JWT vs. PASETO: A Quick Comparison of Two Leading Token-Based Authentication Methods
Token-based authentication has become standard to secure web applications. Unlike conventional authentication systems, it does not store tokens on a server. Therefore, it is less vulnerable to brute-force attacks. JSON Web Token (JWT) and Platform-Agnostic Security and Token (PASETO) are renowned token-based authentication technologies. While both secure the transmission of information between two parties, they differ in their features and functions. This post compares both platforms based on different factors. Read it until the end to learn which one meets your requirements best. What is a JSON Web Token? JWT is an open standard that secures the transmission of information between parties as a JSON object. It verifies user identities and grants access to private resources. JWT consists of three parts: Header The header defines the token type and the signing algorithm. Payload The payload contains statements or claims about an entity (usually the user) and additional data. You can categorize the payload into three types: Reserved claims Public claims Private claims Signature A signature ensures the authenticity of a token. It is created by combining the encoded header, payload, and a secret key. How Does JWT Work? Token Generation Once user authentication is successful, the server produces a JWT. It contains user information and permissions. This token is signed using a key. Token Sent to Client The server sends the JSON web token to the client within the HTTP response header. Storage of Token The client secures the JSON web token in local storage or cookies. Client Request Resource The client adds JWT in the authorization header for future requests to private resources. Server Validates Token The server uses the private key to authorize the JWT’s signature and expiration time. Access Granted/Denied The server grants or denies access to resources based on the token validation. What is PASETO? Designed by Scott Arciszewski, PASETO tokens are platform-agnostic. It means they are not bound to any particular platform or programming language. The token creation is relatively easy with PASETO. Users get only two types of tokens: Local Local tokens are encrypted with the help of a shared secret key stored on a server-side. These tokens make sure that the payload is confidential. Public Public tokens are not encrypted. The payload is visible to the public but protected from tampering. How Does PASETO Work? PASETO eliminates numerous pitfalls of JWT. For example, it has built-in encryption that makes the payload more confidential. Besides this, it employs modern cryptographic algorithms for encryption that are less prone to errors. Let’s compare JWT and PASETO based on different aspects. JWT vs. PASETO Security The level of security in the JSON web token depends on cryptographic algorithms used for signing and encryption. Older versions of JWT are more vulnerable, especially if not implemented properly. PASETO has the upper hand in terms of security. Since PASETO prioritizes security by default, it minimizes the risk of misconfigurations. It uses modern cryptographic algorithms that avoid the drawbacks of previous versions. Additionally, PASETO’s local tokens come with built-in encryption. Flexibility JWT is versatile. It supports different encryption algorithms. Users can employ it for a wide range of applications. JWT is particularly suitable for systems that need integration between services. PASETO is comparatively less flexible. Though its opinionated design makes it more secure, it can be restrictive for users who want more control over token management. Compatibility JWT has been used for quite some time. Consequently, it has received widespread adoption. The technology offers support to various frameworks, libraries, and platforms. It is easy to integrate JWT into existing infrastructure. As PASETO is still new, it does not offer the same level of compatibility as JWT. However, its design principles make it suitable for systems that need high security. Complexity Some developers might find JSON Web Token a little complicated to implement. Choosing an appropriate algorithm and managing key distribution need careful attention. Besides this, JWT does not enforce encryption. Therefore, sensitive information in the payload needs separate encryption. PASETO is simple and secure. It offers a fixed structure with limited cryptographic primitives. There is a negligible chance of security vulnerabilities and implementation errors in PASETO. Use Cases JSON Web Tokens are widely accepted in various libraries. They are more prevalent in existing frameworks and applications. Primarily, developers use them where stateless communication is needed. Some common use cases of JWT include: Authentication API Authentication & Access Control Stateless Sessions Authorization Single Sign-On (SSO) Browser-based authentication, and more. PASETO focuses on modern cryptographic practices. Users prefer it for scenarios where high security is critical. Use cases of PASETO include: Session management in the application API authentication Inter-microservice communication Authorization in distributed systems Stateless authentication in stateless architectures Final Words Both PASETO and JWT are powerful token-based authentication solutions. However, they cater to different priorities. JWT offers more flexibility in terms of compatibility and customizability. On the contrary, PASETO focuses on security by default. It provides strong cryptographic guarantees without requiring you to understand the underlying algorithms. So these are some differences between the two. You can make your choice based on the specific requirements of your application.
