How to do TOSCA Automation testing an application with Okta Login.

August 2, 2024
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Here’s a breakdown of how you can achieve authentication between TOSCA, your application, and Okta for automation testing:

Understanding the Authentication Landscape

Okta’s Role: Okta is an Identity Provider (IdP). It manages user accounts, passwords, and most importantly, issues secure tokens (often SAML or OIDC) that your application trusts for authentication.
TOSCA’s Need: Your TOSCA test scripts need to mimic a real user logging in. This means obtaining and using the same kind of secure tokens that Okta provides.

Methods for Okta Authentication in TOSCA

TOSCA Okta Integration Module (Recommended):
- Benefits: If available for your TOSCA version, this is the most streamlined method. The module handles token management, making your scripts easier to maintain.
- How It Works:
  - Configuration: You’ll provide Okta credentials (likely an API key) and authentication endpoints to the module.
  - Token Acquisition: The module automatically fetches and refreshes tokens as needed.
  - Script Integration: You’ll use specific module actions to inject tokens into your application’s login process.
REST API Calls (Flexible):
- Benefits: Offers control if a dedicated module isn’t available. You can adapt to various Okta flows.
- How It Works:
  - Token Endpoint: Okta exposes endpoints (e.g., /oauth2/token) to request tokens. Your script sends a POST request with Okta credentials.
  - Parsing Response: You’ll extract the token from Okta’s JSON response.
  - Injecting Token: Your script includes the token in subsequent requests to your application (usually in an Authorization header).
TOSCA HTTP Engine (Lower Level):
- Benefits: Useful if other options are unavailable. Provides fine-grained control over requests.
- How It Works:
  - Similar to REST API: You’ll construct raw HTTP requests to Okta’s endpoints, parse the response, and manage tokens manually.

General Steps

Here’s a generalized outline of the authentication process, applicable to any method:

Obtain Okta Credentials: Get the necessary Okta client ID, secret, and authentication URLs from your Okta administrator.
Authentication Request: Your TOSCA script sends a request to Okta’s authentication endpoint, including the credentials.
Token Response: Okta responds with a secure token (like a JSON Web Token).
Token Usage: Your script uses this token in subsequent requests to your application.

Code Example

# Pseudocode - Adapt to your TOSCA syntax
authenticateOkta()
    credentials = getOktaCredentials()
    token = requestToken(credentials)
    storeToken(token)

loginToApp()
    token = getStoredToken()
    headers = createHeadersWithToken(token)
    response = sendRequestToApp(headers)

Important Considerations

Token Expiration: Okta tokens usually have a limited lifespan. Your scripts should handle refreshing them when they expire.
Security: Store Okta credentials securely (e.g., encrypted) and avoid logging tokens in plain text.
Error Handling: Anticipate authentication failures (e.g., invalid credentials) and include appropriate error handling in your scripts.

Here’s a conceptual code example illustrating how to use the TOSCA Okta Integration Module, along with explanations:

Assumptions

You have the TOSCA Okta Integration Module installed and configured.
You’ve set up an Okta application with the appropriate credentials and authorization settings.

Code Example (TOSCA Pseudocode)

Code snippet

# Module Configuration (Typically done in TOSCA settings)
OktaModule.setCredentials("your_okta_client_id", "your_okta_client_secret")
OktaModule.setAuthEndpoint("https://your_okta_domain/oauth2/default/v1/authorize")
OktaModule.setTokenEndpoint("https://your_okta_domain/oauth2/default/v1/token")

# Test Case Steps

1. **Authenticate with Okta:**
   - OktaModule.authenticateUser("test_user@example.com", "secure_password")  

2. **Verify Authentication Success:**
   - token = OktaModule.getAccessToken() 
   - IF token IS NOT EMPTY THEN
        - LogMessage("Authentication successful. Access token acquired.")
     ELSE
        - LogError("Authentication failed.")
     END IF

3. **Use Token in Subsequent Requests:**
   - headers = OktaModule.createAuthorizationHeader(token) 
   - response = SendRequestToApplication(headers)
   
4. **Handle Token Refresh (if needed):**
    - IF OktaModule.isTokenExpired() THEN
         - OktaModule.refreshToken()
      END IF

Explanation

Module Configuration: This is usually done once in your TOSCA project settings or a dedicated configuration module. It provides the module with the information it needs to interact with Okta.
Authenticate User: This step triggers the authentication process with the provided username and password. The module handles the communication with Okta’s authentication endpoints and token retrieval.
Verify Authentication: The script checks if a valid access token was obtained. If not, it means authentication failed.
Use Token: The module helps you create the necessary headers to include the access token in your subsequent requests to the application under test.
Token Refresh: This is optional, but important if your tests run for an extended period. The module can automatically refresh the access token before it expires, ensuring your test scripts continue to work without interruption.

Key Points

Module Actions: The specific actions (authenticateUser, getAccessToken, etc.) will depend on the exact implementation of your TOSCA Okta Integration Module. Refer to its documentation for the precise syntax.
Error Handling: In a real-world scenario, you’d include robust error handling around each module action to gracefully handle authentication failures, network issues, and other potential problems.
Customization: The TOSCA Okta Integration Module might offer additional functionalities, such as support for different authentication flows (e.g., authorization code grant) or the ability to handle custom claims.

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How to do TOSCA Automation testing an application with Okta Login.

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