HTTP Signature-Key Header

2.1. Label Consistency

If a label appears in Signature or Signature-Input, and the verifier attempts to verify it using Signature-Key, the corresponding member MUST exist in Signature-Key. If Signature-Key contains members for labels not being verified, verifiers MAY ignore them.¶

2.2. Multiple Signatures

The dictionary format supports multiple signatures per message. Each signature has its own dictionary member keyed by its unique label:¶

Signature-Input: sig1=(... "signature-key"), sig2=(... "signature-key")
Signature: sig1=:...:, sig2=:...:
Signature-Key: sig1=jwt;jwt="eyJ...", sig2=jwks_uri;id="https://example.com";dwk="meta";kid="k1"

Most deployments SHOULD use a single signature. When multiple signatures are required, the complete Signature-Key header (containing all keys) MUST be populated before any signature is created, and each signature MUST cover signature-key. This ensures all signatures protect the integrity of all key material. See Signature-Key Integrity in Security Considerations. Alternative key distribution mechanisms outside this specification may be used for scenarios requiring independent signature addition.¶

2.3. Header Web Key (hwk)

The hwk scheme provides a self-contained public key inline in the header, enabling pseudonymous verification without key discovery. The parameter names and values correspond directly to the JWK parameters defined in [RFC7517].¶

Parameters by key type:¶

OKP (Octet Key Pair):¶

• kty (REQUIRED, String) - "OKP"¶

• crv (REQUIRED, String) - Curve name (e.g., "Ed25519")¶

• x (REQUIRED, String) - Public key value¶

Signature-Key: sig=hwk;kty="OKP";crv="Ed25519";x="JrQLj5P..."

EC (Elliptic Curve):¶

• kty (REQUIRED, String) - "EC"¶

• crv (REQUIRED, String) - Curve name (e.g., "P-256", "P-384")¶

• x (REQUIRED, String) - X coordinate¶

• y (REQUIRED, String) - Y coordinate¶

Signature-Key: sig=hwk;kty="EC";crv="P-256";x="f83OJ3D...";y="x_FEzRu..."

RSA:¶

• kty (REQUIRED, String) - "RSA"¶

• n (REQUIRED, String) - Modulus¶

• e (REQUIRED, String) - Exponent¶

Signature-Key: sig=hwk;kty="RSA";n="0vx7agoebGcQ...";e="AQAB"

Constraints:¶

• The alg parameter MUST NOT be present (algorithm is specified in Signature-Input)¶

• The kid parameter SHOULD NOT be used¶

Use cases:¶

• Privacy-preserving agents that avoid identity disclosure¶

• Experimental or temporary access without registration¶

• Rate limiting and reputation building on a per-key basis¶

2.4. JKT JWT Self-Issued Key Delegation (jkt-jwt)

The jkt-jwt scheme (pronounced "jacket jot") provides self-issued key delegation using a JWT whose signing key is embedded in the JWT header. This enables devices with hardware-backed secure enclaves to delegate signing authority to ephemeral keys, avoiding the performance cost of repeated enclave operations while maintaining a cryptographic chain of trust rooted in the enclave key.¶

Many devices — mobile phones, laptops, IoT hardware — include secure enclaves or trusted execution environments (e.g., Apple Secure Enclave, Android StrongBox, TPM) that can generate and store private keys with strong protection guarantees. However, signing operations using these enclaves are comparatively slow and may require user interaction (biometric confirmation, PIN entry).¶

For HTTP Message Signatures, where every request requires a signature, this creates a tension between security and performance. The jkt-jwt scheme resolves this by allowing the enclave key to sign a JWT that delegates authority to a faster ephemeral key:¶

1. The enclave generates a long-lived key pair (the identity key)¶
2. The device generates an ephemeral key pair in software (the signing key)¶
3. The enclave signs a JWT binding the ephemeral key via the cnf claim¶
4. HTTP requests are signed with the fast ephemeral key¶
5. The JWT proves the ephemeral key was authorized by the enclave key¶

