MAIS Access Restriction

Many Web Servers at Murdoch restrict access by interacting with the Murdoch Authentication & Identification System, or MAIS. It is used to authenticate members of the Murdoch community, and often to authorise their access to restricted information resources, application systems and services. This method of access restriction is referred to as MAIS Access Restriction.

ask_for_information_990000_37x30.png Systems and services using MAIS Access Restriction

An index of Systems and services using MAIS Access Restriction is maintained.

In addition to application systems, a large number of information resources, including static Web pages and files in other formats such as PDF (eg. exam papers, forms), are also restricted via the MAIS, although in some cases, the restriction may only be applied when the resource is accessed from off-campus.

cogs_990000_37x30.png MAIS Login screen

When a Murdoch Username and Murdoch Password are entered at a MAIS Login screen, the MAIS Authentication Server (https://mais.murdoch.edu.au) queries the MAIS database for both authentication and authorisation. The authorisation process may check for a MAIS Group (eg. 'staff', or 'students', or 'MAIS Others'), or for a MAIS Authority Type (eg. 'View  Committee on University Entrance', or 'Edit Academic Contacts Index' ).

Error Messages

The MAIS Authentication Server  (https://mais.murdoch.edu.au/) may return an authentication error message:

eg. 'Invalid Murdoch Username or Murdoch Password'

Should authorisation fail, the Web Server will return an error message:

eg. 'Access not permitted (not a member of a valid group)', or, 'MAIS Authority Type Code denied'

Any person who thinks they should be authorised to access an information resource, an application system, or a service, should contact the custodian. For assistance with identifying a custodian, contact the IT Service Desk.

The MAIS Login screen includes a link to the MAIS help topics, with further details to those provided here on MAIS Login Persistence and MAIS Logout.

MAIS Login persistence

MAIS Login persistence is available between information resources, application systems and services that use the MAIS Login screen (eg. between MyMurdoch and the LMS Enrolment Self Service). Unless a MAIS Login session is deemed too 'old', or has timed out, the login prompt should not display when a link is selected for a different resource where MAIS Access Restriction has been applied.

MAIS Logout

At any time, a MAIS login session may be ended by connecting to the MAIS Authentication Server to log out - https://mais.murdoch.edu.au/logout.

MAIS Logout ends a MAIS Login session in the MAIS Database and clears any associated Web browser cookies.

MAIS Login problems

MAIS Login Problems may occur when an old version of a Web browser, or particular versions of a browser, or particular browsers on some types of computers, are used to login at a MAIS Login screen.

Login problems may be related to:

  • Cookies
  • Browser version
  • Proxy Cache Servers

For details, refer to the MAIS help topic MAIS Web Browser Requirements.

ITS Knowledgebase articles

Listed below are some articles about MAIS Login error messages:

faqs_990000_37x30.pngMore Information for Content Providers

For more information on MAIS Access Restriction, particularly for staff who are maintaining Web content, refer to Restricting Access to Web Content, as it includes details of Access Levels for Web Content and Access Restriction Methods.