Initial commit

README.md

+# ldap.class.php
+
+A PHP class that I use
+
+* for authentication of user logins
+* CRUD actions on ldap nodes
+
+see [docs](docs/)
\ No newline at end of file

docs/README.md

+# ldap.class.php
+
+A PHP class that I use
+
+* for authentication of user logins
+* CRUD actions on ldap nodes
+
+## Requirements
+
+* PHP 7+
+* Php Ldap module
+* OpenLdap

src/ldap.class.php

+<?php
+
+/**
+ * IML LDAP CLASS
+ * 
+ * - ldap auth
+ * - CRUD actions on ldap leafs 
+ *
+ * @author axel.hahn@iml.unibe.ch
+ */
+class imlldap {
+
+    private $_aLdap = array(
+        'server' => false,
+        'port' => false,
+        'DnLdapUser' => false, // ldap rdn oder dn
+        'PwLdapUser' => false,
+        'DnUserNode' => false, // ou=People...
+        'DnAppNode' => false, // cn=AppGroup...
+        'protoVersion' => 3,
+        'debugLevel' => 0,
+    );
+    private $_ldapConn = false;
+    private $_ldapBind = false;
+    var $bDebug = false;
+
+    /**
+     * constructor
+     * @param array  $aConfig  optional set ldap connection
+     */
+    public function __construct($aConfig = array()) {
+        if (!function_exists("ldap_connect")) {
+            die(__CLASS__ . " ERROR: php-ldap module is not installed on this server.");
+        }
+        if (count($aConfig)) {
+            $this->setConfig($aConfig);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function __destruct() {
+        $this->close();
+    }
+
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // write debug text
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * turn debug messages on;
+     * if this detail level is not enough, set a value with key debugLevel in 
+     * ldap config array
+     * @see setConfig()
+     */
+    public function debugOn() {
+        $this->bDebug = true;
+        if ($this->_aLdap['debugLevel']) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' setting debug level ' . $this->_aLdap['debugLevel']);
+            ldap_set_option(NULL, LDAP_OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, $this->_aLdap['debugLevel']);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * turn debug messages off
+     */
+    public function debugOff() {
+        $this->bDebug = false;
+        ldap_set_option(NULL, LDAP_OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, 0);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * write debug message if denugOn() was fired.
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sText  message text
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    private function _w($sText) {
+        if (!$this->bDebug) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        echo __CLASS__ . ' DEBUG: ' . $sText . "<br>\n";
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * write last ldap error as debug 
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sText  message text
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    private function _wLdaperror($sText = '') {
+        $this->_w(($sText ? $sText . ' - ' : '' ) . 'last LDAP-ERROR: ' . ldap_error($this->_ldapConn));
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // setup
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * set a ldap config 
+     * 
+     * @param array  $aConfig   new config items
+     *             'server'       => 'ldaps://ldap.example.com',
+     *             'port'         => 636,
+     *             'DnLdapUser' => 'cn=Lookup,ou=ServiceAccounts,dc=org,dc=example.com',     // ldap rdn oder dn
+     *             'PwLdapUser' => 'IkHEFFzlZ...99j0h8WdI0LrLhxU',  // password
+     *             'DnUserNode'   => 'ou=People,ou=ORG,dc=org,dc=example.com',
+     *             'DnAppNode'    => '' optional dn ... if a user must be member of a given group
+     *             'protoVersion' => 3
+     *             'debugLevel'   => 0 // for debugging set higher 0 AND call debugOn()
+     */
+    public function setConfig($aConfig = array()) {
+        if (is_array($aConfig)) {
+            foreach (array_keys($this->_aLdap) as $sKey) {
+                if (array_key_exists($sKey, $aConfig)) {
+                    $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' setting ldap ' . $sKey . ' = ' . $aConfig[$sKey]);
+                    $this->_aLdap[$sKey] = $aConfig[$sKey];
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // ldap lowlevel functions
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * close an existing ldap connection
+     */
+    public function close() {
+        if ($this->_ldapConn) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' closing connection.');
+            ldap_close($this->_ldapConn);
