Web Agent Guides › Web Agent Configuration Guide › Forms Authentication

Forms Authentication

This section contains the following topics:

How Credential Collectors Process Requests

MIME Types for Credential Collectors

How to Configure a CA SiteMinder® Agent to Support HTML Forms Authentication

Specify an NTLM Credential Collector

Using Credential Collectors Between 4.x Type and Newer Type Agents

Configure Apache-based Agents for FCC-based Password Services in Japanese Environments

How Credential Collectors Process Requests

The following illustration describes how forms credential collectors (FCCs) process requests for protected resources:

Note: Cookie providers use a different process for single-sign on.

The process shown in the previous illustration describes the following steps:

1. A user requests access to a resource.
2. The agent contacts the Policy Server to determine whether the resource is protected.
3. The Policy Server informs the agent that a credential collector protects the resource, and specifies the type of credential collector in use.
4. The agent adds query data, the target resource and an encrypted agent name to the URL of the credential collector. The agent then redirects the user to the appropriate credential collector.
5. One of the following actions occurs, depending on the type of credential collector:
   • The FCC displays the form and then collects the credentials of the user.
   • The NTC collects the NT credentials of the user.
   • The SCC collects the credentials of the user.
   • If no certificate is available, the SFCC displays the form. The SFCC collects the user credentials.
6. The credential collector logs the user directly in to the Policy Server. The Policy Server creates a session.
7. The agent validates the session and grants the user access to the resource.

Note: For more information about SSL Authentication Schemes, see the Policy Server documentation.