Token Security

DPoP, or Demonstrating Proof of Possession, is a mechanism that enhances OAuth 2.0 security by ensuring that the client making a request to a resource server actually possesses the access token. Unlike traditional bearer tokens, which can be intercepted and reused by anyone who obtains them, DPoP binds the token to the client through a cryptographic proof of possession. What is DPoP? DPoP is a specification defined in RFC 9449 that introduces a new type of OAuth 2.0 access token called a DPoP access token. This token is accompanied by a JSON Web Signature (JWS) that proves the client’s possession of the token. The JWS contains the access token and is signed using a public/private key pair unique to the client. This ensures that only the client that holds the private key can use the token. ...

JSON Web Tokens (JWT) have become a cornerstone in web authentication, offering a secure and efficient way to manage user sessions. However, a common practice that often raises eyebrows is decoding JWT tokens directly on the frontend. In this article, we’ll delve into the security implications of this approach, discuss potential risks, and provide actionable strategies to mitigate them. Visual Overview: graph LR subgraph JWT Token A[Header] --> B[Payload] --> C[Signature] end A --> D["{ alg: RS256, typ: JWT }"] B --> E["{ sub, iss, exp, iat, ... }"] C --> F["HMACSHA256(base64(header) + base64(payload), secret)"] style A fill:#667eea,color:#fff style B fill:#764ba2,color:#fff style C fill:#f093fb,color:#fff Understanding JWT and Its Structure Before diving into the security aspects, let’s briefly recap what JWT is and how it works. A JWT token consists of three parts: the header, the payload, and the signature. These components are base64 encoded and separated by dots. ...

Setting Up a Private Self-Hosted OIDC Provider on AWS for Enhanced Authentication Visual Overview: sequenceDiagram participant User participant App as Client App participant AuthServer as Authorization Server participant Resource as Resource Server User->>App: 1. Click Login App->>AuthServer: 2. Authorization Request AuthServer->>User: 3. Login Page User->>AuthServer: 4. Authenticate AuthServer->>App: 5. Authorization Code App->>AuthServer: 6. Exchange Code for Token AuthServer->>App: 7. Access Token + Refresh Token App->>Resource: 8. API Request with Token Resource->>App: 9. Protected Resource In today’s digital landscape, securing access to cloud resources is paramount. This blog post delves into setting up a private self-hosted OpenID Connect (OIDC) provider on AWS, offering a robust solution for applications requiring secure authentication. Whether you’re managing internal tools, CI/CD pipelines, or IoT devices, this approach provides a scalable and secure authentication mechanism. ...