Setting Up Authorization using oAuth v2 password grant

OAuth v2 is the new version of the open protocol to allow secure authorization in a standardized manner from web, mobile, and desktop applications.

To use this authorization method, you must first register an account with the web application as you will need the log-in credentials for that application to configure the settings for the Authorization Mechanism.

How oAuth v2 Password Grant Type Works

The oAuth v2 Password grant type authorization method allows apps to exchange a user’s credentials for an access token.

1. The XO Platform redirects the user to a login dialog at the web application.
2. The user authenticates.
3. The web application redirects the user back to the XO Platform with an access token.
4. The XO Platform validates the access token.
5. The access token allows the XO Platform to access a protected resource at the provider, on behalf of the user.

Configuring oAuth v2 Using Password Grant Type

To define Authorization for your assistant, using oAuth v2 password grant, please follow these steps:

1. Open the assistant for which you want to configure an Authorization profile.
2. From the left menu, click App Settings, then select Dev Tools > Authorization Profiles.

3. Click New to open the New Authorization Mechanism dialog.
   

4. In the Authorization Type drop-down list, select oAuth v2 password grant type.

5. Enter a Name for your authorization, then define the fields to enable it.
   

The illustration and sections below show an overview of the needed configurations.

Defining Tenancy

If required, in the Subdomain section, select Yes if the base URL for a web application or user interface uses a tenant name in the URL. For example, kore is the tenant organization for a web service using tenants as www.kore.someCompany.com.

In the following example configuration, the tenancy URL contains the {tenant} organization placeholder.

Adding Form Fields

If, for example, the default username and password fields do not meet your needs for authorization input, you can add custom fields displayed to the end-user by adding authorization IDP form fields. You can use these form fields, for example, if PIN code is required in the authorization process.

To add fields on the authorization form, click Add Form Fields, then configure the necessary parameters for each field. The following table describes the fields used to define an authorization form field.

FIELD NAME	DESCRIPTION
Title of Field	Specify the name of the field displayed to the end-user in the authorization dialog.
Field Key	The value represents the end-user input value to the authorizing service.
Help Hint	The help text displayed in the field to describe what should be entered into the field.
Field Type	When Advanced Options is selected, specify the type of field displayed in the end-user interface to collect the user input assigned as the value for the Field Key, one of: Textbox Password
Mandatory	When Advanced Options is selected, select if the end-user must define this field to complete the authorization.
Data Type	When Advanced Options is selected, specify the type of data expected as input from the end-user, for example, String.
Visibility	When Advanced Options is selected, specify if the authorization field should be visible, hidden, or displayed as read-only.

Adding Authorization Fields

By default, authorization fields are configured as part of the header of the request message. If your request requires additional authorization fields or the expected authorization is not part of the header, for example, social security number or PIN, click Add Authorization Fields and then define the fields as shown in the following illustration.

1. In the Field Type field, you can select one of the following depending on where in the request message and the type of authorization fields that are required.

   1. Header – The assistant expects the authorization fields as part of the header of the request.
   2. Payload – The assistant expects the authorization fields as part of the content of the body of the request.
   3. Query String – The assistant expects the authorization fields as a query in the body of the request.
   4. Path Param – The assistant expects the authorization fields as part of the URL path for the request.

2. In the Field Key field, enter the name of the field for the selected Field Type.

3. In the Field Value field, enter the value for the Field Key specified.
4. Click Done. The new authorization field is added in the Authorization Fields section.

Defining the Token URLs

In the Token URL field, optionally define a URL that can be used to test the authorization settings from XO Platform before you deploy the VA with the authorization mechanism. You can use dynamic fields, path parameter fields, query fields, and so forth, to define the test URL, for example,

http://{tenant}.someCompany.com/test/{{tokenId}}

In the Token URL Method field, select the HTTP request method type for the Token URL. One of PUT, POST, PATCH, DELETE, and GET.

In the Token URL Content Type field, select the content type expected from the Token URL. One of: JSON, RSS, XML, URL Encoded JSON, CSV, Text, Twitter Encoded JSON, Multipart/Form-data,Multipart/Related, or Oracle ADF.

In the Refresh Token URL, enter the refresh token URL if required.

For situations when there may be authentication errors, enter the Auth Error Status Code.

Access using the Connector

In the Access Using a Connector section, select Yes to enable access for Kore.ai Bots using the Kore.ai Connector agent. If your domain does not have any active Kore.ai Connectors defined, a warning message is displayed to contact the Bots Admin Console System Administrator. For more information, see Using the Kore.ai Connector in the Bots Admin Console documentation.

Click Save Auth to save the authorization settings and close the New Authorization Mechanism dialog.

Testing the Authorization

After you save the authorization, you can test your authorization definition when you click Test from the Authorization Profile page.

When you click Test, the Test Authorization dialog is displayed and populated with the URL you specified in the Authorization Check URL section. Click Test to begin the authorization test.

When the validation of authorization is complete, the Test Authorization dialog is closed and the results of the validation, either success or failure, is displayed to the immediate right of the Test button. If the authorization fails, the Auth Test Failed message is displayed along with the Headers and Response tabs as shown in the following illustration.