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| | Overview |
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< | TWiki allows you to define restrictions of who is allowed to view a TWiki web, make changes to topics or attach files. |
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> | TWikiAccessControl allows you restrict access to single topics and entire webs, by individual user and by user groups, in three main areas: view; edit & attach; and rename/move/delete. These controls, combined with TWikiUserAuthentication, let you easily create and manage an extremely flexible, fine-grained privilege system.
An Important Control Consideration
Open, freeform editing is the essence of the WikiCulture - it's what makes TWiki different and often more effective than other collaboration tools. So, it is strongly recommended that decisions to restrict read or write access to a web or a topic are made with care. Experience shows that unrestricted write access works very well because: |
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< | IMPORTANT NOTE: Think twice before restricting read or write access to a web or a topic, because an open system where everybody can contribute is the essence of the WikiCulture. Experience shows that unrestricted write access works very well because: |
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- Peer influence is enough to ensure that only relevant content is posted.
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- Peer editing - edit anything on a page - keeps topics focussed.
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- Peer editing - the ability to rearrange anything on a page - keeps topics focussed.
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- All content is preserved under revision control.
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- Editing and refactoring (condensing a long topic) is encouraged (there's a safety net).
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- Users are encouraged to edit and refactor (condense a long topic), since there's a safety net.
As a collaboration guideline:
- Create broad groups (more and varied input), and...
- Avoid creating view-only users (if you can read it, you can contribute to it).
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| | Users and Groups |
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< | Access control is based on users and groups. |
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> | Access control is based on users and groups. Users are defined by their WikiNames, an then organized into unlimited combinations under different user groups. |
| | Managing Users |
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< | A user is created by with the TWikiRegistration form. The process generates a topic in the Main web in the new user's WikiName. The default visitor name is TWikiGuest. |
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> | A user is created by with the TWikiRegistration form. The process generates a topic in the Main web in the new user's WikiName. The default visitor name is TWikiGuest.
- Users can be authenticated using Basic Authentication or SSL. Authentication is required in order to track user identities.
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Managing Groups |
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< | Groups are defined by group topics in the Main web, like the TWikiAdminGroup.
- A group topic name must end in _Group
- The group topic should define these two variables:
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> | Groups are defined by group topics in the Main web, like the TWikiAdminGroup. To start a new group:
- Create a new topic with A name that ends in Group,
SomeGroup
- Define two variables:
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- Set GROUP = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = < list of users and groups >
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- GROUP defines the members of the group; it is a comma delimited list of users and other groups. Example:
* Set GROUP = Main.SomeUser, Main.OtherUser, Main.SomeOtherGroup
- ALLOWTOPICCHANGE defines who is allowed to change the group topic; it is a comma delimited list of users and groups. You typically want to restrict that to the members of the group itself, so it should contain the name of the topic, i.e.
* Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = Main.TWikiAdminGroup
for the TWikiAdminGroup topic. (This is to prevent users not in the group from editing the topic and gaining unauthorized membership to the group.)
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- GROUP is a comma-separated list of users and of other groups:
* Set GROUP = Main.SomeUser, Main.OtherUser, Main.SomeOtherGroup
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- ALLOWTOPICCHANGE defines who is allowed to change the group topic; it is a comma delimited list of users and groups. You typically want to restrict that to the members of the group itself, so it should contain the name of the topic,
* Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = Main.TWikiAdminGroup
for the TWikiAdminGroup topic. (This prevents users not in the group from editing the topic and from gaining unauthorized membership to the group.)
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| | Restricting Write Access |
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< | Deny Editing by Topic |
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> | You can define who is allowed to make changes to a web or a topic. |
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< | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to make changes to a topic or attach files to it. |
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> | Deny Editing by Topic |
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< | Define one or both of these variables in a topic, preferably at the end of the topic: |
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> | Denying editing of a topic also restricts attaching files to it; both privileges are assigned together.
- Define one or both of these variables in a topic, preferably at the end of the page:
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- Set DENYTOPICCHANGE = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = < list of users and groups >
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< | DENYTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are not allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set DENYTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeBadBoy, Main.SomeBadGirl, Main.SomeHackerGroup |
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- DENYTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are not allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set DENYTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeBadBoy, Main.SomeBadGirl, Main.SomeHackerGroup
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< | ALLOWTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeGoodGuy, Main.SomeGoodGirl, Main.TWikiAdminGroup |
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- ALLOWTOPICCHANGE defines users or groups that are allowed to make changes to the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = Main.SomeGoodGuy, Main.SomeGoodGirl, Main.TWikiAdminGroup
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< | DENYTOPICCHANGE is evaluated before ALLOWTOPICCHANGE. Access is denied if the authenticated person is in the DENYTOPICCHANGE list, or not in the ALLOWTOPICCHANGE list. Access is granted in case DENYTOPICCHANGE and ALLOWTOPICCHANGE is not defined. |
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- DENYTOPICCHANGE is evaluated before ALLOWTOPICCHANGE. Access is denied if the authenticated person is in the DENYTOPICCHANGE list, or not in the ALLOWTOPICCHANGE list. Access is granted in case DENYTOPICCHANGE and ALLOWTOPICCHANGE is not defined.
