The HERAS^AF Project

HERAS^AF is a well established open-source project hosted and supported by the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil in Switzerland.
The project maintains three main targets:

• provide, sustain and extend the de facto reference XACML
  XACML
  XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...
  
   2.0 implementation named HERAS^AF XACML
  XACML
  XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...
  
  .
• publish best practices, trends, know how and experience about modern enterprise software engineering.
• research in the wide area of application security with special focus on a holistic approach to meet enterprise requirements.

All development and solutions in any area of these three targets are and will be built upon freely available, established and future driven technologies and standards. HERAS^AF's main focus relies on interoperability, expandability and exchangeability of high quality software artifacts.

HERASAF was founded in 2005 and is an official open source project since 2006. It is very well established since 2008.

By today the HERAS^AF XACML

XACML

XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...

 Core has become a comprehensive XACML

XACML

XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...

 engine representing the de-facto reference implementation of XACML

XACML

XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...

 2.0. HERAS^AF recommends every software architect or developer to use the HERAS^AF XACML

XACML

XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...

 Core instead of Sun's XACML

XACML

XACML stands for eXtensible Access Control Markup Language. The standard defines a declarative access control policy language implemented in XML and a processing model describing how to evaluate authorization requests according to the rules defined in policies.As a published standard...

Implementation.

All work delivered by HERAS^AF will always follow the same Credo that defines also the HERAS^AF project name.

The HERAS^AF CREDO

Holistic approach

HERAS^AF follows a holistic philosophy in all aspects of software engineering.

Enterprise Suitability and Readiness

HERAS^AF software components shall be adoptable as a non-intrusive framework, meaning that only minor changes have to be undertaken to integrate HERAS^AF software in an existing environment.
HERAS^AF software is designed explicitly for adaptability and extensibility.
The HERAS^AF API can be used to integrate corporate-specific components. These components simply need to use the extension points provided by HERAS^AF.
HERAS^AF uses established and validated standards. This way it is based on solid ground and open for extension in the future. Extensibility enhances interoperability and helps integrating HERAS^AF in existing or future infrastructures.

Application Security

HERAS^AF is focussing on application security. This could be development of frameworks for security implementation, development of components for security administration or research on holistic end-to-end security integration.

Architecture Framework

HERAS^AF delivers software components establishing a framework for building highly customizable and extensible architectures.

External links

• HERAS^AF website
• OASIS XACML committee website