Authentication and authorization
API docs
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WebAuthn auth provider

This component contains an out of the box a FIDO CONFORMANT WebAuthn implementation. To use this project, add the following dependency to the dependencies section of your build descriptor:

  • Maven (in your pom.xml):

<dependency>
 <groupId>io.vertx</groupId>
 <artifactId>vertx-auth-webauthn</artifactId>
 <version>4.1.8</version>
</dependency>

  • Gradle (in your build.gradle file):

compile 'io.vertx:vertx-auth-webauthn:4.1.8'

WebAuthn (Web Authentication) is a web standard for authenticating users to web-based applications using public/private key cryptography. Strictly speaking, WebAuthn is just the name of the browser API and is part of FIDO2. FIDO2 is the overarching term of a set of specifications, including WebAuthn and CTAP. FIDO2 is the successor of the FIDO Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) legacy protocol.

As an application developer, we don’t deal with CTAP (Client-to-Authenticator Protocol), which is the protocol that the browser uses to speak with an authenticator like a FIDO security key.

FIDO2 works with public/private keys. The user has an authenticator, which creates public/private key pairs. These key pairs are different for each site. The public key is transferred to the server and stored in the user’s account. The private key never leaves the authenticator. To login, the server first creates a random challenge (a random sequence of bytes), sends it to the authenticator. The authenticator signs the challenge with his private key and sends the signature back to the server. The server verifies the signature with the stored public key and grants access if the signature is valid.

Traditionally this technology needs a hardware security token like a Yubico key or a key from Feitian to name two brands.

FIDO2 still supports these hardware keys, but the technology also supports alternatives. If you have an Android 7+ phone or a Windows 10 system, you don’t need to buy a FIDO2 security key if you want to play with WebAuthn.

In April 2019, Google announced that any phone running Android 7+ can function as a FIDO2 security key. In November 2018, Microsoft announced that you can use Windows Hello as a security key for FIDO2. In June 2020 Apple announced that you can use iOS FaceID and TouchID for the web by adopting webauthn standard.

WebAuthn is implemented in Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Visit https://caniuse.com to check out the current state of implementations: https://caniuse.com/#search=webauthn

WebAuthn API

The Web Authentication API is an extension of the Credential Management API.

WebAuthn extends the two functions from the Credential Management API navigator.credentials.create() and navigator.credentials.get() so they accept a publicKey parameter.

To simplify the usage of the API a simple JavaScript client application is provided here:

  • Maven (in your pom.xml):

<dependency>
 <groupId>io.vertx</groupId>
 <artifactId>vertx-auth-webauthn</artifactId>
 <classifier>client</classifier>
 <type>js</type>
 <version>4.1.8</version>
</dependency>

  • Gradle (in your build.gradle file):

compile 'io.vertx:vertx-auth-webauthn:4.1.8:client@js'

The script should be used in cooperation with vertx-web as it handles the API interaction between the web layer and the auth code in this library.

Registration

Registration is the process of enrolling a new authenticator to the database and associate with the user.

The process takes 2 steps:

  1. A call to generate a createCredentialsOptions

  2. A call with the solution to the challenge to the normal authenticate API method.

If the solution is correct, the new authenticator should be added to the storage and be usable for login purposes.

Login

Like the registration, login is a 2 step process:

  1. A call to generate a getCredentialsOptions

  2. A call with the solution to the challenge to the normal authenticate API method.

When the challenge is correctly solved, the user is considered logged in.

Device Attestation

When an authenticator registers a new key pair with a service, the authenticator signs the public key with an attestation certificate. The attestation certificate is built into the authenticator during manufacturing time and is specific to a device model. That is, all "Samsung Galaxy S8" phones, manufactured at a specific time or particular manufacturing run, have the same attestation certificate.

Different devices have different attestation formats. The pre-defined attestation formats in WebAuthn are:

  • Packed - a generic attestation format that is commonly used by devices whose sole function is as a WebAuthn authenticator, such as security keys.

  • TPM - the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a set of specifications from the Trusted Platform Group (TPG). This attestation format is commonly found in desktop computers and is used by Windows Hello as its preferred attestation format.

  • Android Key Attestation - one of the features added in Android O was Android Key Attestation, which enables the Android operating system to attest to keys.