The enclave key's JWK Thumbprint URI (urn:jkt:<hash-algorithm>:<thumbprint>) serves as a stable, pseudonymous device identity. Verifiers build trust in this identity over time (TOFU — Trust On First Use [RFC7435]).¶

Parameters:¶

• jwt (REQUIRED, String) - Compact-serialized JWT¶

JWT requirements:¶

Header:¶

• typ (REQUIRED) - Identifies the thumbprint hash algorithm. Defined values: jkt-s256+jwt (SHA-256), jkt-s512+jwt (SHA-512). Implementations MUST support jkt-s256+jwt and MAY support additional algorithms.¶

• alg (REQUIRED) - Signature algorithm used by the enclave key¶

• jwk (REQUIRED) - JWK public key of the enclave/identity key (the key that signed this JWT)¶

Payload:¶

• iss (REQUIRED) - JWK Thumbprint URI of the signing key, in the format urn:jkt:<hash-algorithm>:<thumbprint> where the thumbprint is computed per [RFC7638]. The hash algorithm in the URN MUST match the algorithm indicated by the JWT typ. The verifier knows the hash algorithm from the typ it accepted, computes the thumbprint of the header jwk, prepends the known urn:jkt:<hash-algorithm>: prefix, and compares to iss by string equality.¶

• iat (REQUIRED) - Issued-at timestamp¶

• exp (REQUIRED) - Expiration timestamp¶

• cnf (REQUIRED) - Confirmation claim [RFC7800] containing jwk: the ephemeral public key delegated for HTTP message signing¶

The sub claim is not used. The identity is the enclave key itself, fully represented by the iss thumbprint.¶

JWT Type Values:¶

The typ value encodes both the purpose and the thumbprint hash algorithm:¶

The jkt- prefix indicates a self-issued delegation JWT: the signing key is embedded in the JWT header as a JWK, the issuer is identified by the key's thumbprint, and the JWT delegates signing authority to the key in the cnf claim. The suffix (s256, s512) identifies the hash algorithm used for the thumbprint. The typ and iss prefix MUST be consistent.¶

These types are independent of the Signature-Key header and MAY be used in other contexts where self-issued key delegation is needed. Additional hash algorithms can be supported by registering new typ values following the jkt-<alg>+jwt pattern.¶

Example:¶

Signature-Key: sig=jkt-jwt;jwt="eyJ..."

JWT header:¶

{
  "typ": "jkt-s256+jwt",
  "alg": "ES256",
  "jwk": {
    "kty": "EC",
    "crv": "P-256",
    "x": "f83OJ3D2xF1Bg8vub9tLe1gHMzV76e8Tus9uPHvRVEU",
    "y": "x_FEzRu9m36HLN_tue659LNpXW6pCyStikYjKIWI5a0"
  }
}

JWT payload:¶

{
  "iss": "urn:jkt:sha-256:NzbLsXh8uDCcd-6MNwXF4W_7noWXFZAfHkxZsRGC9Xs",
  "iat": 1732210000,
  "exp": 1732296400,
  "cnf": {
    "jwk": {
      "kty": "OKP",
      "crv": "Ed25519",
      "x": "JrQLj5P_89iXES9-vFgrIy29clF9CC_oPPsw3c5D0bs"
    }
  }
}

In this example, the enclave holds a P-256 key (signed via hardware) and delegates to an Ed25519 ephemeral key (signed in software). The identity is urn:jkt:sha-256:NzbLsXh8uDCcd-6MNwXF4W_7noWXFZAfHkxZsRGC9Xs.¶

