Implementing OAuth 2.0
Here in this blog, we will learn how to implement OAuth 2.0 in IBM API Connect.
Secure APIs with IBM API Connect – OAuth 2.0. API Connect supports various OAuth 2.0 grant flows, including Authorization Code, Implicit, Client Credentials, and Resource Owner Password Credentials (ROPC). This flexibility allows you to choose the right flow for your specific use case.
The following three parties are involved in OAuth 2.0:
A user who owns data that may be accessed via the API and wishes to provide the application access to it.
The application that will access the data via the API on the user’s behalf.
The API controls and allows access to the user’s data.
Type – Access code flow
In the access code flow, the application requests authorization from the user using a form provided by the gateway server, which, if granted, returns an authorization code to the application. The application transmits the permission code to the provider API, which responds with an access token.
OAuth 2.0 Access code is a widely used security framework for securing APIs and web applications
The configuration options for OAuth processing activities, such as creating and validating tokens, are provided by a native provider object. An OAuth security definition references an OAuth provider object in order to protect an API. When a native provider is utilized, API Connect handles OAuth functions directly.
An access code is obtained by extracting an authorization code from a URL and exchanging it for the validation that results in a token.
To allow the client application to access resources on behalf of the application user, access tokens are issued to the application. When the current access token expires or becomes invalid, the client can refresh the tokens by initiating the request again. In APIC we have the flexibility to keep the token valid only once and also have future to enable the expiry time
It Prevents the businesses from the unsafe and illegal access and only authorized users or applications have access to their APIs to keep the sensitive data from potential threats or expose.
IBM APIC offers advanced feature with the real-time verification of access tokens and allow administrators to revoke access if necessary.