+        } else {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' SKIP close.');
+        }
+
+        $this->_ldapConn = false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * connect to ldap
+     */
+    public function connect() {
+
+        if (!array_key_exists('server', $this->_aLdap) || !$this->_aLdap['server']) {
+            die(__CLASS__ . " ERROR: no ldap server was setup set. Use setConfig() first.");
+        }
+
+        if ($this->_ldapConn) {
+            $this->close();
+        }
+
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' connect to ' . $this->_aLdap['server'] . ':' . $this->_aLdap['port']);
+        $this->_ldapConn = ldap_connect($this->_aLdap['server'], $this->_aLdap['port']);
+        if (!$this->_ldapConn) {
+            $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+            die(__CLASS__ . " ERROR: ldap connect failed.");
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' OK, connected.');
+        ldap_set_option($this->_ldapConn, LDAP_OPT_NETWORK_TIMEOUT, 3);
+        ldap_set_option($this->_ldapConn, LDAP_OPT_TIMELIMIT, 3);
+
+        if ($this->_aLdap['protoVersion']) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' setting protocol version .' . $this->_aLdap['protoVersion']);
+            ldap_set_option($this->_ldapConn, LDAP_OPT_PROTOCOL_VERSION, $this->_aLdap['protoVersion']);
+        }
+
+        ldap_set_option($this->_ldapConn, LDAP_OPT_REFERRALS, 0); // for AD MS Windows 
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * ldap bind connects with a ldap user. 
+     * If the ldap connection was not opened yet the connection will be established.
+     * If a binding exists it will be unbind
+     * 
+     * @see connect()
+     * @see unbind()
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sUser   optional: username (overrides _aLdap['DnLdapUser'])
+     * @param string  $sPw     optional: password (overrides _aLdap['PwLdapUser'])
+     */
+    public function bind($sUser = '', $sPw = '') {
+        if(!$sUser){
+            $sUser = $this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'];
+            $sPw   = $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'];
+        }
+
+        if (!$this->_ldapConn) {
+            $this->connect();
+        }
+        if ($this->_ldapBind) {
+            $this->unbind();
+        }
+
+        if (!$sUser) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ERROR: no user was set as first param.');
+            die("ERROR: no user was given to connect to ldap.");
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' with user ' . $sUser . ' PW ' . $sPw);
+
+        $this->_ldapBind = @ldap_bind($this->_ldapConn, $sUser, $sPw);
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+            return false;
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' OK, successful.');
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * ldap unbind ... if a bind exists
+     */
+    public function unbind() {
+        if ($this->_ldapBind && !is_bool($this->_ldapBind)) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ...');
+            ldap_unbind($this->_ldapBind);
+        } else {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' SKIP.');
+        }
+        $this->_ldapBind = false;
+    }
+
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // ldap highlevel functions
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /**
+     * check if a DN already exists; return is true/ false
+     * @param string  $sDn  DN to check
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function DnExists($sDn) {
+        $aData = $this->searchDn($sDn, '(&(objectclass=top))', array("*"));
+        return is_array($aData);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * get simpler array from ldap_get_entries after ldap_search
+     * 
+     * @param array  $aRecord  singel result item
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function normalizeSearchentry($aRecord) {
+        if (!is_array($aRecord) || !isset($aRecord['dn'])){
+            return false;
+        }
+        $aItem = array();
+        unset($aRecord['count']);
+        foreach ($aRecord as $sAttr => $aData) {
+            if (!is_integer($sAttr)) {
+                $value = $aData;
+                if (is_array($aData)) {
+                    unset($aData['count']);
+                    $bUseArray=count($aData)>1 || array_search($sAttr, array('hieradata', 'member', 'memberof', 'objectclass'))!==false;
+                    if($bUseArray){
+                        sort($aData);
+                    }
+                    $value = $bUseArray ? $aData : $aData[0];
+                }
+                $aItem[$sAttr] = $value;
