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NSF Middleware Initiative: GridShib. Tom Barton University of Chicago. What is GridShib?. NSF Middleware Initiative (NMI) Grant: “Policy Controlled Attribute Framework” Allow the use of Shibboleth-transported attributes for authorization in NMI Grids built on the Globus Toolkit v4
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NSF Middleware Initiative: GridShib Tom BartonUniversity of Chicago
What is GridShib? • NSF Middleware Initiative (NMI) Grant:“Policy Controlled Attribute Framework” • Allow the use of Shibboleth-transported attributes for authorization in NMI Grids built on the Globus Toolkit v4 • 2 year project started December 1, 2004 • Participants • Von Welch, UIUC/NCSA (PI) • Kate Keahey, UChicago/Argonne (PI) • Frank Siebenlist, Argonne • Tom Barton, UChicago
Why? • Attribute-based authorization has shown itself to be useful in large grids with far-flung participants in several types of roles • Identity-based approach scales poorly • Shibboleth is well supported and becoming widely deployed • SAML is used by larger identity federation world, not just Shibboleth. Integrating SAML support into Grids opens the door to leveraging this large technology space
GridShib Integration Principles • No modification to typical grid client applications • Modifications only to Grid Services and security clients (e.g. grid-proxy-init) • Leverage shibboleth’s attribute marshaling capability and release policies • Leverage strategic investment that campuses make in Identity Management operations
GridShib Progress • Developers hired February 2005 • Substantial resolution of GridShib’s Shibboleth usage profile • Shibboleth IdP plugin nearing completion • Maps externally-issued X.509 identity certificates to local identifiers • SAML attribute marshaling in GT4 runtime nearing completion
GridShib Progress (cont’d) • Common attribute format internal to GT4 runtime to support access policies spanning SAML and X.509 PMI attribute sources • Uses XACML Request Context • Initial GridShib release for closed alpha deployment • Readiness by end of June • Overlays GT 4.0 and Shib 1.3
Potential Early Adopters • Focused efforts to understand and evaluate potential use of GridShib in: • caBIG, Cancer Bioinformatics Grid • UK eScience Grid • LOOKING, Laboratory for the Ocean Observatory Knowledge Integration Grid • University of Southern California • University of Alabama at Birmingham • SURAgrid
GridShib Challenges • Identity Provider Discovery • Compounded by need in some grids to consult several identity providers for each user • Distributed Attribute Administration • What happens when the folks running the attribute authority are not the ones authoritative for the attributes? • Some projects don’t have resources to run a 7x24 security service, but are the only ones who know the attribute space • Explore Signet, Grouper • Mapping local subject identifier to externally issued EEC
Distributed Authorities Session authentication credential Attribute Authority Authorities Home Org Affiliated Org Grid user Signet, Grouper Virtual Org Grid Service
Project objectives • Priority 1: Pull mode operation • Globus services contact Shibboleth to obtain attributes about identified user • Support both GT4.x Web Services and pre-WS code • Priority 2: Push mode operation • User obtains Shib attributes and push to service • Allows role selection • Priority 3: Online CAs • Pseudonymous operation • Integration with local authentication services
Timeline • December 1, 2004: formal start • February 1, 2005: Developers on board and coding • Mid-Summer 2005: closed alpha release • pull model with user identified • Fall 2005: public releases • Production pull model with user identified • Beta push model with user identified • Implementation of simple policy description language • Targeting GT 4.1.x and Shibboleth 1.3 • 2006: Integration with online CAs