GWT Spring Security Integration (PURE GWT, NO JSP)

Question

I´m using GWT 2.4 and Spring 3.1 and I want to secure my application with Spring Security. I was looking for a GWT-only solution without a separate JSP login page. I found only old sites using JSP to do login, so this thread could result in a solution to fully integrate GWT with Spring Security in a standard way. Anyway, if there is a reference where this has been done successfully already, this thread can be closed with a link to that reference of course.

So far here is my first approach:

applicationcontext-security.xml:

<http auto-config="false" use-expressions="true" entry-point-ref="customAuthenticationEntryPoint">
    <intercept-url pattern="/ApplicationScaffold.html" access="permitAll" />
    <intercept-url pattern="/**" access="hasRole('ROLE_USER')" />
</http>

<beans:bean id="customAuthenticationEntryPoint" class="org.springframework.security.web.authentication.LoginUrlAuthenticationEntryPoint" 
    c:loginFormUrl="/ApplicationScaffold.html" />

<!-- Configure Authentication mechanism -->
<authentication-manager alias="authenticationManager">
    <authentication-provider>
        ...
    </authentication-provider>
</authentication-manager>

ApplicationScaffold.html (my application was created with Spring Roo) is my starting page containing the GWT login page.

web.xml:

<display-name>securitytest</display-name>

<description>Roo generated application</description>

<!-- Enable escaping of form submission contents -->
<context-param>
    <param-name>defaultHtmlEscape</param-name>
    <param-value>true</param-value>
</context-param>

<context-param>
    <param-name>contextConfigLocation</param-name>
    <param-value>classpath*:META-INF/spring/applicationContext*.xml</param-value>
</context-param>

<filter>
    <filter-name>CharacterEncodingFilter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter</filter-class>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>encoding</param-name>
        <param-value>UTF-8</param-value>
    </init-param>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>forceEncoding</param-name>
        <param-value>true</param-value>
    </init-param>
</filter>

<filter>
    <filter-name>HttpMethodFilter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>org.springframework.web.filter.HiddenHttpMethodFilter</filter-class>
</filter>

<filter>
    <filter-name>springSecurityFilterChain</filter-name>
    <filter-class>org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy</filter-class>
</filter> 
<filter>
    <filter-name>Spring OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>org.springframework.orm.jpa.support.OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter</filter-class>
</filter>
<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>CharacterEncodingFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>HttpMethodFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>springSecurityFilterChain</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>Spring OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

<!-- Creates the Spring Container shared by all Servlets and Filters -->
<listener>
    <listener-class>org.springframework.web.context.ContextLoaderListener</listener-class>
</listener>

<!-- Handles Spring requests -->
<servlet>
    <servlet-name>securitytest</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet</servlet-class>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>contextConfigLocation</param-name>
        <param-value>WEB-INF/spring/webmvc-config.xml</param-value>
    </init-param>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
</servlet>

<servlet>
    <servlet-name>requestFactory</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.securitytest.server.CustomRequestFactoryServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>

<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>securitytest</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>requestFactory</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/gwtRequest</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

<session-config>
    <session-timeout>10</session-timeout>
</session-config>

The CustomRequestFactoryServlet class extends RequestFactoryServlet providing an additional constructor to resolve Spring services and should not be relevant to security issues.

After entering username and password on the GWT widget a login service is invoked (via RequestFactory) that simply does the following:

public String loginUser(String username, String password) {
    UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken token = 
            new UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken(username, password);

    Authentication authenticatedUser = authenticationManager.authenticate(token);
    SecurityContextHolder.getContext().setAuthentication(authenticatedUser);

    return username;

}

So when I enter a URL like ../fooooooo I expect my application to redirect me to the login page (ApplicationScaffold.html). But only the URL in the browser´s address bar is set to ../ApplicationScaffold.html and nothing more happens.

What am I doing wrong?

