Session vs Token Authentication in 100 Seconds
Summary
TLDRThis video discusses two main approaches to user authentication: server-side sessions and token-based authentication. Sessions store user data on the server, creating potential vulnerabilities like cross-site request forgery and bottlenecks in distributed systems. Token-based authentication, using JSON Web Tokens (JWT), avoids server storage by keeping tokens client-side, which improves scalability but introduces its own risks, such as token hijacking and difficulties in invalidation. The video concludes by highlighting a 12-week web security coaching program, focusing on modern security practices.
Takeaways
- 🔐 Cookie-based sessions involve storing session IDs on the server, and the session ID is stored in the browser's cookie jar.
- ⚠️ Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) can occur in session-based authentication but is generally mitigated in modern frameworks.
- 📉 A major drawback of session-based authentication is the need to store session IDs in a database or memory, which can be a bottleneck in horizontally scaled cloud systems.
- 🔄 Token-based authentication, like JSON Web Tokens (JWTs), eliminates the need for storing session IDs on the server.
- 🗝️ JWTs are created with a private key on the server and stored in the browser's local storage for client-side management.
- 🚀 JWTs make it more efficient to handle distributed cloud systems as there's no need for a database lookup.
- ⚠️ Tokens can still be vulnerable to hijacking and may be difficult to invalidate after being issued.
- 💡 A key difference between sessions and tokens: sessions are managed server-side, while tokens are managed client-side.
- 🧩 Tokens can't be used for background authentication on the server, limiting some functionalities.
- 📚 The script promotes a web security academy and a 12-week coaching program for mastering web security, including a module on Firebase security.
Q & A
What is the traditional approach to user authentication on the web?
-The traditional approach is cookie-based, server-side sessions. The server validates the user's credentials, creates a session in the database, and sends a session ID to the browser, which is stored in the browser's cookie jar.
How does the session ID function in subsequent requests?
-The session ID stored in the browser's cookie jar is sent back to the server with each subsequent request, allowing the server to respond with content tailored to the authenticated user.
What are some drawbacks of session-based authentication?
-Drawbacks include vulnerability to cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks and the need to store session IDs in a database or in server memory, which can become a bottleneck when scaling cloud applications horizontally.
What is cross-site request forgery (CSRF) and how does it affect session-based authentication?
-CSRF is an attack where an attacker tricks the user into performing actions on a site they're logged into, such as making payments or changing passwords. Although the risk is low with modern frameworks, it remains a potential issue for session-based authentication.
How does token-based authentication solve the problem of horizontal scaling in cloud applications?
-Token-based authentication eliminates the need for database lookups by generating a JSON Web Token (JWT) after login, which is stored in the browser and sent in the authorization header for future requests. The server only needs to validate the JWT signature, reducing the need for database interactions.
What is a JSON Web Token (JWT), and how is it used in token-based authentication?
-A JWT is a token created with a private key on the server, which is sent to the browser after login. It is stored in local storage or cookies and sent with each request in the authorization header. The server validates the token to authenticate the user.
What are the potential risks of using token-based authentication?
-Tokens can still be hijacked by attackers, and they can be difficult to invalidate once issued. Additionally, tokens can't be used to authenticate a user in the background on the server.
What is the key difference between session-based and token-based authentication?
-The key difference is that in session-based authentication, the authentication state is managed on the server, whereas in token-based authentication, the state is managed on the client.
Why is token-based authentication considered more efficient in distributed cloud systems?
-Token-based authentication is more efficient because the server only needs to validate the JWT's signature, removing the need for database lookups and allowing better performance in horizontally scaled systems.
What is a key challenge of token-based authentication in terms of token management?
-One of the challenges is that tokens are difficult to invalidate once they have been issued, posing a risk if they are compromised.
Outlines
🔐 Session-based Authentication Overview
This paragraph introduces the concept of session-based authentication, a traditional method used for user login on the web. The process starts when a user submits their credentials (username and password) to a server, which validates the information, creates a session, and sends back a session ID stored in the browser's cookies. The session ID is used in future requests to maintain the authenticated state between the client and the server, making this a 'stateful' process. However, session-based authentication has some vulnerabilities, such as cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and scalability issues, particularly in cloud environments where horizontal scaling is common.
