Authentication in webAPI - asp.net-mvc

Question

I want to set Individual authentication for the web API application i have created in Visual studio 2013 using Asp.net . please tell me how can i do that .
VS 2013 by default provide several types of authentication while designing . i choose individual Authentication . But don't know how it works .

Answer 1

Create authentication token on server-side and store it in your database or even in cache. Then send this token with requests from your win forms application. WebApi should check this token all the time. It's good enough and you have full control over your auth process.
Basically it's similar to Darin's answer.
Let me share, how it works for me:
Object with Auth details:
public class TokenIdentity
{
public int UserID { get; set; }
public string AuthToken { get; set; }
public ISocialUser SocialUser { get; set; }
}
Web API Auth Controller:
public class AuthController : ApiController
{
public TokenIdentity Post(
SocialNetwork socialNetwork,
string socialUserID,
[FromUri]string socialAuthToken,
[FromUri]string deviceRegistrationID = null,
[FromUri]DeviceType? deviceType = null)
{
var socialManager = new SocialManager();
var user = socialManager.GetSocialUser(socialNetwork, socialUserID, socialAuthToken);
var tokenIdentity = new AuthCacheManager()
.Authenticate(
user,
deviceType,
deviceRegistrationID);
return tokenIdentity;
}
}
Auth Cache Manager:
public class AuthCacheManager : AuthManager
{
public override TokenIdentity CurrentUser
{
get
{
var authToken = HttpContext.Current.Request.Headers["AuthToken"];
if (authToken == null) return null;
if (HttpRuntime.Cache[authToken] != null)
{
return (TokenIdentity) HttpRuntime.Cache.Get(authToken);
}
return base.CurrentUser;
}
}
public int? CurrentUserID
{
get
{
if (CurrentUser != null)
{
return CurrentUser.UserID;
}
return null;
}
}
public override TokenIdentity Authenticate(
ISocialUser socialUser,
DeviceType? deviceType = null,
string deviceRegistrationID = null)
{
if (socialUser == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("socialUser");
var identity = base.Authenticate(socialUser, deviceType, deviceRegistrationID);
HttpRuntime.Cache.Add(
identity.AuthToken,
identity,
null,
DateTime.Now.AddDays(7),
Cache.NoSlidingExpiration,
CacheItemPriority.Default,
null);
return identity;
}
}
Auth Manager:
public abstract class AuthManager
{
public virtual TokenIdentity CurrentUser
{
get
{
var authToken = HttpContext.Current.Request.Headers["AuthToken"];
if (authToken == null) return null;
using (var usersRepo = new UsersRepository())
{
var user = usersRepo.GetUserByToken(authToken);
if (user == null) return null;
return new TokenIdentity
{
AuthToken = user.AuthToken,
SocialUser = user,
UserID = user.ID
};
}
}
}
public virtual TokenIdentity Authenticate(
ISocialUser socialUser,
DeviceType? deviceType = null,
string deviceRegistrationID = null)
{
using (var usersRepo = new UsersRepository())
{
var user = usersRepo.GetUserBySocialID(socialUser.SocialUserID, socialUser.SocialNetwork);
user = (user ?? new User()).CopyFrom(socialUser);
user.AuthToken = System.Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
if (user.ID == default(int))
{
usersRepo.Add(user);
}
usersRepo.SaveChanges();
return new TokenIdentity
{
AuthToken = user.AuthToken,
SocialUser = user,
UserID = user.ID
};
}
}
}
Global Action Filter:
public class TokenAuthenticationAttribute : System.Web.Http.Filters.ActionFilterAttribute
{
public override void OnActionExecuting(System.Web.Http.Controllers.HttpActionContext actionContext)
{
if (actionContext.Request.RequestUri.AbsolutePath.Contains("api/auth"))
{
return;
}
var authManager = new AuthCacheManager();
var user = authManager.CurrentUser;
if (user == null)
{
throw new HttpResponseException(HttpStatusCode.Unauthorized);
}
//Updates the authentication
authManager.Authenticate(user.SocialUser);
}
}
Global.asax registration:
GlobalConfiguration.Configuration.Filters.Add(new AuthFilterAttribute());
The idea is that AuthCacheManager extends AuthManager and decorates it's methods and properties. If there is nothing inside cache then go check database.

Answer 2

It is a little complicated! By default it is a Token-Based authenctication. Check these links for more details :
Individual Accounts in ASP.NET Web API: http://www.asp.net/vnext/overview/authentication/individual-accounts-in-aspnet-web-api
Understanding OWIN Forms authentication options : http://blogs.msdn.com/b/webdev/archive/2013/07/03/understanding-owin-forms-authentication-in-mvc-5.aspx#_Understanding_OWIN_Forms
also these links will help :
10 Things You Should Know about Tokens: http://blog.auth0.com/2014/01/27/ten-things-you-should-know-about-tokens-and-cookies
Cookies vs Tokens. : http://blog.auth0.com/2014/01/07/angularjs-authentication-with-cookies-vs-token/