The stack trace says the following:

[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 1 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextPersistenceFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - No HttpSession currently exists
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - No SecurityContext was available from the HttpSession: null. A new one will be created.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 2 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'RequestCacheAwareFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 3 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,502 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 4 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'AnonymousAuthenticationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,503 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter - Populated SecurityContextHolder with anonymous token: 'org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: null; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,503 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 5 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SessionManagementFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter - Requested session ID1nkvhmubnkz6h is invalid.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 6 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'ExceptionTranslationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /fooooooooo at position 7 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'FilterSecurityInterceptor'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.util.AntPathRequestMatcher - Checking match of request : '/fooooooooo'; against '/applicationscaffold.html'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Secure object: FilterInvocation: URL: /fooooooooo; Attributes: [hasRole('ROLE_USER')]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Previously Authenticated: org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: null; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.access.vote.AffirmativeBased - Voter: org.springframework.security.web.access.expression.WebExpressionVoter@5f8d13b8, returned: -1
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,504 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter - Access is denied (user is anonymous); redirecting to authentication entry point
[INFO] org.springframework.security.access.AccessDeniedException: Access is denied
...
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,506 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.HttpSessionRequestCache - DefaultSavedRequest added to Session: DefaultSavedRequest[http://127.0.0.1:8888/fooooooooo]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,506 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter - Calling Authentication entry point.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,506 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.DefaultRedirectStrategy - Redirecting to 'http://127.0.0.1:8888/ApplicationScaffold.html'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,506 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - SecurityContext is empty or contents are anonymous - context will not be stored in HttpSession.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,506 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter - SecurityContextHolder now cleared, as request processing completed
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 1 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextPersistenceFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - HttpSession returned null object for SPRING_SECURITY_CONTEXT
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - No SecurityContext was available from the HttpSession: org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.HashSessionManager$Session:q0k5u6clocpc@1530548245. A new one will be created.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 2 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'RequestCacheAwareFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - pathInfo: both null (property equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - queryString: both null (property equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - requestURI: arg1=/fooooooooo; arg2=/ApplicationScaffold.html (property not equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.HttpSessionRequestCache - saved request doesn't match
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,543 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 3 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 4 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'AnonymousAuthenticationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter - Populated SecurityContextHolder with anonymous token: 'org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: q0k5u6clocpc; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 5 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SessionManagementFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 6 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'ExceptionTranslationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html at position 7 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'FilterSecurityInterceptor'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.util.AntPathRequestMatcher - Checking match of request : '/applicationscaffold.html'; against '/applicationscaffold.html'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Secure object: FilterInvocation: URL: /ApplicationScaffold.html; Attributes: [permitAll]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Previously Authenticated: org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: q0k5u6clocpc; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.access.vote.AffirmativeBased - Voter: org.springframework.security.web.access.expression.WebExpressionVoter@5f8d13b8, returned: 1
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Authorization successful
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - RunAsManager did not change Authentication object
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /ApplicationScaffold.html reached end of additional filter chain; proceeding with original chain
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.orm.jpa.support.OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter - Opening JPA EntityManager in OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,544 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.hibernate.impl.SessionImpl - opened session at timestamp: 13557480675
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet - DispatcherServlet with name 'securitytest' processing GET request for [/ApplicationScaffold.html]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerMapping - Looking up handler method for path /ApplicationScaffold.html
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerMapping - Did not find handler method for [/ApplicationScaffold.html]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping - Matching patterns for request [/ApplicationScaffold.html] are [/**]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping - URI Template variables for request [/ApplicationScaffold.html] are {}
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.SimpleUrlHandlerMapping - Mapping [/ApplicationScaffold.html] to HandlerExecutionChain with handler [org.springframework.web.servlet.resource.DefaultServletHttpRequestHandler@3e3bfa58] and 1 interceptor
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,545 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet - Last-Modified value for [/ApplicationScaffold.html] is: -1
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet - Null ModelAndView returned to DispatcherServlet with name 'securitytest': assuming HandlerAdapter completed request handling
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet - Successfully completed request
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.orm.jpa.support.OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter - Closing JPA EntityManager in OpenEntityManagerInViewFilter
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.orm.jpa.EntityManagerFactoryUtils - Closing JPA EntityManager
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter - Chain processed normally
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - SecurityContext is empty or contents are anonymous - context will not be stored in HttpSession.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,547 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter - SecurityContextHolder now cleared, as request processing completed
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 1 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextPersistenceFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - HttpSession returned null object for SPRING_SECURITY_CONTEXT
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.context.HttpSessionSecurityContextRepository - No SecurityContext was available from the HttpSession: org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.HashSessionManager$Session:q0k5u6clocpc@1530548245. A new one will be created.
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 2 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'RequestCacheAwareFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - pathInfo: both null (property equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,583 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - queryString: both null (property equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.DefaultSavedRequest - requestURI: arg1=/fooooooooo; arg2=/applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html (property not equals)
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.HttpSessionRequestCache - saved request doesn't match
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 3 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 4 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'AnonymousAuthenticationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter - Populated SecurityContextHolder with anonymous token: 'org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: q0k5u6clocpc; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 5 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'SessionManagementFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 6 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'ExceptionTranslationFilter'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy - /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html at position 7 of 7 in additional filter chain; firing Filter: 'FilterSecurityInterceptor'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.util.AntPathRequestMatcher - Checking match of request : '/applicationscaffold/c142d67e9948229be2b28e2a99e7c59a.cache.html'; against '/applicationscaffold.html'
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Secure object: FilterInvocation: URL: /applicationScaffold/C142D67E9948229BE2B28E2A99E7C59A.cache.html; Attributes: [hasRole('ROLE_USER')]
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor - Previously Authenticated: org.springframework.security.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationToken@9055e4a6: Principal: anonymousUser; Credentials: [PROTECTED]; Authenticated: true; Details: org.springframework.security.web.authentication.WebAuthenticationDetails@957e: RemoteIpAddress: 127.0.0.1; SessionId: q0k5u6clocpc; Granted Authorities: ROLE_ANONYMOUS
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.access.vote.AffirmativeBased - Voter: org.springframework.security.web.access.expression.WebExpressionVoter@5f8d13b8, returned: -1
[INFO] 2012-12-17 13:41:07,584 [btpool0-0] DEBUG org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter - Access is denied (user is anonymous); redirecting to authentication entry point
[INFO] org.springframework.security.access.AccessDeniedException: Access is denied

