Protocols/OSCAR/Sign On

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OSERVICE (0x0001)
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MDIR (0x0025)
ARS (0x044A)


NINA clients (AIM, ICQ, et al) have several ways to authenticate and sign on to the network. While AOL may have discontinued all legacy methods, we have brought them back so that all clients and other software that may interact with the network will be fully functional.

This page provides an overview of all of the available methods, primarily from the perspective of the sequence of events and linking to pages with further information.

Stage 1: Initial Authorization

Over the years, the NINA/ICQ/AIM backend has supported several different methods for authentication. Until the NINA project began taking over the responsibility for the OSCAR protocol, the only publicly supported login method was clientLogin. We actually support all authentication methods, even legacy ones, in order to support the full range of clients.

FLAP

This refers to the FLAP__FRAME_SIGNON authentication method for a user to authenticate to the network. This works similar to, but is not the same as, FLAP__FRAME_SIGNON sequences used to connect to BOS and other services.

Next steps:

BUCP

Next steps:

UAS

Next steps:

clientLogin

The clientLogin method allows the client to collect the user name and password and make a simple web service call to retrieve authentication credentials. These credentials are then used in future web service calls to sign requests to help against man in the middle and reply attacks.

Authentication and requesting the BOSS connection normally requires two web service calls.

  1. The clientLogin call checks the key, loginId, and password and performs any rate limit or captcha challenges
  2. The startOSCARSession call requests a BOSS connection and returns where the client needs to connect to and a one time use cookie to present to the BOSS server for authentication. This call requires an OAuth style URL signing which is described along with clientLogin. URL signing requires the computers clock to be accurate or the use of hostTime returned by clientLogin, parameters are in alphabetical order, and percent-encoding uses upper case characters.

Here is an example of the sign on process:

Step #1 - Authentication Request

The client should collect the loginId and password for the user. It should not do any length or character validations. A POST web service call should be made to: 

https://api.screenname.nina.bz/auth/clientLogin?f=[FORMAT]

...with a POST body of... 

k=[KEY]&s;=[LOGINID]&pwd;=[PASSWORD]&clientVersion;=[CLIENTVERSION]&clientName;=[clientName]

...and a content type of application/x-www-form-urlencoded with the following values for the query string:

[FORMAT]
Format to return the response in; XML, AMF3, PHP, JSON are all supported
[KEY]
Client key obtained from here
[LOGINID]
URI encoded loginId entered by the user
[PASSWORD]
URI encoded password entered by the user
[clientVersion]
A single number representing the client version number for metrics and tracking, usually the build number
[clientName]
URI encoded friendly name representing the client being used

Step #2 - Authentication Reply

There can be several intermediate replies before a successful authentication is completed. These include incorrect passwords, need for extra credentials, or the need for the user to complete a CAPTCHA challenge. To test if a client supports CAPTCHA challenges correctly it can add an extra parameter of forceRateLimit=true. It is recommended that all clients test CAPTCHA support.

When successfully authenticated, the token->a and sessionSecret need to be extracted from the results. The sessionSecret is used to generate a sessionKey that will be used on future calls. For example, the startOSCARSession service, the start page, and the expressions page all require the sessionKey.

The sessionKey is calculated using: 

sessionKey = hmac_sha256_base64($sessionSecret, $password);

For example, if the sessionSecret was "AB123FO" and the user's password was "weakpassword", then the sessionKey would be "ZyCaA1QlF8oBzh0QXeXNCf+7qUItBaiXwk3xOVcFZhY=" Historically some hmac_sha256_base64 do not return valid base64 data. All these APIs require valid base64 data, so check the implementation being used.

Step #3 - Start OSCAR Session Request

Once successfully authenticated, the client needs to connect to the BOSS server to start the AIM session. This is done by requesting a BOSS reservation and then connecting to the BOSS server. Requesting the BOSS reservation is done with a startOSCARSession WIM call.

This call requires an OAuth style URL signing which is described along with clientLogin. URL signing requires the computers clock to be accurate or the use of hostTime returned by clientLogin, parameters are in alphabetical order, and percent-encoding uses upper case characters.

[FORMAT]
Format to return the response in: XML, AMF3, PHP, JSON are all supported
[KEY]
Client key obtained from here
[TOKEN]
The URI encoded token extracted from clientLogin
[clientVersion]
A single number representing the client version number for metrics and tracking
[clientName]
A URI encoded friendly name representing the client being used
[TIME]
The current time, in seconds, since UNIX EPOCH
[USETLS]
Should the connection to BOSS use TLS
$uri = "http://api.oscar.aol.com/aim/startOSCARSession";
$queryString = "a=[TOKEN]&clientName;=CLIENTNAME]&clientVersion;=[CLIENTVERSION]&f;=[FORMAT]&k;=[KEY]&ts;=[TIME]&useTLS;=[USETLS]";
$hashData= "GET&" . uri_encode($uri) . "&" . uri_encode($queryString);
$digest = hmac_sha256_base64($hashData, $sessionKey);
$url = $uri . "?" . $queryString . "&sig;_sha256=$digest";

Step #4 - Start OSCAR Session Reply

On a successful startOSCARSession, the backend will return where the BOSS server is running, the cookie to present to the BOSS server, and the certname that should be validated when connecting to BOSS if TLS was selected. At this point the client should connect to BOSS using FLAP or FLAP over TLS and start sending SNACs back and forth.