JSON Web Token: Everything You Need to Know about it
JSON Web Token, or JWT, has grown in popularity for transferring information safely between two parties. First launched in 2010, JWT proposed an internet standard for generating data with optional encryption or signature. The technology ensures that the shared information is digitally signed and data is verified and confidential. Do you want to learn more about JSON Web Token in detail? This post informs you about its structure, functions, and pros & cons. Let’s get started. JSON Web Token Overview JWT enables users to share information safely between two parties. These two entities are a client and a server. You can take the example of the front end and back end of a web application. JWT comprises JSON objects having the information that needs to be shared. Every JWT has a digital signature with the help of hashing. It ensures that the content of JSON is not tweaked or modified by any 3rd party. Structure of JSON Web Token The structure of JWT consists of the following parts: Header The header part further consists of two parts: The token type (typ.): JWT and the Algorithm used to sign the token (alg.). Payload The payload comprises the JSON object or claims. Signature It is a string formed with the help of a cryptographic algorithm. It helps in verifying the integrity of the JSON payload. How Does JSON Web Token Authentication Work? JWT is a technology that supports server-to-server authorization and API authentication. It provides Single Sign-On authentication that helps users log into different applications with one set of authentication systems. JWT ensures that only authorized persons receive information from the authentication server. The user will have to provide a secret key to the identity provider to access the information. The service provider compares the received signature of the token. If the result matches the signature, the service provider gets to know that the information is coming from a legitimate source after the verification. If we have to explain it in layman’s terms, it works like this: The user signs in using a specific username and password. The verification server authenticates the credentials and provides a JWT-signed key. In the future, the client will use the JWT to secure information by passing the JSON web token in the HTTP authorization header. After that, the resource server confirms the legitimacy of the token using the public key. The Identity Provider creates a JWT certifying user identity. Thereafter, the resource server interprets and confirms the authenticity of the token with the public key. Applications of JSON Web Tokens Users can utilize JSON Web Tokens in multiple ways. Some of their primary usages are as follows: Authentication One of the crucial roles of JWT is providing authentication. As soon as a user logs in using their credentials, an ID token is returned. This ID token is JWT. Authorization When a user successfully logs in, an application requests to access routes and services on behalf of that user. However, the request has to pass an Access Token, which is in the form of JWT. Single Sign-on utilizes JWT due to the small overhead of the format. Furthermore, you can use it across various domains. Secured Exchange of Information JWT is a secure way to transmit information between authorized parties. It ensures that the information is coming from a legitimate sender. The structure of a JWT lets you ensure that the information is not interfered with by a third party. Advantages of JSON Web Token JWT offers numerous advantages in comparison to Simple Web Tokens (SWTs) and SAML tokens. Some primary ones include: High Security JWTs are highly secured. They employ public/private key pairs for signing. A JWT can also be signed by a shared secret with the help of the HMAC algorithm. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) tokens can use key pairs, such as JWT, signing XML with XML digital signature. Compact JSON is less wordy in comparison to XML. As a result, its encoding is less than that of a SAML token. It makes JSON preferable for HTTP and HTML landscapes. Straightforward Process Since JWT is utilized at an internet scale, you can process it effortlessly on smartphones and other devices. Widely Used JSON parsers are widely used in all the primary programming languages as they effortlessly connect to objects. Limitations of JSON Web Token JWT also comes with some limitations that you must be aware of. Irreversible JWT features an independent verification system. Therefore, you can’t cancel a JWT before it expires itself. As a result, it is tough to implement actions like banning a user immediately. Reliant on One Secret Key Another limitation that might bother some users is its dependency on a single secret key. If that key is compromised, the hacker may create their own JWT. However, you can prevent this scenario by changing the secret key frequently. Final Words So this is all about the JSON Web Token. Considering everything together, we can say that JWT is very useful for sharing information safely between a client and a server. It is compact and suitable for single-on implementations. JWT is a practical tool for modern web security.