Answer 1

Pure GWT solution:

1. Do not use http element at all (http tag from config namespace)
2. Define your AuthenticationRpcService
3. Add AuthenticationRpcService.authenticate(user,password) method
4. Inject into AuthenticationServiceImpl AuthenticationProvider bean from security-context.xml

5. Implement AuthenticationRpcService.authenticate(user,password) as :

   User user = new User(login, password, true, true, true, true, new ArrayList<GrantedAuthority>());
   Authentication auth = new UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken(user, password,
           new ArrayList<GrantedAuthority>());
   try {
       auth = this.authenticationProvider.authenticate(auth);
   } catch (BadCredentialsException e) {
       throw new ClientSideBadCredentialsException(e.getMessage(), e);
   }
   SecurityContext sc = new SecurityContextImpl();
   sc.setAuthentication(auth);
   
   SecurityContextHolder.setContext(sc);
   

6. Ensure that spring security filter chain is executed during processing of each your GWT RPC call (to be sure that SecurityContext populated into SecurityContextHolder).

7. Secure all business services with @RolesAllowed({ "ADMIN_ROLE", "USER_ROLE" }) annotations
8. Prepare your own ClientSideAcessDeniedException that can be used on client side
9. In a case of spring AcessDeniedException propogate ClientSideAcessDeniedException to client side
10. On client side set up UncaughtExceptionHandler via GWT.setUncaughtExceptionHandler
11. In UncaughtExceptionHandler detect CustomAcessDeniedException and then show error to user.

Answer 2

I've found that all you can protect in gwt using Spring Security are the RPC calls but as far as the gui you can't. Remember they are javascript so there is no url to define in the security configuration. That is why all examples have the jsp login page. You would then have to implement some type of client side security using the userContext for frontend .

Answer 3

You need to figure out why your user is considered anonymous (line 77 in stacktrace). I suppose Spring then sends another redirect (to the login) but the GWT callback doesn't know what to do with HTTP 302?