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238 changes: 236 additions & 2 deletions content/nginxaas-azure/quickstart/security-controls/oidc.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -12,16 +12,227 @@ type:

Learn how to configure F5 NGINXaaS for Azure with OpenID Connect (OIDC) authentication.

There are currently two methods available for setting up OIDC authentication.
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It's a little hard to tell how the flow works here, but seems this would be best put in the overview section (and mention what the two versions are).

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1. Using Native OIDC implementation (Introduced from NGINX Plus R35)
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correct feature implemetation of native oidc took place in R35, I took reference of https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id/. Thats the reason I added R35

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No. The feature itself appeared in R34 (aka native oidc implementation). In R35, 2 more enhancements to oidcs were added: user-initiated logout and userinfo endpoint features were added. Pls see the changelog: https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/releases/
So, if you're talking about native OIDC as a new feature, it's R34, if you're talking about OIDC enhancements, (2 of them) - it's R35.


This method applies to NGINX Plus Release 35 and later. In earlier versions, NGINX Plus relied on an njs-based solution, which required NGINX JavaScript files, key-value stores, and advanced OpenID Connect logic. In the latest NGINX Plus version, the new [OpenID Connect module](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_oidc_module.html) simplifies this process to just a few directives.
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This paragraph starts with "this method" but is followed by prerequisites that apply to both methods.

Maybe it's better to move this paragraph to Line 33 after the Native OIDC heading.


2. Using NJS based implementation

## Prerequisites

These prerequisites are used for both methods of configuring NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP using Native OIDC and NJS.
1. Configure an NGINXaaS deployment with [SSL/TLS certificates]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/getting-started/ssl-tls-certificates/" >}}).

2. Enable [Runtime State Sharing]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/quickstart/runtime-state-sharing.md" >}}) on the NGINXaaS deployment.

3. [Configure the IdP](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#configuring-your-idp). For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/quickstart-register-app) as the IdP.


## Configure NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP
## Configure NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP using Native OIDC

### Prerequisites
1. Configure the IdP. For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application]({{< ref "/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id/#entra-setup" >}}) as the IdP.
2. A domain name pointing to your NGINXaaS deployment, for example, `demo.example.com`. This will be referred to as `<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>` throughout this guide.
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### Prerequisites
1. Configure the IdP. For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application]({{< ref "/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id/#entra-setup" >}}) as the IdP.
2. A domain name pointing to your NGINXaaS deployment, for example, `demo.example.com`. This will be referred to as `<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>` throughout this guide.
### Prerequisites
1. Configure the IdP. For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application]({{< ref "/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id/#entra-setup" >}}) as the IdP.
1. A domain name pointing to your NGINXaaS deployment, for example, `demo.example.com`. This will be referred to as `<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>` throughout this guide.

This is currently not enforced but 2 markdown good practices:

  • Leave a blank line after headings
  • Numbered list can be a series of 1. 1. 1. ; Markdown will number these appropriately if the correct indenting is respected. It makes easier to add or remove steps later on.


With your IdP configured, you can enable OIDC on NGINXaaS for Azure.

1. Ensure that you have the values of the **Client ID**, **Client Secret**, and **Tenant ID** obtained during IdP configuration.

2. In your NGINX configuration file, add a public DNS resolver with the [`resolver`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#resolver) directive in the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context:
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2. In your NGINX configuration file, add a public DNS resolver with the [`resolver`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#resolver) directive in the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context:
1. In your NGINX configuration file, add a public DNS resolver with the [`resolver`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#resolver) directive in the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context:


```nginx
http {
resolver 127.0.0.1:49153 ipv4=on valid=300s;

# ...
}
```

3. In the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context, define your IdP provider by specifying the [`oidc_provider {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_oidc_module.html#oidc_provider) context. The `session_store` directive stores the session data and we need `keyval_zone` to sync this data in a clustered environment. Include the `state` parameter to persist session data across NGINX restarts. For example, for Microsoft Entra ID:
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3. In the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context, define your IdP provider by specifying the [`oidc_provider {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_oidc_module.html#oidc_provider) context. The `session_store` directive stores the session data and we need `keyval_zone` to sync this data in a clustered environment. Include the `state` parameter to persist session data across NGINX restarts. For example, for Microsoft Entra ID:
1. In the [`http {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_core_module.html#http) context, define your IdP provider by specifying the [`oidc_provider {}`](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_oidc_module.html#oidc_provider) context. The `session_store` directive stores the session data and we need `keyval_zone` to sync this data in a clustered environment. Include the `state` parameter to persist session data across NGINX restarts. For example, for Microsoft Entra ID:


```nginx
http {
resolver 127.0.0.1:49153 ipv4=on valid=300s;
keyval_zone zone=my_store:8M state=/opt/oidc_sessions.json timeout=1h sync;

oidc_provider entra {
issuer https://login.microsoftonline.com/<tenant_id>/v2.0;
client_id <client_id>;
client_secret <client_secret>;
session_store my_store;
logout_uri /logout;
post_logout_uri https://<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>/post_logout/;
logout_token_hint on;
userinfo on;
}
# ...
}
```