  • Android SafetyNet - prior to Android Key Attestation, the only option for Android devices was to create Android SafetyNet attestations

  • FIDO U2F - security keys that implement the FIDO U2F standard use this format

  • Apple - Verifies the Anonymous Apple device attestation.

  • none - browsers may prompt users whether they want a site to be allowed to see their attestation data and/or may remove attestation data from the authenticator’s response if the attestation parameter in navigator.credentials.create() is set to none

The purpose of attestation is to cryptographically prove that a newly generated key pair came from a specific device. This provides a root of trust for a newly generated key pair as well as being able to identify the attributes of a device being used (how the private key is protected; if / what kind of biometric is being used; whether a device has been certified; etc.).

It should be noted that while attestation provides the capability for a root of trust, validating the root of trust is frequently not necessary. When registering an authenticator for a new account, typically a Trust On First Use (TOFU) model applies; and when adding an authenticator to an existing account, a user has already been authenticated and has established a secure session.

A simple example

Create a Registration request

WebAuthn webAuthN = WebAuthn.create(
  vertx,
  new WebAuthnOptions()
    .setRelyingParty(new RelyingParty().setName("ACME Corporation")))
  .authenticatorFetcher(query -> {
    // function that fetches some authenticators from a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture(authenticators);
  })
  .authenticatorUpdater(authenticator -> {
    // function that updates an authenticator to a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture();
  });

// some user
JsonObject user = new JsonObject()
  // id is expected to be a base64url string
  .put("id", "000000000000000000000000")
  .put("rawId", "000000000000000000000000")
  .put("name", "[email protected]")
  // optionally
  .put("displayName", "John Doe")
  .put("icon", "https://pics.example.com/00/p/aBjjjpqPb.png");

webAuthN
  .createCredentialsOptions(user)
  .onSuccess(challengeResponse -> {
    // return the challenge to the browser
    // for further processing
  });

Verify the registration request

WebAuthn webAuthN = WebAuthn.create(
  vertx,
  new WebAuthnOptions()
    .setRelyingParty(new RelyingParty().setName("ACME Corporation")))
  .authenticatorFetcher(query -> {
    // function that fetches some authenticators from a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture(authenticators);
  })
  .authenticatorUpdater(authenticator -> {
    // function that updates an authenticator to a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture();
  });

// the response received from the browser
JsonObject request = new JsonObject()
  .put("id", "Q-MHP0Xq20CKM5LW3qBt9gu5vdOYLNZc3jCcgyyL...")
  .put("rawId", "Q-MHP0Xq20CKM5LW3qBt9gu5vdOYLNZc3jCcgyyL...")
  .put("type", "public-key")
  .put("response", new JsonObject()
    .put("attestationObject", "o2NmbXRkbm9uZWdhdHRTdG10oGhhdXRoRGF0YVj...")
    .put("clientDataJSON", "eyJ0eXBlIjoid2ViYXV0aG4uY3JlYXRlIiwiY2hhbGxlb..."));

webAuthN
  .authenticate(
    new JsonObject()
      // the username you want to link to
      .put("username", "paulo")
      // the server origin
      .put("origin", "https://192.168.178.206.xip.io:8443")
      // the server domain
      .put("domain", "192.168.178.206.xip.io")
      // the challenge given on the previous step
      .put("challenge", "BH7EKIDXU6Ct_96xTzG0l62qMhW_Ef_K4MQdDLoVNc1UX...")
      .put("webauthn", request))
  .onSuccess(user -> {
    // success!
  });

Create a Login request

WebAuthn webAuthN = WebAuthn.create(
  vertx,
  new WebAuthnOptions()
    .setRelyingParty(new RelyingParty().setName("ACME Corporation")))
  .authenticatorFetcher(query -> {
    // function that fetches some authenticators from a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture(authenticators);
  })
  .authenticatorUpdater(authenticator -> {
    // function that updates an authenticator to a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture();
  });

// Login only requires the username and can even be set to null if
// resident keys are supported, in this case the authenticator remembers
// the public key used for the relying party
webAuthN.getCredentialsOptions("paulo")
  .onSuccess(challengeResponse -> {
    // return the challenge to the browser
    // for further processing
  });