+            }
+        }
+        return $aItem;
+    }
+    /**
+     * get simpler array from ldap_get_entries after ldap_search
+     * 
+     * @param array  $aRecord  singel result item
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function normalizeSearchresult($aLdapSearchresult) {
+        if (!is_array($aLdapSearchresult)){
+            return false;
+        }
+        $aReturn = array();
+        unset($aRecord['count']);
+        foreach ($aLdapSearchresult as $aRecord) {
+            $aReturn[]=$this->normalizeSearchentry($aRecord);
+        }
+        return $aReturn;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * search in ldap directory and get result as array
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn               DN to search for
+     * @param string  $sSearchFilter     filter in ldap filter syntax
+     * @param array   $aAttributesToGet  flat array of attributes to fetch
+     * @param boolean $bRecursive        recusrive (uses ldap_search) or not (ldap_list)
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function searchDn($sDn, $sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet = array("*"), $bRecursive=true) {
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' DN = ' . $sDn . ' filter = ' . $sSearchFilter . ' attributes = ' . print_r($aAttributesToGet, 1));
+
+        $oLdapSearch = $bRecursive
+                ? ldap_search($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet)
+                : ldap_list  ($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet)
+                ;
+
+        if (!$oLdapSearch) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . " !!!ERROR!!! filter $sSearchFilter failed ");
+            return false;
+        }
+        $aItems = ldap_get_entries($this->_ldapConn, $oLdapSearch);
+        return $aItems;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * search for entries in in ldap user node and get result as array
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sSearchFilter     filter in ldap filter syntax
+     * @param array   $aAttributesToGet  flat array of attributes to fetch
+     * @param bool    $bRecursive        flag: recursive search? default: true (=yes, recursive)
+     * 
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function searchUser($sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet = array("*"), $bRecursive=true) {
+        return $this->searchDn($this->_aLdap['DnUserNode'], $sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet, $bRecursive);
+        /*
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            $this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser']);
+        }
+
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' DN = ' . $this->_aLdap['DnUserNode'] . ' filter = ' . $sSearchFilter);
+
+        $oLdapSearch = ldap_search(
+                $this->_ldapConn, $this->_aLdap['DnUserNode'], $sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet
+        );
+
+        $aItems = $oLdapSearch ? ldap_get_entries($this->_ldapConn, $oLdapSearch) : false;
+        return $aItems;
+         */
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * search user by a given username or email address. 
+     * It returns false if the user does not exist or is
+     * not member of the group 'DnAppNode' (if it was set).
+     * 
+     * @param type $sUser             user id (uid) or email (mail) to search
+     * @param type $aAttributesToGet  i.e. array("ou", "sn", "vorname", "mail", "uid", "memberOf")
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function getUserInfo($sUser, $aAttributesToGet = array("*")) {
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // generate search filter
+        $sSearchFilter = (strpos($sUser, '@')) ? "(mail=$sUser)" : "(uid=$sUser)";
+        if ($this->_aLdap['DnAppNode']) {
+            $sSearchFilter .= '(memberof=' . $this->_aLdap['DnAppNode'] . ')';
+        }
+        // $sSearchFilter .= '(memberof=*)';
+        $sSearchFilter = '(&' . $sSearchFilter . ')';
+        $aItems = $this->searchUser($sSearchFilter, $aAttributesToGet);
+
+        if (count($aItems) == 2) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' OK: I got a single result: ' . print_r($aItems[0], 1));
+            return $aItems[0];
+        } else {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ERROR: result is: <pre>' . print_r($aItems, 1) . '</pre>');
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * search for a DN entry with the lookup user by a given username or
+     * email address. It returns false if the user does not exist or is
+     * not member of the group 'DnAppNode' (if it was set).
