Authentication Rule Configuration Object

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Core Methods
3. Authentication Rule Model Attributes
4. Exceptions
5. Basic Configuration
6. Usage Examples
   • Creating Authentication Rules
   • Retrieving Authentication Rules
   • Updating Authentication Rules
   • Listing Authentication Rules
   • Filtering Responses
   • Controlling Pagination with max_limit
   • Moving Authentication Rules
   • Deleting Authentication Rules
7. Managing Configuration Changes
   • Performing Commits
   • Monitoring Jobs
8. Error Handling
9. Best Practices
10. Full Script Examples
11. Related Models

Overview

The AuthenticationRule class provides functionality to manage authentication rules in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting authentication rules that enforce identity-based policy for traffic flowing between zones, addresses, and users. The service interacts with the /config/identity/v1/authentication-rules API endpoint.

Core Methods

Method	Description	Parameters	Return Type
create()	Creates a new authentication rule	data: Dict[str, Any], rulebase: str	AuthenticationRuleResponseModel
get()	Retrieves a rule by ID	object_id: str, rulebase: str	AuthenticationRuleResponseModel
update()	Updates an existing rule	rule: AuthenticationRuleUpdateModel	AuthenticationRuleResponseModel
delete()	Deletes a rule	object_id: str, rulebase: str	None
list()	Lists rules with filtering	folder: str, rulebase: str	List[AuthenticationRuleResponseModel]
fetch()	Gets rule by name and container	name: str, folder: str	AuthenticationRuleResponseModel
move()	Moves rule within rulebase	rule_id: UUID, data: Dict[str, Any]	None

Authentication Rule Model Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Default	Description
name	str	Yes	None	Name of rule. Pattern: ^[a-zA-Z0-9_ \.-]+$
id	UUID	Yes*	None	Unique identifier (*response/update only)
disabled	bool	No	False	Whether the rule is disabled
description	str	No	None	Rule description
tag	List[str]	No	[]	Associated tags
from_	List[str]	No	["any"]	Source zones
source	List[str]	No	["any"]	Source addresses
negate_source	bool	No	False	Negate source addresses
source_user	List[str]	No	["any"]	Source users/groups
source_hip	List[str]	No	["any"]	Source Host Integrity Profiles
to_	List[str]	No	["any"]	Destination zones
destination	List[str]	No	["any"]	Destination addresses
negate_destination	bool	No	False	Negate destination addresses
destination_hip	List[str]	No	["any"]	Destination Host Integrity Profiles
service	List[str]	No	["any"]	Allowed services
category	List[str]	No	["any"]	URL categories
authentication_enforcement	str	No	None	Authentication profile name
hip_profiles	List[str]	No	None	Source Host Integrity Profiles
group_tag	str	No	None	Group tag
timeout	int	No	None	Auth session timeout in minutes (1-1440)
log_setting	str	No	None	Log forwarding profile
log_authentication_timeout	bool	No	False	Log authentication timeouts
rulebase	AuthenticationRuleRulebase	No	None	Which rulebase (pre/post)
folder	str	No**	None	Folder location. Max 64 chars
snippet	str	No**	None	Snippet location. Max 64 chars
device	str	No**	None	Device location. Max 64 chars

* Only required for response and update models ** Exactly one container (folder/snippet/device) must be provided for create operations

Exceptions

Exception	HTTP Code	Description
InvalidObjectError	400	Invalid rule data or format
MissingQueryParameterError	400	Missing required parameters
NameNotUniqueError	409	Rule name already exists
ObjectNotPresentError	404	Rule not found
ReferenceNotZeroError	409	Rule still referenced
AuthenticationError	401	Authentication failed
ServerError	500	Internal server error

Basic Configuration

The Authentication Rule service can be accessed using either the unified client interface (recommended) or the traditional service instantiation.

