# Kerberos bindings for ruby, input requested

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 19, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282 "2006-09-19T23:39:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snacktime)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282/1 "2006-09-19T23:39:16Z")

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I have a basic kerberos C extension done and before releasing it I’d  
like some feedback on a couple of things. The extension covers  
functions such as authentication and changing passwords, as well as  
adding/deleting principals.

1. Suggestions on a name? Right now it’s called Krb5.

2. Best way to distribute it? At the moment I just have an  
extconf.rb file. I’ve created gems before but not ones that have C  
extensions. For the moment I will probably just put up a tarball and  
once I know any major bugs are quashed I’ll create a gem.

3. Desired features  
Right you can authenticate a principle via password, and change a  
principal’s password using krb5\_change\_password. The only kadmin  
function are creating and deleting a principal. Principal creation  
does support most of the principal options and attributes. Modifying  
existing principals is probably next on the list.

I’ve tested it under Freebsd, and compiled it on debian where it  
compiles (with warnings) and runs, but my deb box is behind a nat so  
while I know it authenticated to our kdc it wasn’t able to get a reply  
back.

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**Author:** ![snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snacktime)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282/2 "2006-09-19T23:41:16Z")

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> 1. Best way to distribute it? At the moment I just have an  
> extconf.rb file. I’ve created gems before but not ones that have C  
> extensions. For the moment I will probably just put up a tarball and  
> once I know any major bugs are quashed I’ll create a gem.

Better pack it as gem. Do You know, how it is?

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**Author:** ![snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snacktime)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282/3 "2006-09-20T00:45:22Z")

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On Wed, 2006-09-20 at 06:37 +0900, snacktime wrote:

> I have a basic kerberos C extension done and before releasing it I’d  
> like some feedback on a couple of things. The extension covers  
> functions such as authentication and changing passwords, as well as  
> adding/deleting principals.
> 
> 1. Suggestions on a name? Right now it’s called Krb5.

ruby-kerberos is nice and non-annoying. Guaranteed to stick around.  
Boring is good sometimes. It’s unsurprising at least.

> 1. Best way to distribute it? At the moment I just have an  
> extconf.rb file. I’ve created gems before but not ones that have C  
> extensions. For the moment I will probably just put up a tarball and  
> once I know any major bugs are quashed I’ll create a gem.

Yay for tarballs with extconf. That makes it easy for me to package as  
an RPM to include with the linux distro I use and help develop.

> 1. Desired features  
> Right you can authenticate a principle via password, and change a  
> principal’s password using krb5\_change\_password. The only kadmin  
> function are creating and deleting a principal. Principal creation  
> does support most of the principal options and attributes. Modifying  
> existing principals is probably next on the list.

Modifying for sure, not sure what else. Being able to authenticate a  
remote principal would be nice, I want to write kerberos-secured servers  
in Ruby.

> I’ve tested it under Freebsd, and compiled it on debian where it  
> compiles (with warnings) and runs, but my deb box is behind a nat so  
> while I know it authenticated to our kdc it wasn’t able to get a reply  
> back.

I’d be glad to test at some point soon.

Aria

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@snacktime](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snacktime)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 5:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/kerberos-bindings-for-ruby-input-requested/69282/4 "2006-09-20T05:25:44Z")

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snacktime wrote:

> 1. Best way to distribute it?  
> Not that I have any Kerberos needs atm, but I prefer gems where  
> possible. Typical way is to have two variants with the same version  
> number – source only, and win32 (precompiled – see  
> [eigenclass.org](http://tinyurl.com/m5f67)). Check out, oh, mongrel for an example.

Devin