Proof Key for Code Exchange

Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE)

This tutorial explains how to use PKCE with a code flow client. To learn how PKCE works read Understanding Proof Key for Code Exchange.

In short we will add an extra parameter that will protect the authorization redirect from beeing hijacked and the authorization code from being stolen.

Pre-requisites

This tutorial builds on the configuration setup in the “Setup and Getting Started” section and the “Setup a Username Password Authenticator”. If you haven’t done those steps yet you can visit those guides here:

• First Configuration
• Setup a Username Password Authenticator

It’s possible to run this tutorial on a custom setup also, but the URLs may be different, as well as the capabilities configured in the profiles.

You will also need a client that can provide access tokens and refresh tokens. If you follow the code flow tutorial, you will have obtained both.

Implementing PKCE in Curity

Using PKCE in Curity is very simple. It is automatically enabled for any client that has the code flow enabled.

While it is not possible to disable PKCE (thus making that client less secure), it is possible to require it (making it more secure).

Setup in Curity

  <client>
      <id>my-good-client</id>
      <proof-key>
        <require-proof-key>true</require-proof-key>
        <disallowed-proof-key-challenge-methods>plain</disallowed-proof-key-challenge-methods>
      </proof-key>
      <!-- ... -->
  </client>

Aside from this, there is nothing more to configure in Curity. Setting up PKCE is that easy :-)

Making requests

To make a PKCE request with the www client that was setup in earlier examples, we need a random proof-key and a verifier. The pseudo code in the Proof Key Overview explains how to obtain these. It’s important that they are random for each request.

Here’s an example:

• Code: lszjpzkvqqxuiccquvorhgnxhdmiaholczxqcckotnqkgprymuwhwwutetfd
• Hashed Code (s256): ps-K7a0ngt1HwZ7N9bK6XyUUJWpcUAkTfetTuZA2qak=

We send the Hashed code in the authorize request, and the Code in the token request to verify the Hashed Code. So the first part of the code flow needs to include the code_challenge and the code_challenge_method=S256 :

This will now require the backend call to provide the code_verifier or an error will be returned

curl -X POST \
  https://localhost:8443/oauth/v2/oauth-token \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' \
  -d 'grant_type=authorization_code&client_id=www&client_secret=THE_SECRET&code=sE7mpQHlr3Dv19ZNWeO7RnzPOL5lJTEt&code_verifier=lszjpzkvqqxuiccquvorhgnxhdmiaholczxqcckotnqkgprymuwhwwutetfd'

If the wrong verifier is sent, or the verifier is omitted, no tokens will be issued.