Installation exits

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Installation Exits

    Installation exits allow for custom scripts to be executed in ServiceNow prior to returning control to Java. This functionality requires the Admin role and can be accessed viaSystem Definition > Installation Exits.

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    Key Features

    • Login: Authenticates users with username and password.
    • Logout: Redirects users to the welcome page upon signing out, which can be overridden by LogoutRedirect.
    • LogoutRedirect: Directs users to a specified URL upon signing out.
    • ExternalAuthentication: Authenticates through headers, parameters, or cookies, with potential overrides by DigestSingleSignOn or PGPSingleSignOn.
    • DigestSingleSignOn: Uses headers, parameters, or cookies for authentication with Digest encryption.
    • PGPSingleSignOn: Uses headers, parameters, or cookies for authentication with PGP encryption.
    • ValidatePassword: Allows custom password validation, can be overridden by ValidatePasswordStronger.
    • ValidatePasswordStronger: Enforces stronger password requirements (8 characters, with digits and letter types).
    • GetIntegrationSessionTimeout: Implements default integration session timeout behavior.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing installation exits, ServiceNow customers can enhance authentication processes, implement custom session timeout strategies, and ensure secure user login experiences tailored to specific requirements. For instance, you can set session timeout values based on user roles or login IP addresses, providing flexibility in managing user sessions effectively.

    Installation exits are customizations that exit from Java to call a script before returning back to Java.

    Note:
    Functionality described here requires the Admin role.

    Available installation exits

    Navigate to System Definition > Installation Exits. Some installation exit names (Login, Logout, ValidatePassword, ExternalAuthentication) are reserved and cannot be changed. Other installation exits can override these with custom script that replaces the script in the default installation exit.

    The following installation exits are available in the base system:

    Installation Exit Description
    Login Takes a username and password pair and authenticates with the user object
    Logout Takes the user to the welcome page upon signing out; can be overridden by LogoutRedirect
    LogoutRedirect Takes the user to a specified URL upon signing out
    ExternalAuthentication Authenticates using header, parameter, or cookie; can be overridden by DigestSingleSignOn and PGPSingleSignOn
    DigestSingleSignOn Authenticates using header, parameter, or cookie and decrypts Digest encryption
    PGPSingleSignOn Authenticates using header, parameter, or cookie and decrypts PGP encryption
    ValidatePassword Active by default, starting with the Helsinki release; allows customers to define their own password validation; can be overridden by ValidatePasswordStronger
    ValidatePasswordStronger Requires passwords be at least 8 characters long and contain a digit, an uppercase letter, and a lowercase letter
    GetIntegrationSessionTimeout Implements the default integration session timeout behavior.

    Login modifications

    The following modification to the Login installation exit sets each user's session timeout value as the user is logging in. In this particular example, if the user name is admin, the session is set to timeout in 30 seconds.

    gs.include("PrototypeServer");
     
    var Login = Class.create();
    Login.prototype = {
    	initialize : function() {
    	},
     
            process : function() {
              // the request is passed in as a global
              var userName = request.getParameter("user_name");
              var userPassword = request.getParameter("user_password");
     
              var authed = GlideUser.authenticate(userName, userPassword);
              if (authed) {
                 // ***********************************************************        
                 // customization - if the userName == admin, set the session
                 // timeout to be 30 seconds. You can implement your own  
                 // session timeout algorithm here by checking to see if a user
                 // belongs to a certain group or has a certain role.
                 // Values of setMaxInactiveInterval exceeding 1440 minutes are
                 // treated as one day (1440 minutes).
      
               if (userName == "admin") {
                   request.getSession().setMaxInactiveInterval(30);
                 }
                 // ************************************************************
                 return GlideUser.getUser(userName);
              }
     
              this.loginFailed();
     
              return "login.failed";
            },
     
            loginFailed : function() {
              var message = GlideSysMessage.format("login_invalid");
              var gSession = GlideSession.get();
              gSession.addErrorMessage(message);
     
              var userName = request.getParameter("user_name");
              EventManager.queue("login.failed", "", userName, "");
           }
     
    }

    Session timeout can also be set according to IP address.

    gs.include("PrototypeServer");
     
    var Login = Class.create();
    Login.prototype = {
    	initialize : function() {
    	},
     
            process : function() {
              // the request is passed in as a global
              var userName = request.getParameter("user_name");
              var userPassword = request.getParameter("user_password");
     
              var authed = GlideUser.authenticate(userName, userPassword);
              if (authed) {
     
              // **************************************************************
              // customization - if the user is logging in from a particular IP
              // range starting with XXX.XXX you can implement your own
              // session timeout algorithm here by checking the login IP
              // 
              // Values of setMaxInactiveInterval exceeding 1440 minutes are
              // treated as one day (1440 minutes).
     
              var clientIP = gs.getSession().getClientIP().toString();
    
              // if client IP starts with specified range
              if (clientIP.indexOf('XXX.XXX') == 0) {  
                 // set to 10 hours
                 request.getSession().setMaxInactiveInterval(60 * 60 * 10); 
              }
              // ***************************************************************
     
                 return GlideUser.getUser(userName);
              }
     
              this.loginFailed();
     
              return "login.failed";
            },
     
            loginFailed : function() {
              var message = GlideSysMessage.format("login_invalid");
              var gSession = GlideSession.get();
              gSession.addErrorMessage(message);
     
              var userName = request.getParameter("user_name");
              EventManager.queue("login.failed", "", userName, "");
           }
     
    }