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Updates after proof reading
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jonathan-r-thorpe committed Feb 21, 2024
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# Authorization in nmos-cpp

This is based on the ``OAuth 2.0`` recommendations which allows NMOS Node and NMOS Registry to protect APIs by giving limited access to third-party applications. Third-party applications might include Broadcast Controllers, which queries the Registry via the IS-04 API and handles connection to nodes via the IS-05 API. NMOS Nodes also act as a third-party to the Registry when performing IS-04 node registrations.
Authorization in nmos-cpp is based on the IS-10 / BCP-003-02 specifications, which are themselves based on OAuth 2.0.

Authorization allows NMOS Nodes and Registries to protect APIs by limiting their access by third-party applications.

Third-party applications might include Broadcast Controllers, which queries the Registry via the IS-04 API and handles connections to nodes via the IS-05 API. NMOS Nodes also act as a third-party to the Registry when performing IS-04 node registrations.

## Overview

Expand All @@ -14,7 +18,7 @@ A similar idea is also applied to how Nodes perform node registration. The Regis

## Client Registration

This this context the term Client is used to refer to clients of the Authorization Server. In this way Broadcast Controllers, Registries and Nodes are all referred to here as Clients.
In this context the term Client is used to refer to clients of the Authorization Server. In this way Broadcast Controllers, Registries and Nodes are all referred to as Clients.

Clients locate the Authorization Server's API endpoints via DNS-SD. The Authorization Server has a well-known endpoint for returning server metadata.

Expand All @@ -28,13 +32,15 @@ See the client registration sequence diagram below on how a Node is registered t

## Access Token

There are a number of ways to request the access token according to the type of authorization grant. The grant type depends on the location and the nature of the Client involved in obtaining the access token.
There are two ways of requesting access tokens from the Authomrization Server according to the type of authorization grant used. The grant type depends on the location and the nature of the Client involved in obtaining the access token.

A number of grant types are defined in OAuth 2.0. IS-10/BCP-003-02 focuses on using the following grant types; the ``Authorization Code Grant`` and the ``Client Credentials Grant``.
A number of grant types are defined in OAuth 2.0, but the IS-10/BCP-003-02 specifications focus on using the following grant types:
- Authorization Code Grant.
- Client Credentials Grant.

### Authorization Code Grant

This recommended grant type and should be used if the Client runs within web browser (for instance a Broadcast Controller). An authorization code is returned by the Authorization Server via the client's redirect URI. The client can then exchange this code for a time-limited access token, which can be renewed with the refresh token.
This is the recommended grant type and should be used if the Client runs within web browser (for instance a Broadcast Controller). An authorization code is returned by the Authorization Server via the Client's redirect URI. The Client can then exchange this code for a time-limited access token, which can be renewed with the refresh token.

For public clients, there is a risk of an attacker hijacking the authorization code. To prevent this Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE) is used to further secure the Authorization Code flow.

Expand All @@ -48,7 +54,7 @@ Step 2. Convert the ``code_verifier`` to ``code_challenge`` with the following l
code_challenge=BASE64URL-ENCODE(SHA256(ASCII(code_verifier)))
```

Step 3. Includes the ``code_challege`` and the hashing method used to generate the ``code_challenge`` in the authorization code request.
Step 3. Includes the ``code_challenge`` and the hashing method used to generate the ``code_challenge`` in the authorization code request.

Step 4. Send the ``code_verifier`` and the ``authorization code`` in exchange for the token. The Authorization Server uses the ``code_verifier`` to recreate the matching ``code_challenge`` to verify the client.

Expand All @@ -64,43 +70,45 @@ For extra security the Node uses ``Private Key JWT`` to authenticate with the Au

## Authorization Server Public Keys

The public keys are used by the Resource(s) Server for validating the access token before giving access right to it's protected APIs. The client must periodically poll the Authorization Server's ``public keys``, typically once every hour. In the event, that the Authorization Server is no longer available, the last fetched public keys will be kept in use until the Authorization Server connection is restored.
Public keys are used by the Node for validating the access token before allowing access to its protected APIs. The Client must periodically poll the Authorization Server for its public keys, typically once every hour. In the event that the Authorization Server is no longer available, the last fetched public keys will be kept in use until the Authorization Server connection is restored.

The token validation is done by re-generating the matching token signature by signing the token header and the token payload.
Token validation is done by regenerating the matching token signature. This is done by signing the token header and the token payload.

![Public-Keys](images/Authorization-Public-Keys.png)

## Authorization behaviour
## Authorization Behaviour

> [nmos/authorization_behaviour.cpp](../../Development/nmos/authorization_behaviour.cpp)
The required Authorization behaviour includes:

- discovery of the Authorization Server
- fetch Authorization Server metadata for Authorization Server endpoints and supported features
- Authorization client registration
- fetch Authorization Server public keys
- fetch Bearer token for accessing protected endpoints
- Discovery of the Authorization Server.
- Fetch Authorization Server metadata for Authorization Server endpoints and supported features.
- Authorization Client registration.
- Fetch Authorization Server public keys.
- Fetch Bearer token for accessing protected endpoints.

The state machine implemented by the ```nmos::experimental::authorization_behaviour_thread``` is shown below:

![Authorization-behaviour](images/Authorization-behaviour.png)

## Missing public keys to validate the access token
## Validating Access Tokens When Public Keys Are Missing

> [nmos/authorization_handlers.cpp](../../Development/nmos/authorization_handlers.cpp)
> [nmos/authorization_behaviour.cpp](../../Development/nmos/authorization_behaviour.cpp)
If no matching public key is available to validate the incoming access token. The validation handler will trigger the authorization token issuer thread to fetch and cache the public keys from this token's issuer, which will then be possible to validate any token issued by this issuer.
If no matching public key is available to validate the incoming access token the validation handler will trigger the authorization token issuer thread to fetch and cache the public keys from this token's issuer, which can then be used to validate any token issued by this issuer.

The state machine implemented by the ```nmos::experimental::validate_authorization_handler``` and the ```nmos::experimental::authorization_token_issuer_thread``` are shown below:

![missing-public-keys](images/Authorization-Missing-Public-Keys.png)

In addition, if the Authorization behaviour thread is excluded, the NMOS Node/Registry can easily be configured as a headless ``OAuth 2.0`` enabled device. Where the access token will be fed in externally via the ```nmos::experimental::get_authorization_bearer_token_handler``` callback and the access token validation will be happening on the ```nmos::experimental::validate_authorization_token_handler``` callback.
In addition, if the Authorization behaviour thread is excluded, the Node/Registry can easily be configured as a headless OAuth 2.0 enabled device.

In this case the access token will be fed in externally via the ```nmos::experimental::get_authorization_bearer_token_handler``` callback and the access token validation will be happening on the ```nmos::experimental::validate_authorization_token_handler``` callback.

## OAuth 2.0 Node Registration Example

Following is an overview of how an ``OAuth 2.0`` NMOS Node registers to an ``OAuth 2.0`` enabled NMOS Registry.
The following is an overview of how an OAuth 2.0 Node registers to an OAuth 2.0 enabled Registry.

![Node-Registration](images/Authorization-Node-Registration.png)

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