Where:
- `<tenant_id>` is your Microsoft Entra Tenant ID
- `<client_id>` is your Application (client) ID from Entra ID
- `<client_secret>` is your client secret from Entra ID
- `<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>` is your NGINXaaS deployment FQDN

{{< call-out "note" >}} The `state=/opt/oidc_sessions.json` parameter enables persistence of OIDC session data across NGINX restarts. The state file path must be placed in a directory accessible to the NGINX worker processes, following [NGINX Filesystem Restrictions]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/getting-started/nginx-configuration/overview/#nginx-filesystem-restrictions" >}}).{{< /call-out >}}

4. Configure your server block with OIDC protection. This example uses localhost as the upstream server:
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4. Configure your server block with OIDC protection. This example uses localhost as the upstream server:
1. Configure your server block with OIDC protection. The following example uses localhost as the upstream server:


```nginx
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name <nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>;

ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/key.pem;

location / {
# Protect this location with OIDC
auth_oidc entra;

# Forward OIDC claims as headers
proxy_set_header sub $oidc_claim_sub;
proxy_set_header email $oidc_claim_email;
proxy_set_header name $oidc_claim_name;

proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
}

location /post_logout/ {
return 200 "You have been logged out.\n";
default_type text/plain;
}
}

server {
# Simple test upstream server
listen 8080;
location / {
return 200 "Hello, $http_name!\nEmail: $http_email\nEntra ID sub: $http_sub\n";
default_type text/plain;
}
}
```

5. Add the runtime state sharing configuration to your NGINX configuration as mentioned in the [Prerequisites](#prerequisites). This enables synchronization of OIDC session data across NGINXaaS instances:
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5. Add the runtime state sharing configuration to your NGINX configuration as mentioned in the [Prerequisites](#prerequisites). This enables synchronization of OIDC session data across NGINXaaS instances:
1. Add the runtime state sharing configuration to your NGINX configuration as mentioned in the [Prerequisites]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/quickstart/security-controls/oidc.md#prerequisites" >}}). This enables synchronization of OIDC session data across NGINXaaS instances:


```nginx
stream {
resolver 127.0.0.1:49153 valid=20s;

server {
listen 9000;
zone_sync;
zone_sync_server internal.nginxaas.nginx.com:9000 resolve;
}
}
```



<details close>
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Not sure if <details close> and <summary> tags are allowed - I've never used them, needs to be checked

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We recently updated our hugo version, and now support the native hugo details shortcode.
We'll do a refactor pass soon, to replace all usages with this version.

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@Naveen-Gopu-F5 don't worry about this now. We will fix all the <details> at once. Leave it as is.

<summary>Complete configuration example of nginx.conf using the localhost as a upstream server</summary>

```nginx
http {
# Use a public DNS resolver for OIDC discovery
resolver 127.0.0.1:49153 ipv4=on valid=300s;
keyval_zone zone=my_store:8M state=/opt/oidc_sessions.json timeout=1h sync;

# Define OIDC provider (Microsoft Entra ID example)
oidc_provider entra {
# The issuer is typically something like:
# https://login.microsoftonline.com/<tenant_id>/v2.0
issuer https://login.microsoftonline.com/<tenant_id>/v2.0;

# Replace with your actual Entra client_id and client_secret
client_id <client_id>;
client_secret <client_secret>;
session_store my_store;

# RP‑initiated logout
logout_uri /logout;
post_logout_uri https://<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>/post_logout/;
logout_token_hint on;

# Fetch userinfo claims
userinfo on;
}

server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name <nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>;

ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/key.pem;

location / {
# Protect this location with Entra OIDC
auth_oidc entra;

# Forward OIDC claims as headers if desired
proxy_set_header sub $oidc_claim_sub;
proxy_set_header email $oidc_claim_email;
proxy_set_header name $oidc_claim_name;

proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
}

location /post_logout/ {
return 200 "You have been logged out.\n";
default_type text/plain;
}
}

server {
# Simple test upstream server
listen 8080;

location / {
return 200 "Hello, $http_name!\nEmail: $http_email\nEntra ID sub: $http_sub\n";
default_type text/plain;
}
}
}

stream {
resolver 127.0.0.1:49153 valid=20s;

server {
listen 9000;
zone_sync;
zone_sync_server internal.nginxaas.nginx.com:9000 resolve;
}
}
```
</details>