Verify the Login request

WebAuthn webAuthN = WebAuthn.create(
  vertx,
  new WebAuthnOptions()
    .setRelyingParty(new RelyingParty().setName("ACME Corporation")))
  .authenticatorFetcher(query -> {
    // function that fetches some authenticators from a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture(authenticators);
  })
  .authenticatorUpdater(authenticator -> {
    // function that updates an authenticator to a
    // persistence storage
    return Future.succeededFuture();
  });

// The response from the login challenge request
JsonObject body = new JsonObject()
  .put("id", "rYLaf9xagyA2YnO-W3CZDW8udSg8VeMMm25nenU7nCSxUqy1pEzOdb9o...")
  .put("rawId", "rYLaf9xagyA2YnO-W3CZDW8udSg8VeMMm25nenU7nCSxUqy1pEzOdb9o...")
  .put("type", "public-key")
  .put("response", new JsonObject()
    .put("authenticatorData", "fxV8VVBPmz66RLzscHpg5yjRhO...")
    .put("clientDataJSON", "eyJ0eXBlIjoid2ViYXV0aG4uZ2V0IiwiY2hhbGxlb...")
    .put("signature", "MEUCIFXjL0ONRuLP1hkdlRJ8d0ofuRAS12c6w8WgByr-0yQZA...")
    .put("userHandle", ""));

webAuthN.authenticate(new JsonObject()
  // the username you want to link to
  .put("username", "paulo")
  // the server origin
  .put("origin", "https://192.168.178.206.xip.io:8443")
  // the server domain
  .put("domain", "192.168.178.206.xip.io")
  // the challenge given on the previous step
  .put("challenge", "BH7EKIDXU6Ct_96xTzG0l62qMhW_Ef_K4MQdDLoVNc1UX...")
  .put("webauthn", body))
  .onSuccess(user -> {
    // success!
  });

Metadata Service

The current module passes all FIDO2 compliance tests including the yet to be final FIDO2 Metadata Service API. This means that we follow the spec and this handler can detect tokens that have been marked as not trustable by the token vendor. For example, when a security bug allowed a private key to be extracted from a token.

In order to support the Metadata Service API, as a user you need to register yourself or your application at: https://fidoalliance.org/metadata

With this the APIKey given to you you can configure the application as:

final WebAuthnOptions webAuthnOptions = new WebAuthnOptions()
  // in order to fully trust the MDS tokens we should load the CRLs as
  // described on https://fidoalliance.org/metadata/

  // here the content of: http://mds.fidoalliance.org/Root.crl
  .addRootCrl(
    "MIIB1jCCAV0CAQEwCg...")
  // here the content of: http://mds.fidoalliance.org/CA-1.crl
  .addRootCrl(
    "MIIB5DCCAYoCAQEwCg...");

// create the webauthn security object like before
final WebAuthn webAuthN = WebAuthn.create(vertx, webAuthnOptions);

webAuthN.metaDataService()
  .fetchTOC("https://mds2.fidoalliance.org/?token=your-access-token-string")
  .onSuccess(allOk -> {
    // if all metadata was downloaded and parsed correctly allOk is true
    // the processing will not stop if a entry is corrupt, in that case that
    // specific entry is skipped and the flag is false. That also means that
    // that entry will be tagged and "not trustable" as we can't make any
    // valid decision.
  });

Updating Certificates

Almost all device attestations are based on X509 Certificate checks. This means that certificates can and will expire at some point in time. By default, the current "Active" certificates are hardcoded on the WebAuthnOptions object.

However if your application needs to update a certificate on it’s own, say for example, use a more up to date one, or another with a different cypher, then you can replace the default root certificates for each attestation by calling: WebAuthnOptions.putRootCertificate(String, String), where the first parameter is the attestation name or "mds" for FIDO MetaData Service:

  • none

  • u2f

  • packed

  • android-key

  • android-safetynet

  • tpm

  • apple

  • mds

And the second the PEM formatted X509 Certificate (Boundaries are not required).

final WebAuthnOptions webAuthnOptions = new WebAuthnOptions()
  // fido2 MDS custom ROOT certificate
  .putRootCertificate("mds", "MIIB1jCCAV0CAQEwCg...")
  // updated google root certificate from (https://pki.goog/repository/)
  .putRootCertificate("android-safetynet", "MIIDvDCCAqSgAwIBAgINAgPk9GHs...");