PHP 7.0.6 Released

    ldap_compare

    (PHP 4 >= 4.0.2, PHP 5, PHP 7)

    ldap_compare — Compare value of attribute found in entry specified with DN

    Description

    mixed ldap_compare ( resource $link_identifier , string $dn , string $attribute , string $value )

    Compare value of attribute with value of same attribute in an LDAP directory entry.

    Parameters

    link_identifier

    An LDAP link identifier, returned by ldap_connect().

    dn

    The distinguished name of an LDAP entity.

    attribute

    The attribute name.

    value

    The compared value.

    Return Values

    Returns TRUE if value matches otherwise returns FALSE. Returns -1 on error.

    Examples

    The following example demonstrates how to check whether or not given password matches the one defined in DN specified entry.

    Example #1 Complete example of password check

    <?php

    $ds    =ldap_connect("localhost");  // assuming the LDAP server is on this host

    if ($ds) {

            // bind
            if (ldap_bind($ds)) {

                // prepare data
                $dn = "cn=Matti Meikku, ou=My Unit, o=My Company, c=FI";
                $value = "secretpassword";
                $attr = "password";

                // compare value
                $r=ldap_compare($ds, $dn, $attr, $value);

            if (    $r === -1) {
                echo     "Error: " . ldap_error($ds);
            } elseif (    $r === true) {
                echo     "Password correct.";
            } elseif (    $r === false) {
                echo     "Wrong guess! Password incorrect.";
            }

        } else {
            echo     "Unable to bind to LDAP server.";
        }

            ldap_close($ds);

    } else {
        echo     "Unable to connect to LDAP server.";
    }
    ?>

    Notes

    Warning

    ldap_compare() can NOT be used to compare BINARY values!

    User Contributed Notes

    chuck+ldap at 2006 dot snew dot com
    11 years ago
    Just a side note that this is not how you'd ever AUTHENTICATE someone, just an example code.

    The common way to authenticate is to get the users name, use search and perhaps selection to the user to get her DN (single value) then attempt to BIND to the ldapserver using that dn and the offered password.  If it works, then it's the right password.

    Note that the password offered MUST NOT BE EMPTY or many LDAPs will presume you meant to authenticate anonymously and it will succeed, leaving you thinking it's the right password.
    oudejans at zeelandnet dot nl
    11 years ago
    With PHP 4.3.* is Password no longer a valid attribute.. try to use userPassword
    Brian Kerhin &lt;kerhin at bigfoot dot com&gt;
    15 years ago
    Not probably, will.  With PHP 4.0.4 and openldap 1.2.9 this little script, even with the correct attributes for the password does not do the job.  Would superb if it did!
    334647 at swin dot edu dot au
    15 years ago
    Interesting example. Apart from the fact that very few people would allow comaprisions of the password attribute for security reasons. The attribute name of "password" does not match the usual schemas.

    The usual method of user id + password verification is to attempt to bind using the supplied credentials.

    Ldap compare on password values will probably fail with ns directroy server and openldap v2+ becuase of server support for password hashing.
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