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Explain relationship between OpenID Connect and bearer tokens in identity and access management.

Steilla Mitchel28806-Nov-2023

Explain the relationship between OpenID Connect and bearer tokens in identity and access management.

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Updated on 10-Nov-2023
Steilla Mitchel

Steilla Mitchel

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Aryan Kumar

Aryan Kumar

10-Nov-2023

OpenID Connect (OIDC) and bearer tokens are closely related components in the realm of identity and access management, often used together to provide authentication and authorization in modern web and mobile applications. Here's an explanation of the relationship between OpenID Connect and bearer tokens:

1. OpenID Connect (OIDC):

  • Purpose: OpenID Connect is an authentication layer built on top of OAuth 2.0. It allows clients (applications) to verify the identity of end-users based on the authentication performed by an authorization server.
  • Roles:
    • End-User: The person who is trying to access a protected resource.
    • Client: The application that is requesting authentication and authorization on behalf of the end-user.
    • Authorization Server: The server responsible for authenticating the end-user and providing tokens (ID token and Access token) to the client.

2. Bearer Tokens:

  • Purpose: Bearer tokens are a type of access token that represent the authorization granted to the client. These tokens are sent with each request to access protected resources, allowing the server to verify that the client has the necessary permissions.
  • Bearer Token Characteristics:
    • Bearer tokens are typically included in the HTTP Authorization header using the "Bearer" schema (e.g., Authorization: Bearer <access_token>).
    • They are stateless and carry the necessary information for the server to make access control decisions.
    • Bearer tokens are often short-lived and may be refreshed using refresh tokens.

3. Relationship:

Authentication and Authorization:

  • OpenID Connect primarily deals with authentication, providing an identity layer by defining how clients can request and obtain information about the end-user.
  • Bearer tokens, on the other hand, are associated with authorization. They represent the permissions granted to a client and are presented with each request to access protected resources.

Token Types in OpenID Connect:

  • OpenID Connect introduces two types of tokens:
    • ID Token: A JWT (JSON Web Token) containing identity information about the end-user. It provides details such as user ID, name, and authentication time.
    • Access Token: A bearer token representing the authorization granted to the client. It is used to access protected resources on behalf of the end-user.

Token Retrieval in OIDC Flow:

  • During the OIDC authentication flow, the client receives both an ID token and an access token from the authorization server.
  • The ID token is used to identify the end-user, while the access token is a bearer token used for accessing protected resources.

4. Usage in Applications:

Client-Side Applications:

  • In client-side applications (e.g., Single Page Applications), the ID token is often used for authentication, helping the client identify the end-user.
  • The access token (bearer token) is then used to make authorized requests to protected APIs or resources on behalf of the end-user.

Server-Side Applications:

  • In server-side applications, both the ID token and the access token may be used. The ID token helps authenticate the end-user, while the access token (bearer token) is used for accessing protected resources on the server.

In summary, OpenID Connect provides the authentication layer, allowing clients to verify the identity of end-users. Bearer tokens, particularly access tokens, represent the authorization granted to clients and are used to access protected resources. The combination of OpenID Connect and bearer tokens provides a comprehensive solution for identity and access management in modern applications.

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