Digital
transformation brings security concerns for users to protect their identity
from bogus eyes. According to US Norton, on average 8 lakh accounts are being
hacked every year. There is a demand for high-security systems and
cybersecurity regulations for authentication.
Traditional
methods rely on single-level authentication with a username and password to grant
access to web resources. Users tend to keep easy passwords or reuse the
same password on multiple platforms for their convenience. The fact is, there
is always a wrong eye on your web activities to take unfair advantage in the
future.
Due to the rising security load, two-factor
authentication (2FA) come into the picture and introduced Token-based
authentication. This process reduces the reliance on password systems and added
a second layer to security. Let’s straight jump on to the mechanism.
But first of all, let’s meet the main driver
of the process: a T-O-K-E-N !!!
What is an Authentication Token?
A Token is a computer-generated code that acts as a
digitally encoded signature of a user. They are used to authenticate the
identity of a user to access any website or application network.
A token is classified into two types: A Physical
token and a Web token. Let’s understand them and how they play an important
role in security.
· Physical
token: A Physical token use a tangible device to store
the information of a user. Here, the secret key is a physical device that can
be used to prove the user’s identity. Two elements of physical tokens are hard
tokens and soft tokens. Hard tokens use smart cards and USB to grant access to
the restricted network like the one used in corporate offices to access the
employees. Soft tokens use mobile or computer to send the encrypted code (like
OTP) via an authorized app or SMS.
· Web
token: Authentication via web token is a fully
digital process. Here, the server and the client interface interact upon the
user’s request. The client sends the user credentials to the server and the
server verifies them, generates the digital signature, and sends it back to the
client. Web tokens are popularly known as JASON Web Token (JWT), a standard for
creating digitally signed tokens.
A token is a popular word used in today’s digital
climate. It is based on decentralized cryptography. Some other token-associated
terms are Defi tokens, governance tokens, Non-Fungible tokens, and security
tokens. Tokens are purely based on encryption which is difficult to hack.
What is a Token-based Authentication?
Token-based authentication is a two-step
authentication strategy to enhance the security mechanism for users to access a
network. The users once register their credentials, receive a unique encrypted
token that is valid for a specified session time. During this session, users
can directly access the website or application without login requirements. It
enhances the user experience by saving time and security by adding a layer to
the password system.
A token is stateless as it does not save
information about the user in the database. This system is based on
cryptography where once the session is complete the token gets destroyed. So,
it gets the advantage against hackers accessing resources using passwords.
The most friendly example of the token is OTP (One
Time Password) which is used to verify the identity of the right user to get
network entry and is valid for 30-60 seconds. During the session time, the
token gets stored in the organization’s database and vanishes when the session
expired.
Let’s understand some important drivers of
token-based authentication-
· User:
A person who intends to access the network carrying his/her username &
password.
· Client-server:
A client is a front-end login interface where the user first interacts to
enroll for the restricted resource.
· Authorization
server: A backend unit handling the task of verifying the
credentials, generating tokens, and send to the user.
· Resource
server: It is the entry point where the user enters the
access token. If verified, the network greets users with a welcome note.
How does Token-based Authentication work?
Token-based authentication has become a widely used
security mechanism used by internet service providers to offer a quick
experience to users while not compromising the security of their data. Let’s
understand how this mechanism works with 4 steps that are easy to grasp.
How Token-based Authentication works?
1. Request: The user intends
to enter the service with login credentials on the application or the website
interface. The credentials involve a username, password, smartcard, or
biometrics
2. Verification: The
login information from the client server is sent to the authentication server
for verification of valid users trying to enter the restricted resource. If the
credentials pass the verification the server generates a secret digital key to
the user via HTTP in the form of a code. The token is sent in a JWT open standard
format which includes-
· Header:
It specifies the type of token and the signing algorithm.
· Payload:
It contains information about the user and other data
· Signature:
It verifies the authenticity of the user and the messages transmitted.
3. Token validation: The
user receives the token code and enters it into the resource server to grant
access to the network. The access token has a validity of 30-60 seconds and if
the user fails to apply it can request the Refresh token from the
authentication server. There’s a limit on the number of attempts a user can
make to get access. This prevents brute force attacks that are based on trial
and error methods.
4. Storage: Once the resource
server validated the token and grants access to the user, it stores the token
in a database for the session time you define. The session time is different
for every website or app. For example, Bank applications have the shortest
session time of about a few minutes only.
So, here are the steps that clearly explain how
token-based authentication works and the main drivers driving the
whole security process.
Note: Today, with
growing innovations the security regulations are going to be strict to ensure
that only the right people have access to their resources. So, tokens are
occupying more space in the security process due to their ability to tackle the
stored information in the encrypted form and work on both websites and
applications to maintain and scale the user experience. Hope the document
gave you all the know-how of token-based authentication and how it helps in
ensure the crucial data is being misused.
