OAuth

Feb 07, 2018

OAuth, standing for Open Authorization, is a widely-used protocol for authorization and authentication in web and mobile applications. It enables users to grant third-party apps limited access to their resources without sharing their passwords. OAuth ensures secure interactions between services by generating temporary access tokens for specific tasks, enhancing privacy and user control in the digital realm.

OAuth security measures within the configuration of an API endpoint, thereby exemplifying a comprehensive and robust framework designed to safeguard sensitive information and ensure secure access to the designated resources.

OAuth Workings
OAuth works by allowing a user to grant a third-party application access to their resources stored on a server without revealing their credentials, such as passwords. The process typically involves four parties: the user, the third-party application, the resource server (where the user's data is stored), and the authorization server (which authenticates the user and issues access tokens).
In the OAuth workflow, the process begins with the user initiating an Authorization Request to access their resources on a third-party application. This request prompts the application to redirect the user to the Authorization Server for authentication.
Subsequently, the User Authentication phase ensues, during which the user verifies their identity by providing necessary credentials to the Authorization Server.

Following successful authentication, the user is presented with an Authorization Grant, where they are prompted to specify the scope of access they grant to the third-party application. This authorization delineates the permissions granted for accessing user data.

Upon user approval, the Authorization Server issues an Access Token to the third-party application. This token serves as a temporary credential, facilitating Accessing Resources on the Resource Server.

The third-party application utilizes the Access Token to interact with the user's resources stored on the Resource Server, operating within the bounds of the specified scope and time constraints. Finally, the Resource Server validates the Access Token to ensure its authenticity and validity. If the token is deemed genuine and has not expired, the Resource Server provides the requested resources to the third-party application, completing the OAuth process.