The instructions on this page describe how to configure OAuth for outgoing authentication and/or incoming authentication for an application link.

OAuth is a protocol that allows a web application to share data/resources with any other OAuth-compliant external application. These external applications could be another web application (such as a JIRA installation or an iGoogle home page), a desktop application or a mobile device application, provided that they are accessible from within your network or available on the Internet.

For example, you could set up an application link between Confluence and an iGoogle page using OAuth authentication. This would allow you to view data from your Confluence server in a Confluence gadget on the iGoogle page (see Configuring Confluence Gadgets for Use in Other Applications).

A typical scenario is setting up an application link between two applications which trust each other, do not share the same set of users but both applications have the Application Links plugin installed. In this case, you would configure OAuth for both outgoing authentication and incoming authentication. See Configuring Authentication for an Application Link for other configurations.

Key OAuth Terminology

  • Service provider — An application that shares ('provides') its resources.
  • Consumer — An application that accesses ('consumes') a service provider's resources.
  • User — An individual who has an account with the Service Provider.

For more information about OAuth, see Configuring OAuth as well as the OAuth specification.

On this page:

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  • Adding an OAuth consumer requires the transmission of sensitive data. To prevent 'man-in-the-middle' attacks, it is recommended that you use SSL for your applications while configuring OAuth authentication.
  • Do not link to an application using OAuth authentication, unless you trust all code in the application to behave itself at all times. OAuth consumers are a potential security risk to the applications that they are linked to.

  • The instructions assume that both of the applications that you are linking have the Application Links plugin installed. If the remote application that you are linking to supports OAuth, but does not have the Application Links plugin installed, you will need to configure OAuth from within the remote application (see the relevant administrator's documentation for the application) in addition to configuring the outgoing/incoming authentication for the application link (as described below).
  • You must be a Confluence administrator to configure OAuth authentication for an application link.

Configuring outgoing OAuth authentication will allow Confluence to access data in a remote application on behalf of a user (i.e. allow Confluence to access specified functions in the remote application).

To configure OAuth authentication for an outgoing application link:

  1. Log in as a system administrator and go to the administration page. Click 'Application Links' in the administration menu. The 'Configure Application Links' page will appear, showing the application links that have been set up.
  2. Click the 'Configure' link next to the application link that you want to configure OAuth for.
  3. Click the 'Outgoing Authentication' tab. The outgoing authentication page will be displayed.
  4. Click the 'OAuth' tab.
  5. If you are not currently logged in to the remote application (or you logged in to the remote application under a variant of the application's hostname, such as the IP address), a login dialogue will display.
    • Enter the 'Username' and 'Password' for the remote server, not your local server, and click the 'Login' button. The remote server needs to learn the identity of your local server for the OAuth protocol to work and your admin credentials are used to store your local server's public key on the remote server. If you are already logged into your remote server, then the appropriate changes can be made without having to log in again.
  6. Click the 'Enable' button to enable OAuth authentication for the outgoing link. Your application will be automatically set up to be the 'consumer' and the remote application as a 'service provider'.

Configuring incoming OAuth authentication will allow the remote application that you are linking to, to access data in Confluence.

To configure OAuth authentication for an incoming application link:

  1. Log in as a system administrator and go to the administration page. Click 'Application Links' in the administration menu. The 'Configure Application Links' page will appear, showing the application links that have been set up.
  2. Click the 'Configure' link next to the application link that you want to configure OAuth for.
  3. Click the 'Incoming Authentication' tab. The incoming authentication page will be displayed.
  4. Click the 'OAuth' tab.
  5. Click the 'Enable' button to enable OAuth authentication for the incoming link. The remote application will be automatically set up to be the 'consumer' and your local application as a 'service provider'.

Configuring Basic HTTP Authentication for an Application Link
Configuring Trusted Applications Authentication for an Application Link
Configuring Confluence Gadgets for Use in Other Applications

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