NSURLConnection - Disable the authentication challenge response mechanism

Question

SITUATION

• Using AFNetworking (NSURLConnection) to access my server API
• The API needs Basic Authentication with token as username

Answer 1

You have a few of options to fully customize the authentication handling:

1. Utilize setWillSendRequestForAuthenticationChallengeBlock: and setAuthenticationAgainstProtectionSpaceBlock: from class AFURLConnectionOperation and set corresponding blocks where you can tailor the mechanism you require.

   The headers contain documentation.

2. Override connection:willSendRequestForAuthenticationChallenge: in a subclass of AFURLConnectionOperation. This will effectively override the complete authentication mechanism setup in AFNetworking.

Note, that you cannot disable the "server validates client identity" authentication challenge -- this is part of the server. You MUST provide the correct credentials for the requested authentication method.

Answer 2

Try this.

- (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection willSendRequestForAuthenticationChallenge:(NSURLAuthenticationChallenge *)challenge
{
    SecTrustRef trust = challenge.protectionSpace.serverTrust;
    NSURLCredential *cred;
    cred = [NSURLCredential credentialForTrust:trust];
    [challenge.sender useCredential:cred forAuthenticationChallenge:challenge];
}