+     * 
+     * @param type $sUser
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function getUserDn($sUser) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '(' . $sUser . ')');
+        $aItem = $this->getUserInfo($sUser, array("dn"));
+        if (is_array($aItem) && array_key_exists('dn', $aItem)) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' OK: dn was found ' . $aItem['dn']);
+            return $aItem['dn'];
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ERROR: dn was NOT found ' . print_r($aItem));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * set a password for a given user; 
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sUser  username or email
+     * @param string  $sPW    password
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function setPassword($sUser, $sPW) {
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        $sDn = $this->getUserDn($sUser);
+        if ($sDn) {
+            if (!ldap_mod_replace($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, array('userpassword' => "{MD5}" . base64_encode(pack("H*", md5($sPW)))))) {
+                $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+                return false;
+            } else {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (user does not exist in ldap) ' . $sUser);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * get NTLM hash from a string
+     * taken from https://secure.php.net/manual/en/ref.hash.php
+     * 
+     * @param string   $Input
+     * @return string
+     */
+    private function _getNTLMHash($Input) {
+        // Convert the password from UTF8 to UTF16 (little endian)
+        $Input = iconv('UTF-8', 'UTF-16LE', $Input);
+
+        // Encrypt it with the MD4 hash
+        $MD4Hash = bin2hex(mhash(MHASH_MD4, $Input));
+
+        // You could use this instead, but mhash works on PHP 4 and 5 or above
+        // The hash function only works on 5 or above
+        //$MD4Hash=hash('md4',$Input);
+        // Make it uppercase, not necessary, but it's common to do so with NTLM hashes
+        $NTLMHash = strtoupper($MD4Hash);
+
+        // Return the result
+        return($NTLMHash);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * set a password for a given user for Samba
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc223248.aspx
+     * see http://php.net/ldap-modify-batch  - last examle
+     * see https://secure.php.net/manual/en/ref.hash.php
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sUser  username or email
+     * @param string  $sPW    password
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function setPasswordSamba($sUser, $sPW) {
+        $sDn = $this->getUserDn($sUser);
+        if ($sDn) {
+            $sPwField = 'sambaNTPassword';
+            $sPwValue = $this->_getNTLMHash($sPW);
+            return $this->objUpdate($sDn, array(
+                        $sPwField => $sPwValue,
+                        'SambaPwdLastSet' => date('U'),
+            ));
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (user does not exist in ldap) ' . $sUser);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * update an ldap object
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn     dn to update
+     * @param string  $aItem   array of new ldap properties
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objAdd($sDn, $aItem) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", <pre>['.print_r($aItem, 1).']</pre>)');
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        if (!ldap_add($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $aItem)) {
+            $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * update an ldap attribute
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn     dn to update
+     * @param string  $aItem   array of new ldap properties
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objAddAttr($sDn, $aItem) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", [array])');
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        if ($sDn && is_array($aItem)) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ' . $this->_ldapConn ? 'Verbindung da' : 'kein LDAP Connect');
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ldap_mod_add($this->_ldapConn, "' . $sDn . '", ' . print_r($aItem, 1) . ')');
+            if (!ldap_mod_add($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $aItem)) {
+                $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ldap_mod_add FAILED');
+                $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+                return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (item does not exist in ldap) or item was not ann array ' . print_r($aItem, 1));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * update an ldap object with given key-value array
+     * if the attribute (key) does not exist it will be created.