Unified Client Interface (Recommended)

from scm.client import ScmClient

# Initialize client
client = ScmClient(
    client_id="your_client_id",
    client_secret="your_client_secret",
    tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

# Access the Authentication Rule service directly through the client
# No need to create a separate AuthenticationRule instance
rules = client.authentication_rule

Traditional Service Instantiation (Legacy)

from scm.client import Scm
from scm.config.security import AuthenticationRule

# Initialize client
client = Scm(
    client_id="your_client_id",
    client_secret="your_client_secret",
    tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

# Initialize AuthenticationRule object explicitly
rules = AuthenticationRule(client)

Note

While both approaches work, the unified client interface is recommended for new development as it provides a more streamlined developer experience and ensures proper token refresh handling across all services.

Usage Examples

Creating Authentication Rules

from scm.client import ScmClient

# Initialize client
client = ScmClient(
   client_id="your_client_id",
   client_secret="your_client_secret",
   tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

# Basic authentication rule with auth enforcement
basic_rule = {
    "name": "auth-web-traffic",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "from_": ["trust"],
    "to_": ["untrust"],
    "source": ["internal-net"],
    "destination": ["any"],
    "service": ["service-http", "service-https"],
    "authentication_enforcement": "auth-profile-1",
    "log_authentication_timeout": True
}

# Create basic authentication rule
created_rule = client.authentication_rule.create(basic_rule, rulebase="pre")

# Authentication rule with timeout
timeout_rule = {
    "name": "auth-timeout-rule",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "from_": ["trust"],
    "to_": ["untrust"],
    "source": ["10.0.0.0/8"],
    "destination": ["any"],
    "service": ["application-default"],
    "authentication_enforcement": "auth-profile-2",
    "timeout": 60,
    "log_authentication_timeout": True,
    "log_setting": "detailed-logging"
}

# Create rule with timeout
timeout_created = client.authentication_rule.create(timeout_rule, rulebase="pre")

# Authentication rule with HIP profiles
hip_rule = {
    "name": "auth-hip-rule",
    "folder": "Texas",
    "from_": ["trust"],
    "to_": ["untrust"],
    "source_user": ["domain\\jsmith", "domain\\jdoe"],
    "source": ["any"],
    "destination": ["any"],
    "service": ["any"],
    "category": ["any"],
    "hip_profiles": ["hip-compliant", "hip-patched"],
    "authentication_enforcement": "strict-auth-profile",
    "group_tag": "compliance-group",
    "tag": ["Compliance", "HIP"]
}

# Create rule with HIP profiles
hip_created = client.authentication_rule.create(hip_rule, rulebase="pre")

Retrieving Authentication Rules

# Fetch by name and folder
rule = client.authentication_rule.fetch(
    name="auth-web-traffic",
    folder="Texas",
    rulebase="pre"
)
print(f"Found rule: {rule.name}")

# Get by ID
rule_by_id = client.authentication_rule.get(rule.id, rulebase="pre")
print(f"Retrieved rule: {rule_by_id.name}")
print(f"Authentication enforcement: {rule_by_id.authentication_enforcement}")

Updating Authentication Rules

# Fetch existing rule
existing_rule = client.authentication_rule.fetch(
    name="auth-web-traffic",
    folder="Texas",
    rulebase="pre"
)

# Update attributes
existing_rule.description = "Updated authentication rule for web traffic"
existing_rule.timeout = 120
existing_rule.authentication_enforcement = "updated-auth-profile"
existing_rule.log_authentication_timeout = True

# Perform update
updated_rule = client.authentication_rule.update(existing_rule, rulebase="pre")

Listing Authentication Rules

# Pass filters directly into the list method
filtered_rules = client.authentication_rule.list(
    folder='Texas',
    rulebase='pre',
    service=['service-http', 'service-https']
)

# Process results
for rule in filtered_rules:
    print(f"Name: {rule.name}")
    print(f"Auth enforcement: {rule.authentication_enforcement}")
    print(f"Timeout: {rule.timeout}")

# Define filter parameters as a dictionary
list_params = {
    "folder": "Texas",
    "rulebase": "pre",
    "from_": ["trust"],
    "to_": ["untrust"],
    "tag": ["Compliance"]
}

# List with filters as kwargs
filtered_rules = client.authentication_rule.list(**list_params)

Filtering Responses

The list() method supports additional parameters to refine your query results even further. Alongside basic filters (like service, category, and tag), you can leverage the exact_match, exclude_folders, exclude_snippets, and exclude_devices parameters to control which objects are included or excluded after the initial API response is fetched.

