OAuth 2.0 integration patterns

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  1. OAuth 2.0 Integration Patterns

OAuth 2.0 is the industry standard protocol for authorization. It enables third-party applications to access limited access to user accounts on an HTTP service, such as a website or API, *without* exposing the user’s credentials. This article will detail common OAuth 2.0 integration patterns, aimed at developers new to the protocol, and explain how to implement them within a MediaWiki environment when interacting with external services. Understanding these patterns is crucial for building secure and user-friendly integrations. This article assumes a basic understanding of HTTP requests and responses. For a foundational understanding of MediaWiki extensions, see Extension development.

== Understanding the Core Concepts

Before diving into patterns, let’s clarify the core players in OAuth 2.0:

  • **Resource Owner:** The user who owns the data.
  • **Client:** The application requesting access to the user's data. This is often your MediaWiki extension.
  • **Authorization Server:** The server that authenticates the resource owner and issues access tokens.
  • **Resource Server:** The server hosting the protected resources (e.g., an API).

The general flow involves the client redirecting the resource owner to the authorization server, the resource owner granting or denying access, and the authorization server redirecting back to the client with an authorization code or directly with an access token. The client then uses this code (or token) to request an access token, which is used to access the protected resources on the resource server. A good overview of the protocol can be found at [RFC 6749](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6749).

== Common OAuth 2.0 Integration Patterns

Several patterns exist to implement OAuth 2.0, each suited to different application types and security considerations.

      1. 1. Authorization Code Grant

This is the most commonly used and recommended pattern for web applications (including MediaWiki extensions) and native applications. It’s considered the most secure.

  • **Flow:**
   1.  The client redirects the user to the authorization server.
   2.  The user authenticates with the authorization server and grants (or denies) access to the client.
   3.  The authorization server redirects the user back to the client with an authorization code.
   4.  The client exchanges the authorization code for an access token (and optionally a refresh token) by making a POST request to the authorization server's token endpoint. This request *must* be made from the server-side of the MediaWiki extension, never from the client-side JavaScript due to security concerns.
   5.  The client uses the access token to access the protected resources on the resource server.
  • **Security Considerations:** The authorization code is short-lived and only usable once, mitigating the risk of interception. The access token has a limited lifespan, and refresh tokens can be used to obtain new access tokens without requiring the user to re-authorize. See [OWASP OAuth 2.0 Cheat Sheet](https://owasp.org/www-project-oauth-2.0-cheat-sheet/) for detailed security guidance.
  • **MediaWiki Implementation:** This pattern requires careful session management within your extension. You need to securely store the authorization code and state parameter (explained below) in the user's session. Utilize MediaWiki's built-in session handling mechanisms. Consider using a database to persist refresh tokens for long-term access. See Manual:Configuration for MediaWiki configuration options.
      1. 2. Implicit Grant (Deprecated)

This pattern was previously popular for single-page applications (SPAs) but is now largely deprecated due to security concerns. It directly returns an access token in the redirect URI, bypassing the authorization code exchange step.

  • **Flow:**
   1.  The client redirects the user to the authorization server.
   2.  The user authenticates and grants access.
   3.  The authorization server redirects the user back to the client with the access token in the URL fragment (`#`).
  • **Security Concerns:** Access tokens are exposed in the browser history and can be more easily intercepted. The lack of an authorization code exchange makes it harder to prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. Avoid this pattern whenever possible.
  • **MediaWiki Implementation:** Due to its inherent security risks, avoid implementing this pattern in MediaWiki extensions. If you encounter a legacy API that only supports this grant type, consider migrating to a more secure pattern or finding an alternative API.
      1. 3. Resource Owner Password Credentials Grant (Discouraged)

This pattern allows the client to obtain an access token directly using the user's username and password. It's generally discouraged because it requires the client to handle the user's credentials, which is a significant security risk.

  • **Flow:**
   1. The client sends the user’s username and password directly to the authorization server.
   2. The authorization server validates the credentials and issues an access token.
  • **Security Concerns:** The client needs access to the user's password, violating the principle of least privilege. This pattern is only suitable for highly trusted clients.
  • **MediaWiki Implementation:** Never implement this pattern in a MediaWiki extension. MediaWiki itself handles user authentication; your extension should never directly handle user passwords. See Security best practices for more information.
      1. 4. Client Credentials Grant

This pattern is used when the client is acting on its own behalf, rather than on behalf of a user. It's commonly used for server-to-server communication.

  • **Flow:**
   1.  The client authenticates with the authorization server using its client ID and client secret.
   2.  The authorization server issues an access token.
  • **Security Considerations:** The client secret must be kept confidential. This pattern doesn’t involve user interaction.
  • **MediaWiki Implementation:** This pattern is useful for extensions that need to access APIs on their own behalf, such as fetching data for background tasks. Store the client ID and secret securely in your extension's configuration. Consider using MediaWiki's configuration system for managing sensitive information.
      1. 5. Refresh Token Rotation

This is not a grant type itself, but a security enhancement that should be implemented alongside any of the above grant types. Refresh token rotation involves issuing a new refresh token each time a refresh token is used to obtain a new access token.

  • **Benefit:** Limits the impact of a compromised refresh token. If a refresh token is stolen, it can only be used once to obtain a new access token.
  • **MediaWiki Implementation:** This requires careful management of refresh tokens in your extension's database. You need to store the refresh token, its associated user, and potentially other metadata.
    1. Important Security Considerations for MediaWiki Extensions
  • **State Parameter:** Always use the `state` parameter in the authorization request to prevent CSRF attacks. The `state` parameter is a randomly generated value that the client sends to the authorization server and verifies upon receiving the redirect response. See [CSRF prevention](https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/A7_2017-Cross-Site_Request_Forgery_(CSRF)).
  • **Redirect URI Whitelisting:** Configure the authorization server to only accept redirect URIs that you control. This prevents attackers from redirecting the user to a malicious site.
  • **Client Secret Management:** Protect your client secret. Never hardcode it into your extension's code. Store it securely in your MediaWiki configuration and use environment variables.
  • **HTTPS:** Always use HTTPS for all communication between the client, authorization server, and resource server.
  • **Token Storage:** Store access tokens and refresh tokens securely. Consider encrypting them at rest in your database.
  • **Input Validation:** Validate all input from the authorization server to prevent injection attacks.
  • **Logging:** Log all OAuth 2.0 related events, including authorization requests, token exchanges, and API calls. This can help you identify and troubleshoot security issues.
  • **Regular Updates:** Keep your OAuth 2.0 libraries and dependencies up to date to benefit from the latest security patches.
  • **Scope Management:** Request only the necessary scopes (permissions) from the user. Avoid requesting broad access that you don't need. See [OAuth 2.0 Scopes](https://oauth.net/2/scopes/).
    1. Troubleshooting Common Issues
  • **Invalid Redirect URI:** Ensure that the redirect URI configured in your MediaWiki extension matches the one registered with the authorization server exactly.
  • **Invalid Client ID or Secret:** Double-check that your client ID and secret are correct.
  • **Insufficient Scopes:** Verify that you are requesting the necessary scopes from the user.
  • **Expired Access Token:** Refresh the access token using the refresh token.
  • **Network Connectivity Issues:** Ensure that your MediaWiki server can connect to the authorization server and resource server.
    1. Resources and Further Reading

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