The CaseTalk Portal needs user authentication so that portal users can participate in messageboard discussions stored in the server database.

Currently the portal operates without individual user identity for messaging. To enable messageboard features (posting, commenting, following, ranking), the portal must:

• Authenticate users against the repository database (mb_User / ctk_user)
• Maintain user sessions with identity context
• Authorize message operations based on user roles
• Support a new messaging role alongside existing project member roles (Owner, Member, Anonymous)

This may require introducing a new user role (e.g. 'Contributor' or 'Commenter') to distinguish users who can post messages from those with full project editing rights.