java - Configuring Azure AD as IDP in Spring Security

Question

So I am trying to use Azure AD as a SAML IDP but I keep getting the following error during runtime:

2021-02-05 16:09:16.303 ERROR 3760 --- [nio-8080-exec-9] o.a.c.c.C.[.[.[/].[dispatcherServlet]    : Servlet.service() for servlet [dispatcherServlet] in context with path [] threw exception [org.opensaml.saml2.metadata.provider.MetadataProviderException: No IDP was configured, please update included metadata with at least one IDP] with root cause

org.opensaml.saml2.metadata.provider.MetadataProviderException: No IDP was configured, please update included metadata with at least one IDP
    at org.springframework.security.saml.metadata.MetadataManager.getDefaultIDP(MetadataManager.java:795) ~[spring-security-saml2-core-1.0.2.RELEASE.jar:1.0.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.saml.context.SAMLContextProviderImpl.populatePeerEntityId(SAMLContextProviderImpl.java:157) ~[spring-security-saml2-core-1.0.2.RELEASE.jar:1.0.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.saml.context.SAMLContextProviderImpl.getLocalAndPeerEntity(SAMLContextProviderImpl.java:127) ~[spring-security-saml2-core-1.0.2.RELEASE.jar:1.0.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.saml.SAMLEntryPoint.commence(SAMLEntryPoint.java:146) ~[spring-security-saml2-core-1.0.2.RELEASE.jar:1.0.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.sendStartAuthentication(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:203) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.handleSpringSecurityException(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:177) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:133) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:137) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:111) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:170) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:63) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:208) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:185) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:116) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:64) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:105) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:56) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.saml.metadata.MetadataGeneratorFilter.doFilter(MetadataGeneratorFilter.java:87) ~[spring-security-saml2-core-1.0.2.RELEASE.jar:1.0.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:214) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:177) ~[spring-security-web-4.2.2.RELEASE.jar:4.2.2.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:262) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.RequestContextFilter.doFilterInternal(RequestContextFilter.java:99) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.HttpPutFormContentFilter.doFilterInternal(HttpPutFormContentFilter.java:105) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.HiddenHttpMethodFilter.doFilterInternal(HiddenHttpMethodFilter.java:81) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:197) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107) ~[spring-web-4.3.8.RELEASE.jar:4.3.8.RELEASE]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:198) ~[tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:96) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:478) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:140) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:80) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:87) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:342) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:799) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:66) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:861) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1455) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149) [na:1.8.0_271]
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [na:1.8.0_271]
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61) [tomcat-embed-core-8.5.14.jar:8.5.14]
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) [na:1.8.0_271]

2021-02-05 16:09:18.804  INFO 3760 --- [Metadata-reload] .s.m.p.AbstractReloadingMetadataProvider : Next refresh cycle for metadata provider 'file:/C:/Projects/New%20folder/saml-jwt-sample/target/classes/rtw-saml-app-1.xml' will occur on '2021-02-05T15:14:18.804Z' ('2021-02-05T16:14:18.804+01:00' local time)
2021-02-05 16:09:18.804 ERROR 3760 --- [Metadata-reload] o.o.s.m.p.AbstractMetadataProvider       : Metadata provider failed to properly initialize, fail-fast=true, halting

org.opensaml.saml2.metadata.provider.MetadataProviderException: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at org.opensaml.saml2.metadata.provider.AbstractReloadingMetadataProvider.refresh(AbstractReloadingMetadataProvider.java:267) ~[opensaml-2.6.1.jar:na]
    at org.opensaml.saml2.metadata.provider.AbstractReloadingMetadataProvider.doInitialization(AbstractR

Answer 1

If you are trying to add authentication to a java web application with springboot, I think this document can help you, it provides a sample on integrating azure ad.

And if you want to make the springboot backend app as an API application(Front and back-end separation), I have an idea that you could use masl.js to achieve login module in front-end application, and the backend app just adding filter to check if the request is consented. I used to write a filter like below.

package com.example.demo;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import javax.servlet.Filter;
import javax.servlet.FilterChain;
import javax.servlet.FilterConfig;
import javax.servlet.ServletException;
import javax.servlet.ServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.ServletResponse;
import javax.servlet.annotation.WebFilter;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
import com.alibaba.fastjson.JSONObject;
import com.auth0.jwt.JWT;
import com.auth0.jwt.exceptions.JWTDecodeException;
import com.auth0.jwt.interfaces.Claim;
import com.auth0.jwt.interfaces.DecodedJWT;

//@Component
@WebFilter(filterName = "AdHelloFilter", urlPatterns = {"/ad/*"})
public class AdHelloFilter implements Filter  {

    @Override
    public void doFilter(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response, FilterChain filterChain)
            throws IOException, ServletException {
        
        HttpServletRequest httpRequest = (HttpServletRequest) request;
        HttpServletResponse httpResponse= (HttpServletResponse) response;
        
        final String requestTokenHeader = httpRequest.getHeader("Authorization");
        if (requestTokenHeader != null && requestTokenHeader.startsWith("Bearer ")) {
            String jwtToken = requestTokenHeader.substring(7);
            try {
                DecodedJWT jwt = JWT.decode(jwtToken);
                //judge if expired
                Date expiresAt = jwt.getExpiresAt();
                if(expiresAt.before(new Date())) {
                    Map<String, Object> errRes = new HashMap<String, Object>();
                    Map<String, Object> errMesg = new HashMap<String, Object>();
                    errMesg.put("code", "InvalidAuthenticationToken");
                    errMesg.put("message", "Access token has expired.");
                    errRes.put("error", errMesg);
                    String json = JSONObject.toJSONString(errRes);   
                    httpResponse.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED, json);
                    return;
                }
                //judge if has specific scope
                Claim a = jwt.getClaim("scp");
                String scope = a.asString();
                String[] scopeArr = scope.split(" ");
                List<String> scopeList= Arrays.asList(scopeArr);
                if(!(scopeList.contains("User.Read") && scopeList.contains("Mail.Read"))) {
                    Map<String, Object> errRes = new HashMap<String, Object>();
                    Map<String, Object> errMesg = new HashMap<String, Object>();
                    errMesg.put("code", "InvalidAuthenticationToken");
                    errMesg.put("message", "Unauthorized, pls add api permission");
                    errRes.put("error", errMesg);
                    String json = JSONObject.toJSONString(errRes);   
                    httpResponse.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN, json);
                    return;
                }
            } catch (JWTDecodeException exception){
                System.out.println("Unable to Decode the JWT Token");
            }
        } else {
            httpResponse.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED);
            return;
        }
        filterChain.doFilter(request, response);
    }
    
    @Override
    public void init (FilterConfig filterConfig) throws ServletException{
        System.out.println("init filter");
    }
    
    @Override
    public void destroy() {}
}