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| | Deny Editing by Web |
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< | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to make changes to a TWiki web. This includes creating new topics, changing topics or attaching files. |
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> | Restricting web-level editing blocks creating new topics, changing topics or attaching files. |
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< | Define one or both of these variable in the WebPreferences topic: |
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- Set DENYWEBCHANGE = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWWEBCHANGE = < list of users and groups >
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< | The same rules apply like the one for Access Control for Individual Topics; with these additions: |
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> | The same rules apply as for restricting topics, with these additions: |
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- DENYTOPICCHANGE (in topic) overrides DENYWEBCHANGE (in WebPreferences)
- ALLOWTOPICCHANGE (in topic) overrides ALLOWWEBCHANGE (in WebPreferences)
Restricting Rename Access |
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> | You can define who is allowed to rename, move or delete a topic, or rename a web. |
| | Deny Renaming by Topic |
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< | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to rename a topic. Note that users need this permission in addition to the CHANGE permission in order to rename a topic. They also need CHANGE access to change references in referring topics. |
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> | To allow a user to rename, move or delete a topic, they also need write (editing) permission. They also need write access to change references in referring topics. |
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< | Define one or both of these variables in a topic, preferably at the end of the topic: |
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- Define one or both of these variables in a topic, preferably at the end of the topic:
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- Set DENYTOPICRENAME = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWTOPICRENAME = < list of users and groups >
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< | DENYTOPICCRENAME defines users or groups that are not allowed to rename the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set DENYTOPICRENAME = Main.SomeBadBoy, Main.SomeBadGirl, Main.SomeHackerGroup |
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- DENYTOPICCRENAME defines users or groups that are not allowed to rename the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set DENYTOPICRENAME = Main.SomeBadBoy, Main.SomeBadGirl, Main.SomeHackerGroup
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< | ALLOWTOPICRENAME defines users or groups that are allowed to rename the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set ALLOWTOPICRENAME = Main.SomeGoodGuy, Main.SomeGoodGirl, Main.TWikiAdminGroup |
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- ALLOWTOPICRENAME defines users or groups that are allowed to rename the topic. It is a comma delimited list of users and groups. Example:
* Set ALLOWTOPICRENAME = Main.SomeGoodGuy, Main.SomeGoodGirl, Main.TWikiAdminGroup
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< | DENYTOPICRENAME is evaluated before ALLOWTOPICRENAME. Access is denied if the authenticated person is in the DENYTOPICRENAME list, or not in the ALLOWTOPICRENAME list. Access is granted in case DENYTOPICRENAME and ALLOWTOPICRENAME is not defined. |
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- DENYTOPICRENAME is evaluated before ALLOWTOPICRENAME. Access is denied if the authenticated person is in the DENYTOPICRENAME list, or not in the ALLOWTOPICRENAME list. Access is granted in case DENYTOPICRENAME and ALLOWTOPICRENAME is not defined.
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| | Deny Renaming by Web |
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< | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to do renames for a TWiki web. |
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> | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to rename a TWiki web. |
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< | Define one or both of these variable in the WebPreferences topic: |
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- Set DENYWEBRENAME = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWWEBRENAME = < list of users and groups >
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< | The same rules apply like the one for Access Control for Individual Topics; with these additions: |
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> | The same rules apply as for topics, with these additions: |
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- DENYTOPICRENAME (in topic) overrides DENYWEBRENAME (in WebPreferences)
- ALLOWTOPICRENAME (in topic) overrides ALLOWWEBRENAME (in WebPreferences)
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| | You can define restrictions of who is allowed to view a TWiki web. |
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< | Define one or both of these variable in the WebPreferences topic: |
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- Set DENYWEBVIEW = < list of users and groups >
- Set ALLOWWEBVIEW = < list of users and groups >
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| | Selective Unrestricted Web Access
- There is a workaround if you prefer to have unrestricted access to view topics located in normal webs, and to authenticate users only for webs where view restriction is enabled:
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- Leave the
view script non-authenticated in the .htaccess file.
- Enable the
$doRememberRemoteUser flag in lib/wikicfg.pm as described in User Authentication. TWiki will now remember the IP address of an authenticated user.
- Copy the
view script to viewauth (or better, create a symbolic link)
- Add
viewauth to the list of authenticated scripts in the .htaccess file.
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- Omit the
view script from the .htaccess file.
- Enable the
$doRememberRemoteUser flag in lib/wikicfg.pm as described in User Authentication. TWiki will now remember the IP address of an authenticated user.
- Copy the
view script to viewauth (or better, create a symbolic link)
- Add
viewauth to the list of authenticated scripts in the .htaccess file.
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- When a user accesses a web where you enabled view restriction, TWiki will redirect from the
view script to the viewauth script once (this happens only if the user has never edited a topic). Doing so will ask for authentication. The viewauth script shows the requested topic if the user could log on and if the user is authorized to see that web.
- If you enable view restriction for a web, it is recommended to restrict search "all webs" from searching this web. Enable this restriction with the
NOSEARCHALL variable in its WebPreferences, like:
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The SuperAdminGroup |
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< | The above schema can lock completely a topic in case of a typing error of the ALLOWTOPICCHANGE setting (see UnchangeableTopicBug for more detail). To avoid this:
- Set the
$superAdminGroup variable in lib/TWiki.cfg to the name of a group of users that are always allowed to edit/view topics.
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> | By mistyping a user or group name in the ALLOWTOPICCHANGE setting, it's possible to lock a topic so that it no-one can edit it from a browser. To avoid this:
- Set the
$superAdminGroup variable in lib/TWiki.cfg to the name of a group of users that are always allowed to edit/view topics.
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$superAdminGroup = "TWikiAdminGroup";
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- The default setting is not to have superusers.
-- PeterThoeny - 16 Mar 2001
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