Security - Definition
A security dictates how a resource can be accessed by roles. Each service and command has its own security.
Securities let you use the CASL library to define abilities for your services.
Service security
The service security defines who can access or modify the entity. Its abilities are categorized as crud operations :
{
'create': ['POST'],
'read': ['GET'],
'update': ['PATCH'],
'delete': ['DELETE'],
'crud': ['POST', 'GET', 'PATCH', 'DELETE'],
'cru': ['POST', 'GET', 'PATCH'],
'crd': ['POST', 'GET', 'DELETE'],
'cud': ['POST', 'PATCH', 'DELETE'],
'rud': ['GET', 'PATCH', 'DELETE'],
'cr': ['POST', 'GET'],
'cu': ['POST', 'PATCH'],
'cd': ['POST', 'DELETE'],
'ru': ['GET', 'PATCH'],
'rd': ['GET', 'DELETE'],
'ud': [ 'PATCH', 'DELETE'],
}
can(<operation>, <service>, ...args):
user: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('crud', 'profile', { owner: ctx.userId }); // can crud own profile
can('read', 'profile') // can read all profiles
}
}
...args can be fields or query.
Fields are the entity fields that can be modified (for 'create' and 'update' operations).
moderator: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('update', 'profile', ['bio']); // can update all profiles, but only their bio
can('create', 'profile'); // can create any profile
cannot('create', 'profile', ['priority']) // but not with priority specified
}
}
read, update* and delete operations. It's the data for create.
writer: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('create', 'article', { author: ctx.userId }); //can create article with author == userId
can('update', 'article', { author: ctx.userId }); //can update articles where author == userId
can('delete', 'article', { author: ctx.userId }); //can delete articles where author == userId
// equivalent to:
can('cud', 'article', { author: ctx.userId });
}
}
Note
Authorization for update operations is performed twice, once with the entity query and once with the data merged into the query to make sure the request doesn't update a limiting field.
You can use both fields and query at the same time:
moderator: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
const user = ctx.user;
can('update', 'article', ['isApproved'], { group: user.groupId });
// can only update isApproved field on articles of group user.groupId
}
}
Options abilities
Service security also defines abilities for CrudOptions.
Ability syntax is can(<option_field>, <service_name>, ...args), for example:
user: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('read', 'profile');
},
async defineOPTAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('populate', 'profile');
// user can call find with any options.populate value
}
}
The following ...args can be fields or query.
Fields are the allowed values for the option.
async defineOPTAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('populate', 'profile', ['pictures']);
// can call find with options.populate = ['pictures']
},
Note
defineOPTAbility's fields argument has a different meaning than in other "define functions".
Query is the same as for defineCRUDAbility: entity query or data.
async defineOPTAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('populate', 'profile', ['pictures']);
// can call find with options.populate = ['pictures']
can('populate', 'profile', ['owner'], { owner: ctx.userId });
// can call find with options.populate = ['owner'] / ['pictures', 'owner']
// when query.owner == ctx.userId
},
Command security
The command security defines which roles can perform the command and how.
Ability syntax is can(<cmd_name>, <service_name>, ...args), for example:
user: {
async defineCMDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('say_hello', 'profile') // users can call say_hello on service profile
}
}
...args can be fields or query.
Fields and Query represent the command DTO's instance.
export class SayHelloDto {
@IsString()
arg: string;
@IsString()
@IsOptional()
forbiddenField: string;
}
user: {
async defineCMDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
can('say_hello', 'profile', { arg: "world"}) // users can call say_hello with arg == world
cannot('say_hello', 'profile', ['forbiddenField']) // users cannot call say_hello with forbiddenField defined
// equivalent to:
can('say_hello', 'profile', ['arg'], { arg: "world"})
}
}
Access the CrudContext
You can access the CrudContext of the current request when defining abilities.
user: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
const data = ctx.data;
const query = ctx.query
const user = ctx.user
},
}
Fetching during authorization
defineAbility functions are async which means you can fetch additional data before authorizing a request.
user: {
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
const canRead = await fetchInfoFromDb(ctx);
if(canRead){
can('read', 'profile')
}
const canUpdate = await fetchInfoFrom3rdParty(ctx);
if(canUpdate){
can('update', 'profile')
}
}
}
Warning
defineAbility functions are called for each resource when authorizing batch operations. For example, a batch create of X items, will call defineCRUDAbility X times. You should implement some caching to avoid redundant fetches. A basic cache can be stored in the ctx since it is unique to each request.
async defineCRUDAbility(can, cannot, ctx) {
let res = getFromCache(ctx._temp);
if(!res){
res = await fetchFromDb(ctx);
}
if(res.value){
can('create', 'profile')
}
}
_temp property for caching since it will not be serialized to other microservices.
Comparing arrays
CASL's array comparison operators can be misleading in Eicrud's context (it checks for intersection, not inclusion/exclusion). You can verify arrays using JS functions when in doubt.