RE: ASP authentication

Setting a Session Variable is the best way IMHO.

If it's just on one server the easiest way is to use a session variable that 
resides in memory.

If the application is spread across multiple servers, use a session variable 
that gets stored in a Database (rather than RAM) so that the session variable 
is not lost (in another server's memory) on subsequent web requests via 
Posts/Gets.

I hope that helps,

Rich

-----Original Message-----
From: Bénoni MARTIN [mailto:Benoni.MARTIN@libertis.ga] 
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 1:50 PM
To: webappsec@lists.securityfocus.com
Subject: ASP authentication

Hi List,

I am wondering what was the most secure way to allow users to access pages 
after authentication, i.e.: user authenticates in toto.asp, and after that, 
access is granted to tata_1.asp, tata_2.asp, ..., tata_n.asp. The trouble is 
obviously to ask the user once for his login / password (just in tot.asp), and 
to allow him to get to the other pages without asking each time his credentials.

Googling around, I saw a couple of ways to meet my needs, but all seem to be 
weak:
- I can set a hidden field where I can say "yes, he is authenticated" or "no, 
he is not", but anyone a little bit skilled can create a fake request having 
this set up by hand (with a proxy ! ),
- I can check a session number or smth like that on each page...but this does 
not seem very reliable,
- I can check IP adress...but when you use AOL for instance, IP adresses can 
change !

So none of the ways I found seem to be the best... 
 
Cheers list, for any reply / clue !