Is JWT good for API authentication?
Typically, the API key provides only application-level security, giving every user the same access; whereas the JWT token provides user-level access. A JWT token can contain information like its expiration date and a user identifier to determine the rights of the user across the entire ecosystem.Using JWT to authorize operations across servers

JWTs are well-suited for server-to-server or microservice-to-microservice communication scenarios within a backend architecture. In this context, JWTs serve as a means of securely transmitting information between services for authorization and authentication purposes.The signature of the token and expiration date is verified by the system. If the verification is successful, the claims present in the JWT are used to obtain a valid OMS user, which is used for making the REST API call.

What are the downsides of using JWT for authentication : One of the most significant weaknesses of JWTs is their lack of encryption. JWTs are designed to be compact and self-contained, which means that the data within them is not encrypted. While they can be signed to ensure data integrity, sensitive information within a JWT remains exposed in plaintext.

Why use JWT instead of basic auth

JWT is preferred over any other authentication method because of certain distinct benefits it presents. Developers opt for JWT as these tokens are self-contained and don't ask for any effort to collect info about the user.

How JWT is used in API security : JWTs can be used to protect your API in two ways: Authentication: You can use JWTs to authenticate users before allowing them to access your API. This is done by validating the JWT that the user sends in the Authorization header of their request.

Problems with JWT

JWT is named pretty well, but fails miserably at the first problem: invalidation, or How do you log out the user The answer is, you don't. You can't. You (the server) can tell the user's client software to forget their JWT and hope they'll do it, but you can never be sure.

JWTs which just store a simple session token are inefficient and less flexible than a regular session cookie, and don't gain you any advantage. The JWT specification itself is not trusted by security experts.

How to use JWT for API authentication

To use JWT, the following steps need to be taken:

  1. Generate a secret key.
  2. Create a JWT using the secret key.
  3. Send the JWT to the client.
  4. The client includes the JWT in subsequent requests.
  5. The server reads the JWT from the request header.
  6. The server Base64Url decodes the header and payload.

The JWT app type will be completely deprecated as of June 2023. New and current users have 12 months to migrate their JWT based solutions to the Server-to-Server OAuth app type. Action recommended: Create Server-to-Server OAuth app types to replace existing JWT app types.OAuth uses both client-side and server-side storage while JWT must use only client-side storage. JWT has limited scope and use cases. OAuth is highly flexible and can be easily used in a wide range of situations.

A: JWT apps were deprecated on a rolling basis starting Sept 8, 2023. If your app was deprecated and you need more time, you can re-activate it and get a one-time extension until November 10, 2023. After November 10th, the app will be permanently removed and the credentials will be revoked.

How to secure Web API with JWT : Securing ASP.NET Core Web API with JWT Authentication and Role-Based Authorization

  1. Create a new ASP.NET Core Web API Project.
  2. Add Required NuGet Packages.
  3. Configure Identity.
  4. Configure Authentication and JWT.
  5. Create a Controller.
  6. Configure JWT Settings.
  7. Generate JWT Tokens.
  8. Implement Authentication.

What is the difference between JWT and API key security : Additionally, JWT can be used for authentication and authorization within a web service, while API keys can be used for external clients. Alternatively, API keys can be used for authentication and authorization, while JWT can be used for data exchange.

Is there something better than JWT

OAuth uses both client-side and server-side storage while JWT must use only client-side storage. JWT has limited scope and use cases. OAuth is highly flexible and can be easily used in a wide range of situations.

JWTs are good option for APIs that need to be very secure and portable. Ultimately, the best way to secure a REST API is to use a combination of authentication methods. For example, you could use basic authentication for simple requests and OAuth 2.0 for more complex requests.API Security Best Practices

  1. Always Use a Gateway.
  2. Always Use a Central OAuth Server.
  3. Only Use JSON Web Tokens Internally.
  4. Use Scopes for Coarse-Grained Access Control.
  5. Use Claims for Fine-Grained Access Control at the API Level.
  6. Trust No One.
  7. Create or Reuse Libraries for JWT Validation.
  8. Do Not Mix Authentication Methods.

What is more secure than JWT : Secure: Opaque tokens do not contain any user information, making them more secure than JWT tokens. Flexible: Opaque tokens can be customized to store additional user information in the authorization server, which can be retrieved by the resource server when needed.