20.10. LDAP Authentication
This authentication method operates similarly topassword except that it uses LDAP as the password verification method. LDAP is used only to validate the user name/password pairs. Therefore the user must already exist in the database before LDAP can be used for authentication.
LDAP authentication can operate in two modes. In the first mode, which we will call the simple bind mode, the server will bind to the distinguished name constructed asprefixusernamesuffix. Typically, theprefix parameter is used to specifycn=, orDOMAIN\ in an Active Directory environment.suffix is used to specify the remaining part of the DN in a non-Active Directory environment.
In the second mode, which we will call the search+bind mode, the server first binds to the LDAP directory with a fixed user name and password, specified withldapbinddn andldapbindpasswd, and performs a search for the user trying to log in to the database. If no user and password is configured, an anonymous bind will be attempted to the directory. The search will be performed over the subtree atldapbasedn, and will try to do an exact match of the attribute specified inldapsearchattribute. Once the user has been found in this search, the server disconnects and re-binds to the directory as this user, using the password specified by the client, to verify that the login is correct. This mode is the same as that used by LDAP authentication schemes in other software, such as Apachemod_authnz_ldap andpam_ldap. This method allows for significantly more flexibility in where the user objects are located in the directory, but will cause two separate connections to the LDAP server to be made.
The following configuration options are used in both modes:
ldapserverNames or IP addresses of LDAP servers to connect to. Multiple servers may be specified, separated by spaces.
ldapportPort number on LDAP server to connect to. If no port is specified, the LDAP library's default port setting will be used.
ldapschemeSet to
ldapsto use LDAPS. This is a non-standard way of using LDAP over SSL, supported by some LDAP server implementations. See also theldaptlsoption for an alternative.ldaptlsSet to 1 to make the connection between PostgreSQL and the LDAP server use TLS encryption. This uses the
StartTLSoperation per RFC 4513. See also theldapschemeoption for an alternative.
Note that usingldapscheme orldaptls only encrypts the traffic between the PostgreSQL server and the LDAP server. The connection between the PostgreSQL server and the PostgreSQL client will still be unencrypted unless SSL is used there as well.
The following options are used in simple bind mode only:
ldapprefixString to prepend to the user name when forming the DN to bind as, when doing simple bind authentication.
ldapsuffixString to append to the user name when forming the DN to bind as, when doing simple bind authentication.
The following options are used in search+bind mode only:
ldapbasednRoot DN to begin the search for the user in, when doing search+bind authentication.
ldapbinddnDN of user to bind to the directory with to perform the search when doing search+bind authentication.
ldapbindpasswdPassword for user to bind to the directory with to perform the search when doing search+bind authentication.
ldapsearchattributeAttribute to match against the user name in the search when doing search+bind authentication. If no attribute is specified, the
uidattribute will be used.ldapsearchfilterThe search filter to use when doing search+bind authentication. Occurrences of
$usernamewill be replaced with the user name. This allows for more flexible search filters thanldapsearchattribute.ldapurlAn RFC 4516 LDAP URL. This is an alternative way to write some of the other LDAP options in a more compact and standard form. The format is
ldap[s]://
host[:port]/basedn[?[attribute][?[scope][?[filter]]]]scopemust be one ofbase,one,sub, typically the last. (The default isbase, which is normally not useful in this application.)attributecan nominate a single attribute, in which case it is used as a value forldapsearchattribute. Ifattributeis empty thenfiltercan be used as a value forldapsearchfilter.The URL scheme
ldapschooses the LDAPS method for making LDAP connections over SSL, equivalent to usingldapscheme=ldaps. To use encrypted LDAP connections using theStartTLSoperation, use the normal URL schemeldapand specify theldaptlsoption in addition toldapurl.For non-anonymous binds,
ldapbinddnandldapbindpasswdmust be specified as separate options.LDAP URLs are currently only supported with OpenLDAP, not on Windows.
It is an error to mix configuration options for simple bind with options for search+bind.
When using search+bind mode, the search can be performed using a single attribute specified withldapsearchattribute, or using a custom search filter specified withldapsearchfilter. Specifyingldapsearchattribute=foo is equivalent to specifyingldapsearchfilter="(foo=$username)". If neither option is specified the default isldapsearchattribute=uid.
Here is an example for a simple-bind LDAP configuration:
host ... ldap ldapserver=ldap.example.net ldapprefix="cn=" ldapsuffix=", dc=example, dc=net"
When a connection to the database server as database usersomeuser is requested, PostgreSQL will attempt to bind to the LDAP server using the DNcn=someuser, dc=example, dc=net and the password provided by the client. If that connection succeeds, the database access is granted.
Here is an example for a search+bind configuration:
host ... ldap ldapserver=ldap.example.net ldapbasedn="dc=example, dc=net" ldapsearchattribute=uid
When a connection to the database server as database usersomeuser is requested, PostgreSQL will attempt to bind anonymously (sinceldapbinddn was not specified) to the LDAP server, perform a search for(uid=someuser) under the specified base DN. If an entry is found, it will then attempt to bind using that found information and the password supplied by the client. If that second connection succeeds, the database access is granted.
Here is the same search+bind configuration written as a URL:
host ... ldap ldapurl="ldap://ldap.example.net/dc=example,dc=net?uid?sub"
Some other software that supports authentication against LDAP uses the same URL format, so it will be easier to share the configuration.
Here is an example for a search+bind configuration that usesldapsearchfilter instead ofldapsearchattribute to allow authentication by user ID or email address:
host ... ldap ldapserver=ldap.example.net ldapbasedn="dc=example, dc=net" ldapsearchfilter="(|(uid=$username)(mail=$username))"
Tip
Since LDAP often uses commas and spaces to separate the different parts of a DN, it is often necessary to use double-quoted parameter values when configuring LDAP options, as shown in the examples.