6. Upload the NGINX configurations. See [Upload an NGINX configuration]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/getting-started/nginx-configuration/" >}}) for more details.
For more detailed steps on this OIDC configuration, please refer to:
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6. Upload the NGINX configurations. See [Upload an NGINX configuration]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/getting-started/nginx-configuration/" >}}) for more details.
For more detailed steps on this OIDC configuration, please refer to:
1. Upload the NGINX configurations. See [Upload an NGINX configuration]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/getting-started/nginx-configuration/" >}}) for more details.
For more detailed steps on this OIDC configuration, please refer to:


- [Single Sign-On with Microsoft Entra ID]({{< ref "/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id.md" >}})
- [Terraform snippets for Native OIDC use case](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginxaas-for-azure-snippets/tree/main/terraform/configurations/native-oidc)
### Testing
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### Testing
### Testing


1. Open `https://<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>/` in a browser. You will be automatically redirected to your IdP sign-in page.

2. Enter valid IdP credentials. Upon successful sign-in, you will be redirected back to NGINXaaS and see your protected application. Using the example configuration, you will see a message displaying the authenticated user's information in the browser:

```text
Hello, [Name]!
Email: [email]
Entra ID sub: [subject_id]
```

3. To test logout, navigate to `https://<nginxaas_deployment_fqdn>/logout`. NGINXaaS initiates an RP-initiated logout, and your IdP ends the session and redirects back to the post-logout page.



## Configure NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP using NJS
### Prerequisites
1. [Configure the IdP](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#configuring-your-idp). For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/quickstart-register-app) as the IdP.
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Am I seeing two "1." bulletpoints here?

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"1." bullet point is under prerequisities and whereas another "1." is under the process flow

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## Configure NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP using NJS
### Prerequisites
1. [Configure the IdP](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#configuring-your-idp). For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/quickstart-register-app) as the IdP.
## Configure NGINXaaS for Azure with IdP using NJS
### Prerequisites
1. [Configure the IdP](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#configuring-your-idp). For example, you can [register a Microsoft Entra Web application](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/quickstart-register-app) as the IdP.


Configuring NGINXaaS for Azure with OIDC is similar as [Configuring NGINX Plus](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#configuring-nginx-plus) in [nginx-openid-connect](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect) but it also has its own specific configurations that must be completed to work normally.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -164,10 +375,33 @@ Configuring NGINXaaS for Azure with OIDC is similar as [Configuring NGINX Plus](
This is a site protected by OIDC!
```

## Limitations of Native OIDC vs NJS

The Native OIDC implementation has the following limitations compared to the NJS-based implementation:

- Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE) Support
- Front-Channel Logout
- Back-Channel Logout

These features will be added in future releases.


## Troubleshooting

[Enable NGINX logs]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/monitoring/enable-logging/" >}}) and [Troubleshooting](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/tree/main?tab=readme-ov-file#troubleshooting) the OIDC issues.

## Monitoring

[Enable monitoring]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/monitoring/enable-monitoring.md" >}}), check [real time monitoring](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginx-openid-connect/blob/main/README.md#real-time-monitoring) to see how OIDC metrics are collected, and use "plus.http.*" metrics filtered with location_zone dimension in [NGINX requests and response statistics]({{< ref "/nginxaas-azure/monitoring/metrics-catalog.md#nginx-requests-and-response-statistics" >}}) to check the OIDC metrics.

## See Also

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We can also add a link to our admin guide:
Single Sign-On with OpenID Connect and Identity Providers (https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/admin-guide/security-controls/configuring-oidc/)
[Single Sign-On with OpenID Connect and Identity Providers]({{< ref "nginx/admin-guide/security-controls/configuring-oidc.md" >}})

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Added the above suggested reference

- [Microsoft identity platform documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity-platform/)

- [NGINX Plus Native OIDC Module Reference documentation](https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_oidc_module.html)

- [Single Sign-On with Microsoft Entra ID]({{< ref "/nginx/deployment-guides/single-sign-on/entra-id.md" >}})

- [Single Sign-On with OpenID Connect and Identity Providers]({{< ref "nginx/admin-guide/security-controls/configuring-oidc.md" >}})

- [Terraform snippets for sample Native OIDC](https://github.com/nginxinc/nginxaas-for-azure-snippets/tree/main/terraform/configurations/native-oidc)