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn    full DN where to update the item
+     * @param array   $aItem  updated entry
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objUpdate($sDn, $aItem) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", ' . print_r($aItem, 1) . ')');
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        if ($sDn && is_array($aItem)) {
+            if (!ldap_mod_replace($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $aItem)) {
+                $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ldap_mod_replace FAILED');
+                $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+                return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (item does not exist in ldap) ' . print_r($aItem, 1));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * delete an ldap object
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn    full DN to remove 
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objDelete($sDn) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '")');
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if ($sDn) {
+            if (!ldap_delete($this->_ldapConn, $sDn)) {
+                $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+                return false;
+            } return true;
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' missing parameter for DN');
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * delete attributes of an ldap object
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * TODO: Test me
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn    DN
+     * @param string  $aItem  item to remove
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objDeleteAttr($sDn, $aItem) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", [array])');
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        if ($sDn && is_array($aItem)) {
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ' . $this->_ldapConn ? 'Verbindung da' : 'kein LDAP Connect');
+            $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' ldap_mod_del($this->_ldapConn, "' . $sDn . '", ' . print_r($aItem, 1) . ')');
+            if (!ldap_mod_del($this->_ldapConn, $sDn, $aItem)) {
+                $this->_wLdaperror(__FUNCTION__);
+                return false;
+            } return true;
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (item does not exist in ldap) or item was not an array ' . print_r($aItem, 1));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * check if an attribute exists in a DN
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn         DN
+     * @param string  $sAttribute  attribute name to check
+     * @param string  $sAttrValue  value to check
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objectAttributeExists($sDn, $sAttribute) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", "' . $sAttribute . '")');
+
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        $aData = $this->searchDn($sDn, '(&(objectclass=top))', array($sAttribute));
+        $return = (is_array($aData) && isset($aData[0][strtolower($sAttribute)]));
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '(...) returns ' . ($return ? 'true' : 'false'));
+        return $return;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * check if an attribute and value exist in a DN
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn         DN
+     * @param string  $sAttribute  attribute name to check
+     * @param string  $sAttrValue  value to check
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objectAttributeAndValueExist($sDn, $sAttribute, $sAttrValue) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", "' . $sAttribute . '", "' . $sAttrValue . '")');
+
+        if (!$this->_ldapBind) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        $aData = $this->searchDn($sDn, '(&(objectclass=top))', array($sAttribute));
+        $return = (is_array($aData) && isset($aData[0][strtolower($sAttribute)]) && array_search($sAttrValue, $aData[0][strtolower($sAttribute)]) !== false);
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '(...) returns ' . ($return ? 'true' : 'false'));
+        return $return;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * check an attribute and value; it will be created if it does not exist
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sDn         dn to update
+     * @param string  $sAttribute   attribute name to check
+     * @param string  $sAttrValue  value to check
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function objectAttributeAndValueMustExist($sDn, $sAttribute, $sAttrValue) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '("' . $sDn . '", "' . $sAttribute . '", "' . $sAttrValue . '")');
+        // return if it already exists
+        if ($this->objectAttributeAndValueExist($sDn, $sAttribute, $sAttrValue)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // create it
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . " create $sAttribute = $sAttrValue");
+        $return = $this->objAddAttr($sDn, array($sAttribute => $sAttrValue));
+        return $return;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * create a new user item
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param array   $aItem  ldap properties
+     * @param string  $sDn    optional DN where to create the user
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function userAdd($aItem, $sDn = false) {
+        if (!$sDn) {
+            $sDn = 'cn=' . $aItem['cn'] . ',' . $this->_aLdap['DnUserNode'];
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '([array], "' . $sDn . '")');
+        if ($sDn) {
+            return $this->objAdd($sDn, $aItem);
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' node dn where to put the user was not found; set a value DnUserNode in ldap config or set it as 2nd parameter ' . print_r($aItem, 1));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * delete a user
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param string  $sUser  user to update
+     * @param string  $sPW    new password to set
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function userDelete($sUserDn) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '(' . $sUserDn . ')');
+        return $this->objDelete($sUserDn);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * update an ldap object
+     * this requires a ldap bind with master/ admin account
+     * 
+     * @param array   $aItem  new user data to update
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function userUpdate($aItem) {
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . '([array])');
+        $sDn = $this->getUserDn($aItem['uid']);
+        if ($sDn) {
+            if (array_key_exists('cn', $aItem)) {
+                $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' deleting cn entry.');
+                unset($aItem['cn']);
+            }
+            return $this->objUpdate($sDn, $aItem);
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (user does not exist in ldap) ' . $sDn);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * verify user and password
+     * @param string  $sUser  username or email
+     * @param string  $sPW    password
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function verifyPassword($sUser, $sPW) {
+        $sDn = $this->getUserDn($sUser);
+        if ($sDn) {
+            if (!$this->bind($this->_aLdap['DnLdapUser'], $this->_aLdap['PwLdapUser'])){
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        $this->_w(__FUNCTION__ . ' dn not found (user does not exist in ldap) ' . $sUser);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+}