Fedora directory users - Mar 2007 - Question about the type of binds that are done after authentication

I have been asked a question relating to when authenticated and
anonymous binds are made to a LDAP directory, and I was hoping someone
might be able to provide some assistance...

After a user authenticates to Linux server via LDAP, and issues a UNIX
command, say ls will subsequent queries to LDAP be made in order to
determine the uid of the user issuing the command for purposes of
determining if the user can execute the command, and read the
directory/file target of the ls command, or is that cached in the
initial authentication?  If subsequent LDAP queries are made for this
type of information, are they authenticated or anonymous binds?

Thanks in advanced.

Cary Anderson, Systems Software Specialist
UNIX/Linux Services
Information Technology Services Branch
Technology Services & Support Division / Data Center Section
System Software & Storage Infrastructure
fCalPERS 
Phone: (916) 795-2588  
Fax: (916) 795-2424

> After a user authenticates to Linux server via LDAP, and issues a UNIX 
> command, say ls will subsequent queries to LDAP be made in order to 
> determine the uid of the user issuing the command for purposes of 
> determining if the user can execute the command, and read the 
> directory/file target of the ls command, or is that cached in the 
> initial authentication?
UID and GID information is not cached as part of authentication.

The name service switch setting for passwd (configured in 
/etc/nsswitch.conf) determines how UID lookups are done for usernames.  
The most common nsswitch setting for a purely LDAP environment would 
probably be:
passwd:  files ldap

> If subsequent LDAP queries are made for this type of information, are 
> they authenticated or anonymous binds?
This depends on your nss_ldap settings.  It can be done either way.  But 
the authenticated binds are done by a proxy DN (similar to a service 
account), not the individual DNs of users logged into Linux.

Note also that nscd will cache name service lookups from any source, 
including LDAP.  This can be useful in reducing the load on your LDAP 
servers.



Anderson, Cary wrote:
>
> I have been asked a question relating to when authenticated and 
> anonymous binds are made to a LDAP directory, and I was hoping someone 
> might be able to provide some assistance...
>
> After a user authenticates to Linux server via LDAP, and issues a UNIX 
> command, say ls will subsequent queries to LDAP be made in order to 
> determine the uid of the user issuing the command for purposes of 
> determining if the user can execute the command, and read the 
> directory/file target of the ls command, or is that cached in the 
> initial authentication?  If subsequent LDAP queries are made for this 
> type of information, are they authenticated or anonymous binds?
>
> Thanks in advanced.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------