Next steps:

Stage 2: Connecting to BOSS

Stage 3: Going Online


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connection overview

3.0 Connection Management

Every protocol begins with a single step...

3.1 The Life and Times of OSCAR, the Real-Time Messenger (Overview)

Before connections are made to any of the BOS or special-purpose servers, you must first be authorized by the Authorization Server (login.oscar.aol.com). This will return a cookie that automatically authorizes you to connect to any of the BOS or special-purpose (eg, Advertisement, Chat, etc) servers. This streamlines the login process quite a bit.

The normal steps taken to create an average AIM session are as follows:

	1. Connect to Authorizer and retrieve Cookie.
	2. Connect to the Authorizer-recommended BOS server and initiate BOS service
	3. (Optional) Connect to Advertisements server and retrieve first block of ads (repeat at regular interval)
	4. (Optional) Connect to any other non-BOS services that may be available (AFAIK, none at this point)

The last three steps may actually be done in any order (and for the third and fourth step, probably not at all). But, authorization must always come first.

3.2 OSCAR Authorization

OSCAR has a sense of the "single-login" concept. You login once and get a "cookie" that automatically authorizes you to use any of the OSCAR-associated services, just by sending them your cookie.

The first step of the process is connecting to the Authorizer. This currently resides at the DNS address login.oscar.aol.com. It also appears that you may connect to any port and get the same response. (The AIM clients use 5190, James uses 443, I've used 21 (telnet) before as well.)

After the connection, the client must send the "Authorization Request" command. The server also sends a 4b+FLAP command to the client after each new connection, called the "Connection Acknowledge" command. This may be accepted and processed before or after the inital command from the client (for use it dispatch routines, this can be used as a sign that the inital login should be sent). The response to this ("Authorization Response") contains the cookie to be used for the BOS and other connections. But, if the the Authorization Request fails, you'll get back any one of the several "Authorization Errors". After you've gotten your cookie, it's safe to disconnect yourself from the Authorizer.

3.3 BOS Singon

The next step is usually to connect to and initiate service with the BOS. The address of the BOS you should connect to is listed in the Authorization Response. The first step for this connection is to send the BOS-Signon command to the server. But, for the purposes of dispatching, it may be best to wait to send this command until the Connection Acknowledge command is recieved from the server immediatly after the connection opens, although this is optional and can be processed afterwards.

Normal BOS signon looks something like this...

	1. Server sends Connection Acknowledge
	2. Client sends BOS SignOn command.
	3. Server sends BOS Host-Ready.
	4. Client sends Rate Information Request.
	5. Server sends Rate Information Response.
	6. Client sends Rate Information Acknowledge.
	7. Client requests (in no particular order):
		+ Set Privacy Flags
		+ Request Our User Information
		+ Request New Service
		+ Optional: Request BOS Rights
		+ Optional: Request Buddy List Rights
		+ Optional: Request Locate Rights
		+ Optional: Request ICBM Parameter Information
	8. Server sends all the information requested (again, in no particular order):
		+ Our User Information Response
		+ BOS Rights Response
		+ Buddy List Rights Response
		+ Locate Rights Response
		+ ICBM Parameter Information Response
		+ New Service Redirect
	9. (Aparently Optional) Client sends a SNAC of family 0x0009, subtype 0x0004, data {0x0000, 0x001f}.
	10. (Aparently Optional) Client sends a SNAC of family 0x0009, subtype 0x0007, no data.
	11. Client sends up buddy list using the Add Buddy to Buddy List command.
	12. Client sends up user's profile using the Set User Information command.
	13. Client sends the Set Initial ICBM Parameter command.
	14. Client sends the Client Ready command.

At that point, you can either quit and begin processing live events, or you may use the information provided in the New Service Redirect command to connect to the Advertisments or other server.

3.4 Logout

Logging off of AIM is about the simplest thing you can do. The abrupt way to do it is just closing the connection to the main message server. That will normally do it. Sometimes, though, the AIM client sends a small command to the server before it closes, but expects no response. I've found the best way is just to close it forget about it.

This "logout command" is just a FLAP without a Data Field, and the Data Field Length set to 0x0000.

[Source: Server] Connection Acknowledge
This is sent by the server after a new connection has been opened and is ready for duplex operation.

