JWT Authorisation
Problem Statement
While Hazaar MVC already has session-based authentication, there is a need to enhance the authentication and authorization capabilities by introducing support for JWT (JSON Web Tokens) authorization. JWT is widely adopted and offers several advantages over session-based authentication, including statelessness and improved scalability.
Who will benefit?
This feature will benefit developers and users of Hazaar MVC who require more flexibility and security in managing authentication and authorization. It will provide a standardized and secure method for handling user access and authentication within Hazaar MVC applications.
Benefits and risks
Benefits
- Statelessness: JWT authentication eliminates the need for server-side sessions, making it easier to scale and distribute application resources.
- Enhanced security: JWT tokens are cryptographically signed and can include additional claims, providing a secure and tamper-proof authentication mechanism.
- Token-based authentication: JWT allows for decoupled authentication, enabling APIs and microservices to authenticate requests without relying on session cookies.
- Compatibility with modern authentication standards: JWT is widely supported across various platforms, frameworks, and authentication systems.
Risks
- Learning curve: Developers who are unfamiliar with JWT and its implementation may require some learning and adaptation to utilize this feature effectively.
- Migration and compatibility: Integrating JWT authentication may require adjustments to existing authentication code and dependencies within Hazaar MVC.
Proposed solution
I propose adding a JWT authentication and authorization module to Hazaar MVC to supplement the existing session-based authentication. This module should include the following key features:
- JWT token generation and validation
- User authentication using JWT tokens
- Authorization mechanisms and role-based access control (RBAC)
- Integration with existing user management and authentication infrastructure in Hazaar MVC
Examples
Similar implementations of JWT authentication and authorization can be found in popular frameworks like Django, Laravel, and Express.js, where JWT is widely used to enhance authentication security and flexibility.
You can refer to the following resources for generating and testing JWT tokens:
- JWT.io: A comprehensive website providing information, tools, and libraries for working with JWT tokens. It offers a JWT token debugger and generator, which can be used for testing and validating tokens.
- jwt.io Debugger: The JWT.io website provides a debugger that allows you to decode, verify, and debug JWT tokens. This can be a valuable tool for troubleshooting and testing JWT tokens.
Priority/Severity
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High (This will bring a significant increase in performance, productivity, and security) -
Medium (This will bring improved performance, flexibility, and security) -
Low (Minor enhancements or improvements)