Parameters:

• exact_match (bool): When True, only objects defined exactly in the specified container (folder, snippet, or device) are returned. Inherited or propagated objects are filtered out.
• exclude_folders (List[str]): Provide a list of folder names that you do not want included in the results.
• exclude_snippets (List[str]): Provide a list of snippet values to exclude from the results.
• exclude_devices (List[str]): Provide a list of device values to exclude from the results.

Examples:

# Only return authentication rules defined exactly in 'Texas'
exact_rules = client.authentication_rule.list(
   folder='Texas',
   rulebase='pre',
   exact_match=True
)

for rule in exact_rules:
   print(f"Exact match: {rule.name} in {rule.folder}")

# Exclude all authentication rules from the 'All' folder
no_all_rules = client.authentication_rule.list(
   folder='Texas',
   rulebase='pre',
   exclude_folders=['All']
)

for rule in no_all_rules:
   assert rule.folder != 'All'
   print(f"Filtered out 'All': {rule.name}")

# Exclude authentication rules that come from 'default' snippet
no_default_snippet = client.authentication_rule.list(
   folder='Texas',
   rulebase='pre',
   exclude_snippets=['default']
)

for rule in no_default_snippet:
   assert rule.snippet != 'default'
   print(f"Filtered out 'default' snippet: {rule.name}")

# Exclude authentication rules associated with 'DeviceA'
no_deviceA = client.authentication_rule.list(
   folder='Texas',
   rulebase='pre',
   exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for rule in no_deviceA:
   assert rule.device != 'DeviceA'
   print(f"Filtered out 'DeviceA': {rule.name}")

# Combine exact_match with multiple exclusions
combined_filters = client.authentication_rule.list(
   folder='Texas',
   rulebase='pre',
   exact_match=True,
   exclude_folders=['All'],
   exclude_snippets=['default'],
   exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for rule in combined_filters:
   print(f"Combined filters result: {rule.name} in {rule.folder}")

Controlling Pagination with max_limit

The SDK supports pagination through the max_limit parameter, which defines how many objects are retrieved per API call. By default, max_limit is set to 2500. The API itself imposes a maximum allowed value of 5000. If you set max_limit higher than 5000, it will be capped to the API's maximum. The list() method will continue to iterate through all objects until all results have been retrieved. Adjusting max_limit can help manage retrieval performance and memory usage when working with large datasets.

Example:

from scm.client import ScmClient

# Initialize client
client = ScmClient(
   client_id="your_client_id",
   client_secret="your_client_secret",
   tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

# Configure max_limit using the property setter
client.authentication_rule.max_limit = 4000

# List all rules - auto-paginates through results
all_rules = client.authentication_rule.list(folder='Texas', rulebase='pre')

# The rules are fetched in chunks according to the max_limit setting.

Moving Authentication Rules

# Move rule to top of rulebase
top_move = {
    "destination": "top",
    "rulebase": "pre"
}
client.authentication_rule.move(rule.id, top_move)

# Move rule before another rule
before_move = {
    "destination": "before",
    "rulebase": "pre",
    "destination_rule": "987fcdeb-54ba-3210-9876-fedcba098765"
}
client.authentication_rule.move(rule.id, before_move)

# Move rule after another rule
after_move = {
    "destination": "after",
    "rulebase": "pre",
    "destination_rule": "987fcdeb-54ba-3210-9876-fedcba098765"
}
client.authentication_rule.move(rule.id, after_move)

