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Enabling Web Application Users to Log In with DNAnexus Credentials

Learn how to configure your app to allow app users to log in using DNAnexus credentials.

With the DNAnexus OpenID Connect (OIDC) service, you can securely enable users to log in to your web-based applications using their existing DNAnexus Platform credentials.

For an example of how to configure a web-based app to use the OpenID Connect flow with DNAnexus, check this DNAnexus-provided OIDC sample app in JavaScript.

Configuring Your Web-Based Application to Allow Login with DNAnexus Credentials

Prerequisites

To enable user login with DNAnexus credentials, your application must:

  • Be web-based, allowing users to log in and access its functionality via a web interface.

  • Provide a web-accessible privacy policy and terms of service.

  • Specify a JSON Web Key Set (JWKS) endpoint URL to support verification of the required JSON Web Token (JWT) ID token.

Step 1. Register Your App with DNAnexus and Get a Client ID

To register your app with DNAnexus as an OIDC client, you need to contact DNAnexus Support with the following details about your app:

  • client_name string The name of the app that is to be configured as an OIDC client.

  • author_id string The DNAnexus Platform user ID of the user who will be able to set and reset the app's client secret. You can specify only a single user as the app author.

  • redirect_uris array of strings A list of one or more HTTPS URLs to which user authorization requests will be directed.

  • homepage_uri string The URL of the page used to access and use the app.

  • policy_uri string The URL of the app's privacy policy document.

  • tos_uri string The URL of the app's terms of service document.

  • jwks_uri string The URL of the app's JWKS (JSON Web Key Set).

  • scope space-separated list of strings A space-separated list of scopes that the client can request as part of each authorization request. See below for a list of support scopes.

  • id_token_encrypted_response_alg string The algorithm used for encryption of the Content Encryption Key (CEK). The supported algorithms are A256KW, ECDH-ES, RSA-OAEP, and RSA-OAEP-256.

  • id_token_encrypted_response_enc string The algorithm used for encryption of the ID Token content. This value is optional, will default to A256CBC-HS512 . The supported algorithms are A256CBC-HS512 and A256GCM.

  • owning_organization_id string The DNAnexus Platform org-id that will be associated with the client.

Once DNAnexus Support processes your request, you get a confirmation that your app is registered as an OIDC client. You also get its client ID. The client ID is a unique string, in UUID format, that identifies your app. You need this client ID to set up and maintain your app as an OIDC client, so store it securely.

Step 2. Set a Client Secret

Once you register your app as an OIDC client and get the Client ID, you can initialize its Client Secret. Client secret is a unique string that the app presents to the DNAnexus OIDC server, along with the Client ID, during authentication.

To get the client secret, use the API method /oidcClient-xxxx/resetClientSecret, replacing xxxx with the app's Client ID.

For newly registered apps, the resetClientSecret method initializes their client secret. For existing apps, it invalidates the previously used client secret and generates a new one.

# Reset app's client secret, generating a new one 
dx api oidcClient-xxxx resetClientSecret

Step 3. Configure Your App to Use the Client ID and Client Secret

Adjust your app to use the client ID and client secret as part of authentication requests. For example, you can use an OIDC-compliant client library, such as open-id client.

The DNAnexus OIDC server handles authorization requests in the following way:

Step 4. Configure Your App to Request Information from Users

Apps must request the openid scope. App may require that any or all the additional scopes, listed below, be included in authorization requests:

  • openid string The app must always request this scope. In return, the app will receive the ID token providing identity data for the user.

  • user_id string A user's Platform username, prepended with user- in the form user-username. Example: user-amy.

  • name string The user's full name, exactly as registered when they created a DNAnexus user account

  • email string The email address associated with the user's DNAnexus user account

Managing Third-Party Web Application Access

When you log in to a third-party web app, such as an OIDC client, using your DNAnexus credentials for the first time, you can choose to:

  • Allow the app to automatically use your DNAnexus credentials for future logins.

  • Require the app to prompt you each time before using your credentials.

To review the applications you have authorized to access your DNAnexus credentials and change their access settings at any time:

  1. In DNAnexus Platform, go to Account Security > Third-Party Web Applications.

  2. Expand the application tile to view details.

  3. Click Revoke to remove the app's access to your DNAnexus credentials.

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