---
title: Require authenticated user
summary: Opt-in global MVC filter requiring authentication on every action.
status: draft
owner: Framework.NCore maintainers
last_reviewed: 2026-10-02
library: SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions
reference_type: package
operation_id: OP-06
trigger: A consuming application calls RequireAuthenticatedUser() during service configuration.
---

# Require authenticated user

This operation adds a global MVC authorization filter that requires every action in the application to have an authenticated user, unless the action is separately marked `[AllowAnonymous]`.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **Operation ID** | OP-06 |
| **Trigger** | Application startup code calls `RequireAuthenticatedUser()` on `IServiceCollection`. |
| **Inputs** | None (parameterless). |
| **Outputs** | A global `AuthorizeFilter` is added to `MvcOptions.Filters`. |
| **Primary components** | `IServiceCollectionExtensions.RequireAuthenticatedUser` |
| **Entry point** | `src/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/IServiceCollectionExtensions.cs` (L116–128) |

## Steps

1. `AddMvc(o => o.Filters.Add(new AuthorizeFilter(new AuthorizationPolicyBuilder().RequireAuthenticatedUser().Build())))` ([BR-SE-09](../business-rules.md#br-se-09-opt-in-global-authenticated-user-requirement))
   - If a request reaches an action without an authenticated user: the ASP.NET Core authorization middleware issues a challenge/forbid response (framework behavior).

## Process flow

This diagram shows the one-time filter-registration work performed when `RequireAuthenticatedUser()` is called during service configuration, not the per-request authorization check the resulting filter performs later.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    Start([RequireAuthenticatedUser called]) --> S1[Build RequireAuthenticatedUser policy]
    S1 --> S2[Add global AuthorizeFilter to MvcOptions]
    S2 --> EndOk([All MVC actions require authentication by default])
```

## Failure and edge-case behavior
- A request without a valid authenticated principal is challenged or forbidden by the ASP.NET Core authorization pipeline, per the registered global filter.

## Related documentation
- [Operations and processes](../operations-processes.md)
- [Business rules](../business-rules.md)

## Sources
- `src/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/SAIF.NetCore.ServiceExtensions/IServiceCollectionExtensions.cs`