2.5. Security References

Both Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) and servlets can declare one or more <security-role-ref> elements.
Illustration of Security Roles Reference Model

Figure 2.1. Security Roles Reference Model

This element declares that a component is using the <role-name> element's role-nameType attribute value as an argument to the isCallerInRole(String) method. By using the isCallerInRole method, a component can verify whether the caller is in a role that has been declared with a <security-role-ref> or <role-name> element. The <role-name> element value must link to a <security-role> element through the <role-link> element. The typical use of isCallerInRole is to perform a security check that cannot be defined by using the role-based <method-permissions> elements.

Example 2.2. ejb-jar.xml descriptor fragment

  
  <!-- A sample ejb-jar.xml fragment -->
    <ejb-jar>
      <enterprise-beans>
        <session>
          <ejb-name>ASessionBean</ejb-name>
          ...
          <security-role-ref>
            <role-name>TheRoleICheck<role-name>
              <role-link>TheApplicationRole</role-link>
          </security-role-ref>
        </session>
      </enterprise-beans>
    ...
    </ejb-jar>

Note

This fragment is an example only. In deployments, the elements in this section must contain role names and links relevant to the EJB deployment.

Example 2.3. web.xml descriptor fragment


<web-app>
  <servlet>
    <servlet-name>AServlet</servlet-name>
    ...
    <security-role-ref>
      <role-name>TheServletRole</role-name>
      <role-link>TheApplicationRole</role-link>
    </security-role-ref>
  </servlet>
    ...
</web-app>