Deleting Authentication Rules

# Delete by ID
rule_id = "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000"
client.authentication_rule.delete(rule_id, rulebase="pre")

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

# Prepare commit parameters
commit_params = {
    "folders": ["Texas"],
    "description": "Updated authentication rules",
    "sync": True,
    "timeout": 300  # 5 minute timeout
}

# Commit the changes directly on the client
result = client.commit(**commit_params)

print(f"Commit job ID: {result.job_id}")

Monitoring Jobs

# Get status of specific job directly from the client
job_status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)
print(f"Job status: {job_status.data[0].status_str}")

# List recent jobs directly from the client
recent_jobs = client.list_jobs(limit=10)
for job in recent_jobs.data:
    print(f"Job {job.id}: {job.type_str} - {job.status_str}")

Error Handling

from scm.client import ScmClient
from scm.exceptions import (
    InvalidObjectError,
    MissingQueryParameterError,
    NameNotUniqueError,
    ObjectNotPresentError,
    ReferenceNotZeroError
)

# Initialize client
client = ScmClient(
    client_id="your_client_id",
    client_secret="your_client_secret",
    tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)

try:
    # Create rule configuration
    rule_config = {
        "name": "test-auth-rule",
        "folder": "Texas",
        "from_": ["trust"],
        "to_": ["untrust"],
        "source": ["internal-net"],
        "destination": ["any"],
        "service": ["application-default"],
        "authentication_enforcement": "auth-profile-1"
    }

    # Create the rule using the unified client interface
    new_rule = client.authentication_rule.create(rule_config, rulebase="pre")

    # Move the rule
    move_config = {
        "destination": "top",
        "rulebase": "pre"
    }
    client.authentication_rule.move(new_rule.id, move_config)

    # Commit changes directly from the client
    result = client.commit(
        folders=["Texas"],
        description="Added authentication rule",
        sync=True
    )

    # Check job status directly from the client
    status = client.get_job_status(result.job_id)

except InvalidObjectError as e:
    print(f"Invalid rule data: {e.message}")
except NameNotUniqueError as e:
    print(f"Rule name already exists: {e.message}")
except ObjectNotPresentError as e:
    print(f"Rule not found: {e.message}")
except ReferenceNotZeroError as e:
    print(f"Rule still in use: {e.message}")
except MissingQueryParameterError as e:
    print(f"Missing parameter: {e.message}")

Best Practices

1. Client Usage

   • Use the unified client interface (client.authentication_rule) for streamlined code
   • Create a single client instance and reuse it across your application
   • Perform commit operations directly on the client object (client.commit())
   • For custom max_limit settings, create a dedicated service instance if needed

2. Rule Organization

   • Use descriptive rule names
   • Order rules by specificity
   • Group related rules together
   • Document rule purposes
   • Use consistent naming conventions

3. Authentication Enforcement

   • Apply appropriate authentication profiles
   • Set reasonable timeout values (1-1440 minutes)
   • Use HIP profiles for device compliance checks
   • Monitor authentication enforcement effectiveness
   • Document authentication profile choices

4. Logging and Monitoring

   • Enable log_authentication_timeout for timeout visibility
   • Use log forwarding profiles
   • Monitor rule hits
   • Track rule changes
   • Audit rule effectiveness

5. Performance

   • Optimize rule order
   • Use specific sources/destinations
   • Minimize rule count
   • Monitor rule processing
   • Clean up unused rules

6. Change Management

   • Test rules before deployment
   • Document all changes
   • Use proper commit messages
   • Monitor commit status
   • Maintain rule backups

Full Script Examples

Refer to the authentication_rule.py example.

Related Models

• AuthenticationRuleBaseModel
• AuthenticationRuleCreateModel
• AuthenticationRuleUpdateModel
• AuthenticationRuleResponseModel
• AuthenticationRuleMoveModel
• AuthenticationRuleRulebase
• AuthenticationRuleMoveDestination