Container	Data				TLV Type
RAW		FLAP Header (channel 0x01)
DWORD		FLAP version (0x00000001)

[Source: Client] Authorization Request - notes from another

Send as the first command to the Authorizer, and is used for requesting authorization and the associated cookie.

Container	Data				TLV Type
RAW		FLAP Header (channel 0x01)
RAW		0x0000
RAW		0x0001
TLV1		Screen Name			0x0001
TLV2		"Encrypted" Password		0x0002
TLV3		ClientProfile			0x0003
TLV4		Unknown: 0x0001			0x0016
TLV5		Client Version Major		0x0017
TLV6		Client Version Minor		0x0018
TLV7		Client Version Build		0x001a
TLV8		Country Code			0x000e
TLV9		Language Code			0x000f
TLV10		Unknown: 0x0015			0x0009

[Source: Server] Authorization Successful Response - notes from another

This is sent in response to successful completion of the Authorization Requeset command. This contains the cookie used to connect to the rest of the BOS and AIM-related services.

Container	Data				TLV Type
RAW		FLAP Header (channel 0x04)
TLV		Screen Name			0x0001
TLV		BOS Server IP			0x0005
TLV		Authorization Cookie		0x0006
TLV		EMail Address			0x0011
TLV		Registration Status		0x0013

[Source: Server] Auth error notes from another

This/these are sent back instead of the Authorization Response command in the case of authorization failure. 

Container	Data				TLV Type
RAW		FLAP Header (channel 0x04)
TLV		Screen Name			0x0001
TLV		Error Message URL		0x0004
TLV		Error Code			0x0008

Currently Known Error Codes for TLV Type 0x0008:

Error Code	0x0001
	http://www.aim.aol.com/errors/UNREGISTERED_SCREENNAME.html
	Invalid Screen Name

Error Code	0x0005
	http://www.aim.aol.com/errors/MISMATCH_PASSWD.html
	SN/Pasword Mismatch (Invalid Password)

BOS Signon Request [Source: Client]

Send as the first command to the BOS connection. The Cookie comes from the Authorization Response.

Container	Data				TLV Type
RAW		FLAP Header (channel 0x01)
RAW		0x0000
RAW		0x0001
TLV		Authorization Cookie		0x0006

FLAP Login Sign On Errors (Temp)

Standard Format Login Errors during Phase 1

These occur in response to the initial Phase 1 login command sent from the client. All Standard Format login errors follow this format. This error command is always in the Command Family 0x04. All variable-length strings are assumed to be 1 byte long when doing position numbers.

Position Data Size Data
1 Word 0x0001
3 Word Screen Name Length (not including null)
5 ASCIIZ String Screen Name that failed (null-terminated)
6 Byte 0x04
7 Word Error Message URL Length (not including null)
9 ASCIIZ String Error Message URL (null-terminated)
10 Byte 0x08
11 Byte 0x00
12 Byte 0x02
13 Word Specific Error Code

The current list of known "Specific Error Code"s:

Specific Error Code Error Msg URL Meaning
0x0001 http://www.aim.aol.com/errors/UNREGISTERED_SCREENNAME.html Invalid Screen Name
0x0005 http://www.aim.aol.com/errors/MISMATCH_PASSWD.html SN/Pasword Mismatch (Invalid Password)

TLV Class: FLAP__SIGNON_TAGS

These tags are used in the FLAP signon frame to BOS. They appear right after the 4 byte version number.

@MAKE NOTE: Difference between ones used if BUCP is in use and ones if clientLogin or w/e was used

Name Tag Type Notes
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_CLIENT_IDENTITY 0x03 string Yet another client name
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_LOGIN_COOKIE 0x06 blob Login cookie returned by startOSCARSession
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_MAJOR_VERSION 0x17 uint16 (word) Client major version: (1) if the client version is "1.2.3"
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_MINOR_VERSION 0x18 uint16 (word) Client minor version: (2) if the client version is "1.2.3"
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_POINT_VERSION 0x19 uint16 (word) Client minor version: (3) if the client version is "1.2.3"
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_BUILD_NUM 0x1A uint16 (word) Client build number, usually monotonically increasing
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_MULTICONN_LEVEL 0x4A uint8 (byte) [Class: OSERVICE__MULTICONN_FLAGS] Should almost always be 0x01
OSERVICE__TLV_TAGS_CLIENT_RECONNECT 0x94 uint8 (byte) Client claims it is reconnecting because it got knocked off

Class: OSERVICE__MULTICONN_FLAGS

These flags control how multiple instances are handled by the servers and if current sessions need to be bumped off when a new session signs on.

Name Value Notes
OSERVICE__MULTICONN_LEVEL_OLD_CLIENT 0x00 Don't use
OSERVICE__MULTICONN_LEVEL_MULTI 0x01 This is a recent client that understands multiple instances
OSERVICE__MULTICONN_LEVEL_SINGLE 0x03 This is a recent client that understands multiple instances but does not want them
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