The JAAS properties login module stores user data in a flat file format (where the stored passwords can optionally be encrypted using a message digest algorithm). The user data can either be edited directly, using a simple text editor, or managed using the jaas:* console commands.

For example, a standalone container uses the JAAS properties login module by default and stores the associated user data in the InstallDir/etc/users.properties file.

The JAAS properties login module authenticates username/password credentials, returning the list of roles associated with the authenticated user.

The following classes implement the JAAS properties login module:

The JAAS properties login module supports the following options:

The user properties file is used to store username, password, and role data for the properties login module. Each user is represented by a single line in the user properties file, where a line has the following form:

Username=Password[,Role][,Role]...

The following Blueprint configuration shows how to define a new karaf realm using the properties login module, where the default karaf realm is overridden by setting the rank attribute to 2:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<blueprint xmlns="http://www.osgi.org/xmlns/blueprint/v1.0.0"
           xmlns:jaas="http://karaf.apache.org/xmlns/jaas/v1.0.0"
           xmlns:cm="http://aries.apache.org/blueprint/xmlns/blueprint-cm/v1.1.0"
           xmlns:ext="http://aries.apache.org/blueprint/xmlns/blueprint-ext/v1.0.0">

    <type-converters>
        <bean class="org.apache.karaf.jaas.modules.properties.PropertiesConverter"/>
    </type-converters>

    <!-- Allow usage of System properties, especially the karaf.base property -->
    <ext:property-placeholder placeholder-prefix="$[" placeholder-suffix="]"/>

    <jaas:config name="karaf" rank="2">
        <jaas:module className="org.apache.karaf.jaas.modules.properties.PropertiesLoginModule"
                     flags="required">
            users = $[karaf.base]/etc/users.properties
        </jaas:module>
    </jaas:config>

    <!-- The Backing Engine Factory Service for the PropertiesLoginModule -->
    <service interface="org.apache.karaf.jaas.modules.BackingEngineFactory">
        <bean class="org.apache.karaf.jaas.modules.properties.PropertiesBackingEngineFactory"/>
    </service>

</blueprint>

Remember to export the BackingEngineFactory bean as an OSGi service, so that the jaas:* console commands can manage the user data.