🛡️ Token-based Authentication Explanation
Token-based authentication is introduced as a modern alternative to session-based authentication. Instead of storing a session ID, the server generates a JSON Web Token (JWT) using a private key, which is sent to the client and stored in local storage. Future requests include the JWT in the Authorization header. Token-based authentication is more efficient for cloud-based systems as it eliminates the need for database lookups to manage session states, but it also introduces new challenges, such as token hijacking and the difficulty of invalidating tokens.
⚖️ Sessions vs. Tokens: Key Differences
This section highlights the primary distinction between sessions and tokens. With session-based authentication, the server manages the user's authentication state, storing it in a database or memory, which can cause scalability issues. In contrast, token-based authentication handles the state on the client side, with the server only needing to validate the token's signature. Both approaches have trade-offs in terms of security and efficiency.
📢 Final Thoughts and Course Promotion
The final paragraph wraps up the discussion and introduces a promotional segment for a 12-week web security coaching program, emphasizing the value of group-based learning. The author mentions that they will be teaching a module on Firebase security and invites viewers to check out the course details through a link provided in the description.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sessions
💡Tokens
💡Cookie-based Sessions
💡JSON Web Token (JWT)
💡Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
💡Local Storage
💡Bearer Token
💡Stateful Authentication
💡Stateless Authentication
💡Cloud Applications
Highlights
There are two main ways to handle user authentication: sessions and tokens.
The traditional approach is server-side sessions using cookies to store session IDs.
A session ID is saved in the browser's cookie jar and sent with every request.
Sessions create a stateful connection between the client and server.
Sessions are vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks.
One major drawback of sessions is storing session IDs in databases, which can be inefficient in horizontally scaled applications.
Token-based authentication, using JSON Web Tokens (JWT), solves this scalability issue.
JWTs are generated on the server and stored in the client’s local storage.
Subsequent requests include the JWT in the Authorization header with a Bearer prefix.
JWTs eliminate the need for a database lookup, improving efficiency in cloud-based systems.
Tokens are vulnerable to hijacking and can be difficult to invalidate.
Unlike sessions, tokens cannot authenticate users in the background on the server.
The main difference between sessions and tokens: session state is handled server-side, while token state is managed client-side.
Modern frameworks reduce the risk of CSRF attacks, but scaling limitations still exist with sessions.
The video promotes a web security course, mentioning a 12-week group learning program focused on web security.
Transcripts
user authentication there are two main
ways to get the job done
sessions and tokens the traditional
approach on the web is cookie-based
server-side sessions the process begins
with a user filling out their username
and password and then submitting it to a
server which then validates it creates a
session in the database
then responds with a session id the
session id will be saved in the
browser's cookie jar
which is a place in the browser to save
key value pairs that will be sent back
to the server on each subsequent request
it can then respond back with content
designed for the currently logged end
user
in other words we have a stateful
session between the front end client
and backend server this approach works
great but there are some drawbacks it
can be vulnerable to an attack known as
cross-site request forgery where the
attacker points the user to a site
they're logged into to perform
actions they didn't intend to like
submitting a payment or changing their
password
although the risk is very low especially
if you use a modern framework to
implement your code the bigger problem
is that you'll need to store the session
id
in a database or keep it in memory on
the server because most of today's
cloud applications are scaled
horizontally this can be a huge
bottleneck in production
and that brings us to token-based
authentication which solves this problem
but introduces its own set of challenges
the process begins the same with the
client sending its login details to the
server instead of storing a session id
it generates a json web token the jot is
created with a private key on the server
then it's sent back to the browser where
it's normally kept in local storage
on future requests the jot will be added
to the authorization header
prefixed by bearer the server then only
needs to validate the signature there's
no need for a database lookup somewhere
else in the infrastructure
and that's way more efficient when
dealing with a distributed system in the
cloud
however tokens can still be hijacked by
an attacker and they can also be
difficult to invalidate
and they can't be used to authenticate a
user in the background on the server
here's the most important thing to
understand with a session the
authentication state is handled on the
server
while tokens are managed on the client
this has been user authentication in 100
seconds
if you want to master web security check
out web security academy
my friend bartos is launching a 12-week
coaching program
it's not your ordinary course but 12
weeks of high-value group-based learning
and i'm teaching my own module in the
course on firebase security check out
the link in the description to learn
more and i will see you there in a few
weeks thanks for watching
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