View Authentication Scheme Reports in Oracle APEX

Introduction
In Oracle APEX, managing authentication schemes across applications is essential for maintaining secure user access. Authentication scheme reports provide valuable insights into the schemes used, their configurations, and usage statistics. Viewing these reports helps developers and administrators monitor security settings, troubleshoot login issues, and ensure consistent authentication practices.

How to View Authentication Scheme Reports in Oracle APEX

1. Access Your Workspace Administration
   Log in to Oracle APEX as a workspace administrator.

2. Navigate to the Reports Section

   • From the workspace home, go to App Builder.

   • Click on Workspace Utilities or directly access Manage Authentication Schemes depending on your APEX version.

3. Locate Authentication Scheme Reports
   Oracle APEX provides views and reports that list authentication schemes used by applications within the workspace.

   • You can find reports that show scheme names, types, last modified dates, and which applications use them.

   • For detailed data, use the data dictionary views such as APEX_APPLICATION_AUTHENTICATION and related views in SQL Workshop.

4. Using SQL Workshop for Custom Reports

   • Navigate to SQL Workshop > SQL Commands or SQL Scripts.

   • Run queries on authentication scheme metadata, for example:

     SELECT application_id, authentication_scheme, last_updated 
     FROM apex_application_authentication 
     ORDER BY application_id;
     

   • Customize queries to gather relevant information such as scheme usage and configuration.

5. Interpreting the Reports
   Use the report data to:

   • Identify which authentication schemes are active in each application.

   • Track changes over time.

   • Audit security configurations across your workspace.

Oracle APEX provides built-in reports that allow developers to view and manage authentication schemes within an application. These reports help track the current authentication scheme, review available authentication methods, and monitor subscription statuses for authentication schemes copied from other applications.

Steps to View Authentication Scheme Reports

1. Navigate to the Authentication Schemes Page

• Log in to Oracle APEX.

• Open App Builder and select the application you want to inspect.

• Click Shared Components > Authentication Schemes.

2. Review the Authentication Scheme Report

On the Authentication Schemes page, a report displays the following key details for each authentication scheme:

• Scheme Name – The name of the authentication scheme.

• Scheme Type – The type of authentication used (e.g., APEX Accounts, LDAP, Social Sign-In, etc.).

• Current Scheme – Indicates which authentication scheme is active for the application.

• Subscribed From – Shows if the authentication scheme is subscribed from another application.

• Subscription Status – Displays whether the authentication scheme is up to date or requires synchronization with its master.

3. Filter or Search for Specific Authentication Schemes

Use the Search bar or filtering options to find a specific authentication scheme based on:

• Scheme Type (e.g., LDAP, Database Accounts, OAuth2).

• Subscription Status (Subscribed, Unsubscribed).

• Active/Inactive Schemes.

4. View Detailed Information for a Specific Authentication Scheme

• Click on an authentication scheme name to open its Edit page.

• Review or modify attributes, including session management settings, authentication process hooks, and login page configurations.

Use Cases for Viewing Authentication Scheme Reports

• Identifying which authentication scheme is currently active in the application.

• Monitoring authentication scheme subscriptions and ensuring they are synchronized with their master definitions.

• Verifying authentication security settings to comply with organizational policies.

• Troubleshooting authentication-related issues by reviewing session settings and authentication behavior.

By leveraging authentication scheme reports, Oracle APEX developers can efficiently manage and monitor authentication settings within their applications.

Best Practices

• Regularly review authentication scheme reports to ensure all applications comply with your organization’s security standards.

• Use custom SQL reports to tailor information to your specific monitoring needs.

• Combine authentication reports with user access and authorization reviews for comprehensive security audits.

• Document findings and maintain version control of your authentication schemes.

Oracle APEX Documentation
For more details, see the official Oracle APEX documentation on authentication management and reporting:
https://docs.oracle.com/en/database/oracle/apex/23.2/aeapp/managing-authentication-schemes.html

Conclusion
Viewing authentication scheme reports in Oracle APEX is a valuable practice for maintaining secure and well-managed applications. These reports provide visibility into how users are authenticated and help administrators detect potential security gaps. By leveraging built-in and custom reporting tools, you can keep your authentication environment transparent, consistent, and aligned with best security practices.