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, ResourceOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, DatasourceOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           return true;
       }
   
       public bool CheckAccess(string userName, IntPtr userToken, byte[] secDesc, ModelOperation requiredOperation)
       {
           return true;
       }
   }
   
   

4. Build the Project:

   • Build the project to create the CustomSecurityExtension.dll.

3. Deploy the Custom Security Extension

1. Copy the DLL:

   • Copy the CustomSecurityExtension.dll to the bin directory of your SSRS instance. The typical path is:

     arduino
     C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS13.MSSQLSERVER\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin
     
     

2. Update the RSReportServer.config File:

   • Edit the RSReportServer.config file located in the ReportServer directory. Add entries for your custom security extension in the <Extensions> section.

   xml
   <Extension Name="CustomAuthentication" Type="YourNamespace.CustomSecurityExtension, CustomSecurityExtension" />
   
   

3. Update the rssrvpolicy.config File:

   • Edit the rssrvpolicy.config file to grant the custom security extension the necessary permissions.

   xml
   <CodeGroup class="UnionCodeGroup" version="1" PermissionSetName="FullTrust" Name="CustomSecurityExtensionCodeGroup" Description="Code group for the custom security extension">
     <IMembershipCondition class="UrlMembershipCondition" version="1" Url="C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS13.MSSQLSERVER\Reporting Services\ReportServer\bin\CustomSecurityExtension.dll" />
   </CodeGroup>
   
   

4. Update the Web.config File:

   • Edit the Web.config file located in the ReportServer and ReportManager directories to use the custom authentication extension.

   xml
   <authentication mode="Forms">
     <forms loginUrl="your_login_page.aspx" timeout="2880" />
   </authentication>
   
   

5. Configure the RSReportServer.config File for Forms Authentication:

   • Update the authentication section to use the custom authentication extension.

   xml
   <Authentication>
     <Extension Name="Forms" Type="Microsoft.ReportingServices.Authentication.FormsAuthenticationExtension, Microsoft.ReportingServices.Authentication" />
   </Authentication>
   
   

4. Configure the Login Page

1. Create a Custom Login Page:

   • Create a custom login page (e.g., your_login_page.aspx) that handles user login and sets the authentication cookie.

   html
   <form id="form1" runat="server">
     <div>
       <label for="username">Username:</label>
       <input type="text" id="username" name="username" />
       <label for="password">Password:</label>
       <input type="password" id="password" name="password" />
       <input type="submit" value="Log In" />
     </div>
   </form>
   csharp

   protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {
       if (IsPostBack)
       {
           string username = Request.Form["username"];
           string password = Request.Form["password"];
   
           if (FormsAuthentication.Authenticate(username, password))
           {
               FormsAuthentication.RedirectFromLoginPage(username, false);
           }
           else
           {
               // Display error message
           }
       }
   }
   
   

5. Test the Custom Authentication

1. Restart SSRS:

   • Restart the SSRS service to apply the changes.

2. Access the Report Manager:

   • Access the Report Manager URL (e.g., http://<server>/reports) and ensure the custom login page appears.

3. Log In:

   • Log in using the credentials defined in your custom authentication logic.

Additional Tips

• Logging and Debugging: Add logging to your custom security extension to help debug issues during development and deployment.
• Security: Ensure that your custom authentication logic follows best practices for security, such as hashing passwords and preventing SQL injection.
• Scalability: Consider the performance implications of your custom authentication logic, especially if it involves external services or databases.

By following these steps, you can implement custom authentication methods in SSRS, allowing you to integrate with various authentication systems and enhance the security and flexibility of your reporting solution.