Implement a nonce

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Implement a nonce

    This guide provides instructions to implement a cryptographic nonce in the authentication header for a ServiceNow instance, enhancing security by ensuring that each nonce can only be used once. This process involves creating a system property, a new table, and a custom script.

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    Key Features

    • System Property: Create a property named glide.authenticate.header.noncekey to define the variable for the nonce.
    • Database Table: Establish a custom table called uauthenticationnonce with a field unonce to store nonce values.
    • Script Creation: Implement a script in the DigestSingleSignOnNonce item to handle nonce processing and validation during authentication.

    Key Outcomes

    After following these steps, your ServiceNow instance will effectively manage nonce values during authentication, preventing replay attacks and improving overall security. Ensure that the DigestSingleSignOn installation exit is set to Active=false to finalize the configuration.

    Add a cryptographic nonce to the authentication header to ensure that it can only be used once.

    • Create a system property called glide.authenticate.header.nonce_key and set its value to whatever variable name you're using for the nonce, such as NONCE or NCE.
    • Create a new table called u_authentication_nonce. Add a field to the table called u_nonce.
    • Go to System Properties > Installation Exits and create an item called DigestSingleSignOnNonce which overrides ExternalAuthentication (glide.authenticate.external_property).
    • Add the following code to the script portion of the newly created DigestSingleSignOnNonce.
      
      gs.include("PrototypeServer");
      
      var DigestSingleSignOnNonce = Class.create();
      DigestSingleSignOnNonce.prototype = {
      	
      	process : function() {
      		
      		var headerKey = GlideProperties.get("glide.authenticate.header.key", "SM_USER");
      		var headerDigestKey = GlideProperties.get("glide.authenticate.header.encrypted_key", "DIGEST");
      		var headerNonceKey = GlideProperties.get("glide.authenticate.header.nonce_key", "NCE");
      		var fieldName = GlideProperties.get("glide.authenticate.header.value", "user_name");
      		var fkey = GlideProperties.get("glide.authenticate.secret_key");
      		
      		// Look in the Headers
      		var data = request.getHeader(headerKey);
      		var encdata = request.getHeader(headerDigestKey);
      		var nonce = request.getHeader(headerNonceKey);
      		
      		// If not, then check the URL Parameters
      		if (data == null || encdata == null || nonce == null) {
      			data = request.getParameter(headerKey);
      			encdata = request.getParameter(headerDigestKey);
      			nonce = request.getParameter(headerNonceKey);
      		}
      		
      		// then maybe its a cookie
      		if (data == null || encdata == null || nonce == null) {
      			var cookies = request.getCookies();
      			data = GlideCookieMan.getCookieValue(cookies, headerKey);
      			encdata = GlideCookieMan.getCookieValue(cookies, headerDigestKey);
      			nonce = GlideCookieMan.getCookieValue(cookies, headerNonceKey);
      		}
      		
      		// if found run encryption
      		if (data != null && encdata != null && nonce != null) {
      			try {
      				
      				// Replace all spaces with plus(+)'s, converted in url
      				encdata = encdata.replaceAll(' ', '+');
      				
      				// ----- Encrypt the username|nonce
      				var key = this.getDigest( data + "|" + nonce, fkey);
      				
      				// Check for match of received encoded data
      				// and your encoding of user name
      				if (encdata == key) {
      					var ugr = new GlideRecord("sys_user");
      					ugr.initialize();
      					if (!ugr.isValidField(fieldName)) {
      						GlideLog.warn("External authorization is set to use field: '"+ fieldName + "' which doesn't exist");
      						return "failed_missing_requirement";
      					}
      					ugr.addQuery(fieldName, data);
      					ugr.query();
      					if (!ugr.next()) {
      						var userLoad = GlideUser.getUser(data);
      						if (userLoad == null)
      							return "failed_authentication";
      						
      						ugr.initialize();
      						ugr.addQuery(fieldName, data);
      						ugr.query();
      						if (!ugr.next())
      							return "failed_authentication";
      						
      					}
      					
      					if (this.processNonce(nonce)){
      						var userName = ugr.getValue("user_name");
      						return userName;
      					}
      					else return "failed_missing_requirement";
      					}
      				else {
      					
      					return "failed_authentication";
      				}
      			} catch(e) {
      				gs.log(e);
      				return "failed_authentication";
      			}
      			// Encoded data didn't match recieved Encoded data
      		} else {
      			
      			return "failed_missing_requirement";
      		}
      	},
      	
      	getDigest : function( data, fkey ) {
      		try {
      			// default to something JDK 1.4 has
      			var MAC_ALG = "HmacSHA1";
      			return SncAuthentication.encode(data, fkey, MAC_ALG);
      			
      		} catch (e) {
      			gs.log(e.toString());
      			throw 'failed_missing_requirement';
      		}
      	} ,
      	
      	processNonce : function( sentNonce ) {
      		var ngr = new GlideRecord("u_authentication_nonce");
      		
      		ngr.addQuery("u_nonce", sentNonce);
      		ngr.query();
      		if (ngr.next()) {
      			gs.log("This SSO entry has already been processed! (Nonce: " + sentNonce + ")");
      			return false;
      		}
      		var ngrNew = new GlideRecord("u_authentication_nonce");
      		ngrNew.initialize();
      		ngrNew.u_nonce = sentNonce;
      		ngrNew.insert();
      		gs.log("Inserted new nonce: " + sentNonce);
      		return true;
      	}
      };      
           
    • Once you've saved your new installation exit, go to the DigestSingleSignOn installation exit and make sure that it is set Active=false.

    Your instance should now be configured to implement a nonce.