org.mortbay.util

Class Credential

public abstract class Credential extends Object

Credentials. The Credential class represents an abstract mechanism for checking authentication credentials. A credential instance either represents a secret, or some data that could only be derived from knowing the secret.

Often a Credential is related to a Password via a one way algorithm, so while a Password itself is a Credential, a UnixCrypt or MD5 digest of a a password is only a credential that can be checked against the password.

This class includes an implementation for unix Crypt an MD5 digest.

Version: $Id: Credential.java,v 1.7 2005/08/13 00:01:28 gregwilkins Exp $

Author: Greg Wilkins (gregw)

See Also: Password

Nested Class Summary
static classCredential.Crypt
Unix Crypt Credentials
static classCredential.MD5
MD5 Credentials
Method Summary
abstract booleancheck(Object credentials)
Check a credential
static CredentialgetCredential(String credential)
Get a credential from a String.

Method Detail

check

public abstract boolean check(Object credentials)
Check a credential

Parameters: credentials The credential to check against. This may either be another Credential object, a Password object or a String which is interpreted by this credential.

Returns: True if the credentials indicated that the shared secret is known to both this Credential and the passed credential.

getCredential

public static Credential getCredential(String credential)
Get a credential from a String. If the credential String starts with a known Credential type (eg "CRYPT:" or "MD5:" ) then a Credential of that type is returned. Else the credential is assumed to be a Password.

Parameters: credential String representation of the credential

Returns: A Credential or Password instance.

Copyright © 2004 Mortbay Consulting Pty. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.