Security Features › CA ADS Application Security › Signon Security

Signon Security

Signon security can be implemented for any application defined using the application compiler. With signon security, a user begins executing an application by entering a user ID and password, which the runtime system validates. To implement signon security for an application, follow the steps listed below:

1. Specify SIGNON IS OPTIONAL or SIGNON IS REQUIRED on the second page of the ADSA General Options screen. If signon is optional, the user can sign on before executing the application, but is not required to. If signon is required, the user must enter a valid user ID and password before executing the application.
2. Specify the name of the signon menu function on the second page of the ADSA General Options screen. The signon menu function is executed first when the user begins executing the application. The function displays a signon menu screen, which provides fields in which to enter a user ID and password.
3. Define an immediate response that invokes the SIGNON system function on the Response Definition screen. When invoked at runtime, the SIGNON function validates the user ID and password entered by the user, then returns control to the signon menu function.
4. Define the signon menu function on the Function Definition screen and any appropriate secondary screen, as follows:
   • On the Function Definition screen, define the function as a menu function and specify the function name supplied on the Security screen. Optionally, specify that the response that invokes the SIGNON system function is the default response for the signon menu function; if this response is the default, the user need only press the [Enter] from the function at runtime to invoke the SIGNON function.
   • On the Menu Function Definition screen, specify that the menu function is a signon menu function by entering a slash (/) in the Use signon menu field.
   • On the Valid Responses screen, specify that the response that invokes the SIGNON system function is a valid response for the signon menu function.

Runtime Processing

At runtime, processing is performed as follows:

1. When the application begins execution, the runtime system displays the signon menu function. If signon is optional, all valid responses for the function are displayed. If signon is required and menus are security tailored, only authorized responses are displayed.
2. On the signon menu screen, the user signs on by entering a user ID and password in the appropriate fields, then selecting the response that invokes the SIGNON system function. If signon is optional, the user can instead begin executing the application immediately.
3. The SIGNON system function validates the signon, then redisplays the signon menu screen with one of the following messages:

   SIGNON ACCEPTED
   
   SIGNON FAILED; UNKNOWN USER ID
   
   SIGNON FAILED; INVALID PASSWORD
   

4. If the signon is accepted, all valid responses for the signon menu function are displayed; the user can execute the application. If the signon fails, the user can attempt to sign on again.

The signon menu function may be different than the function invoked by the initiating application task code. In such cases, the application begins by executing the signon menu function. The function associated with the application task code is executed when the user presses [Enter] from the redisplayed signon menu screen after signing on successfully. If signon is optional, the user can press [Enter] without signing on.

The SIGNOFF system function can be used in conjunction with signon security. When selected at runtime, the SIGNOFF function signs the user off the application, then redisplays the screen from which the function was selected. If signon is required, the next user must sign on successfully before executing the application.

The SIGNOFF Function

To implement the SIGNOFF system function, perform the following steps using the application compiler:

1. Define a response that invokes the SIGNOFF system function on the Response Definition screen.
2. Make the response a valid response for the signon menu function on the Valid Responses screen.
3. Define the application structure so that the user, at runtime, can return to the signon menu function to sign off.

At runtime, when the SIGNOFF system function is invoked, the runtime system signs the user off the application, then redisplays the screen with the following message:

SIGNOFF ACCEPTED

If signon is required, the runtime system additionally blanks out all responses listed on the screen.

More information:

System-Defined Menu Maps