Extension:AccessControl

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AccessControl Release status: stable
Implementation	User rights, Tag
Description	Extension to restrict access to specific pages based on internal groups or group lists from userspace.
Author(s)	Aleš Kapica (WantTalk)
Last Version	1.1 (23. 7. 2009)
MediaWiki	1.11.0 and higher
License	GPL
Download	from git repository http://support.dce.felk.cvut.cz/accesscontrol.git or http://support.dce.felk.cvut.cz/accesscontrol-1.1.tar.gz
Example	http://support.dce.felk.cvut.cz/mediawiki/index.php/Support
Tags <accesscontrol>
check usage (experimental)

This extension is based on original Extension:Group Based Access Control but without its bugs.

Unlike the original Extension:Group Based Access Control, double commas aren't used for selection group, only one comma is required. It is not necessary to use the ',,' separator at the end of the element content. It is also possible to use usergroups and internal groups MediaWiki at the same time.

[edit] Features

• easy to setup and simple to use
• no patches, real extension
• unlimited number of groups
• Dual mode access control
  • view control
  • edit control, including restrictions on manual edit access when using action=edit in the URL
• user groups may use any namespace
  • namespaces may be protected by another extension or by this extension only
    • In original Group Based Access Control can be set special namespace "Usergroup:.." only in extension variable
• mediaWiki sysop-Group may view and edit the protected pages
  • controlled by extension variable
• access may be granted to multiple groups
• may be used for access control for internal system groups from MediaWiki in parallel with user groups lists
• read only access may be granted to for groups and for individual users
• Unauthorized user can't use search feature to find pages protected by accesscontrol element

Please read about security issues with authorization extensions

[edit] Documentation

[edit] Installation

[edit] Step 1: Local Settings File

• add the following lines to the bottom of your LocalSettings.php:

require_once("extensions/Accesscontrol.1.0/AccessControl.php");

• add a name space to the LocalSettings.php file for the purpose of creating groups.
  • See Manual:Using_custom_namespaces for more information.

NB : See discussion

• Check (and maybe edit) the settings in AccessControl.php:

$wgAccessControlDisableMessages = false; // if false, show a Line on Top of each secured Page, which says, which Groups are allowed to see this page.
$wgUseMediaWikiGroups = false; // use the groups from MediaWiki instead of own Usergroup pages
$wgAdminCanReadAll = true; // sysop users can read all restricted pages

[edit] Step 2: Create User Groups

User groups are simply standard wiki pages that are part of a namespace other than the default namespace. For ease of use, it is suggested that a specific custom namespace be created for the explicit purpose of managing access control list pages.

• Create a Wiki-Page with users list in any namespace
  • It is not sufficient to simply create a page with a colon (:) in the name, this extension requires the use of a namespace and one or more pages within namespaces
  • Page Name Example: My:Group
    • The namespace is My
    • The group page is Group
      • This is the name of usergroup
      • Users are added to the group in a bulletlist
  • Page Content Example
    • Presume that the namespace IT exists
    • Create a page in the namespace titled "Department"
    • Create users "John Doe" and "Jane Doe" in the group. The group information is contained on the page "Department".
    • Each user name appears as a list item.

*John Doe
*Jane Doe (ro)

User from a group, which have appended string "(ro)" to the name can only read protected Article, but can't edit it. For other group of users you can create memberlist with name Department too, but in other namespace.

Tips

To protect namespace IT you can use for example Extension:Lockdown, but you can use element accesscontrol to protect it itself.

[edit] Step 3: Additional Access Control

• In depends on localization your MediaWiki should be created pages to which anonymous or unauthorized users will be redirected. You have create them in advance, because to some of them isn't any access from other page.
• The safety of the page provides accesscontrol element. And his content. If there isn't any or is empty the page is free accessible for logged users (they can read and edit page). No logged or annonymous user can only read the page.
• Members from groups in accesscontrol element can edit page, only if the group title in list doesn't have added string "(ro)", or if they don't have set readonly access in their user grouplist.
• If it is set the variable $wgUseMediaWikiGroups to true, you can use for managing access the internal groups from MediaWiki too.
• If it is set the variable $wgAllowUserList to false, only members from 'sysop' group can edit usergroups pages in any namespace.
• Example: <accesscontrol>Administrators,IT:Department,Sales(ro)</accesscontrol>

In this example all users from the groups "Administrators", "IT:Department" and "Sales" can read the page but only the users from "Administrators" MediaWiki group (if exists) and John Doe from "IT:Deparment" usergroup can edit it.

[edit] Usage on Pages to Control Access

That is for the installation. To restrict access on a page for specific usergroups, just include the names of the allowed usergroups (separated by commas) as the content of accesscontrol tag in the body of that page. Thus, if you wanted to restrict access to the people with groups "Administrators", "IT:Department" and "Sales", you would use the following syntax:

<accesscontrol>Administrators,IT:Department,Sales (ro)</accesscontrol>

IT:Department is usergroup, and groups Administrators and Sales may be added by Extension:GroupPermissionsManager. Members from group Sales page can read only.

Tips

If it is set true $wgAccessControlMessages variable, the element accesscontrol is replaced by warning message.

[edit] Attention

• Groups from MediaWiki must be in not localized form! In ex. 'sysop' not 'Správce' , etc.
• On page may be more accesscontrol elements. Access is accepted for groups from all.tags
• Anonymous user has not access on pages protected by accesscontrol elements
• Pages without protection can anonymous user only read
• Logged user has access on protected page only when he is member of any group with access rights on page
• If is set in extension script variable $wgAdminCanReadAll on true, have members from group 'sysop' edit access on page always

[edit] Example

See an example of this add-on in action at: http://support.dce.felk.cvut.cz/mediawiki/index.php/Support run by the author)

[edit] MediaWiki Version

• Version 1.0 of this extension has been tested and works fine on MediaWiki versions > 1.12.x.
• Version 1.1 was tested on MediaWiki version 1.15

[edit] See also

• Extension:Group Based Access Control - original accesscontrol extension
• Extension:EditOnlyYourOwnPage
• Extension:Page access restriction

• Manual:Preventing access

Bugs/Request for Modifications:
8/13/09 Getting error message in accesscontrol extension. 
We're getting error message when accessing a page with access control on it.
        # Warning: Parameter 3 to doControlUserAccess() exptected to be a reference, value given in
        # /opt/.../Parser/Parser.php on line 3243 


 RE: Resolved by modifying core piece of code Parser.php:
                                                # 8/13/09 cws: Try passing $this object by reference
                                                # parameter 3 error. Or rather referring to the this object
                                                # an the array as reference rather than value.
                                                #$output = call_user_func_array( $this->mTagHooks[$name],
                                                #       array( $content, $attributes, $this ) );
                                                # RE: Seems to work to remove parameter 3 error to
                                                # Add call by reference with parameter this as &$this.
                                                $output = call_user_func_array( $this->mTagHooks[$name],
                                                        array( $content, $attributes, &$this ) );