Verification procedure:¶

1. Parse the JWT without verifying the signature¶

2. Check the typ header (e.g., jkt-s256+jwt). Reject if the type is not supported.¶

3. Determine the hash algorithm and iss prefix from the typ (e.g., jkt-s256+jwt → SHA-256, urn:jkt:sha-256:)¶

4. Extract the jwk from the JWT header¶

5. Compute the JWK Thumbprint ([RFC7638]) of the header jwk using the determined hash algorithm¶

6. Construct the expected iss value by prepending the known prefix to the computed thumbprint¶

7. Verify the iss claim matches the constructed value by string equality¶

8. Verify the JWT signature using the header jwk¶

9. Validate exp and iat claims per policy¶

10. Extract the ephemeral public key from cnf.jwk¶

11. Verify the HTTP Message Signature using the ephemeral key¶

Use cases:¶

• Devices with hardware-backed secure enclaves delegating to fast ephemeral keys¶

• Persistent pseudonymous identity without requiring registration or authority¶

• Mobile apps, laptops, and IoT devices with enclave-backed identity¶

2.5. JWKS URI Discovery (jwks_uri)

The jwks_uri scheme identifies the signer and enables key discovery via a metadata document containing a jwks_uri property.¶

Parameters:¶

• id (REQUIRED, String) - Signer identifier (HTTPS URL)¶

• dwk (REQUIRED, String) - Dot well-known metadata document name under /.well-known/¶

• kid (REQUIRED, String) - Key identifier¶

Discovery procedure:¶

1. Fetch {id}/.well-known/{dwk}¶

2. Parse as JSON metadata¶

3. Extract jwks_uri property¶

4. Fetch JWKS from jwks_uri¶

5. Find key with matching kid¶

Example:¶

Signature-Key: sig=jwks_uri;id="https://agent.example";dwk="aauth-agent";kid="key-1"

Use cases:¶

• Identified services with stable HTTPS identity¶

• Search engine crawlers and monitoring services¶

• Services requiring explicit entity identification¶

2.6. JWT Confirmation Key (jwt)

The jwt scheme embeds a public key inside a signed JWT using the cnf (confirmation) claim [RFC7800], enabling delegation and horizontal scale.¶

Parameters:¶

• jwt (REQUIRED, String) - Compact-serialized JWT¶

JWT requirements:¶

• MUST contain cnf.jwk claim with embedded JWK¶

• SHOULD contain iss claim (HTTPS URL of the issuer) — using SHOULD rather than MUST allows existing JWT infrastructure to be used without modification¶

• SHOULD contain dwk claim (dot well-known metadata document name) — the verifier constructs {iss}/.well-known/{dwk} to discover the issuer's jwks_uri. Using SHOULD allows deployments where the verifier already knows the issuer's keys.¶

• SHOULD contain standard claims: sub, exp, iat¶

• Verifiers SHOULD verify the JWT typ header parameter has an expected value per deployment policy, to optimize for a quick rejection¶

Note: The mechanism by which the JWT is obtained is out of scope of this specification.¶

Verification procedure:¶

1. Parse the JWT parameter value per [RFC7519] Section 7.2. Reject if the value is not a well-formed JWT. This and subsequent pre-signature checks allow the verifier to fail early without expensive cryptographic operations or network fetches.¶

2. Verify the JWT typ header parameter has an expected value per policy. Reject if unexpected.¶

3. Validate exp claim if present. Reject if the token has expired.¶

4. Verify required claims are present (cnf.jwk, plus any claims required by deployment policy). Reject if a required claim is missing.¶

5. If iss and dwk claims are present, fetch {iss}/.well-known/{dwk}, parse as JSON metadata, extract jwks_uri. Fetch JWKS from jwks_uri, find key matching kid in JWT header. If iss or dwk is absent, the verifier MUST obtain the issuer's key through an application-specific mechanism.¶

6. Verify JWT signature using the discovered key¶

7. Validate remaining JWT claims per policy (iss, sub, etc.)¶

8. Extract JWK from cnf.jwk¶

9. Verify HTTP Message Signature using extracted key¶

Example:¶

Signature-Key: sig=jwt;jwt="eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiI..."

JWT payload example:¶

{
  "iss": "https://issuer.example",
  "dwk": "oauth-authorization-server",
  "sub": "instance-123",
  "exp": 1732210000,
  "cnf": {
    "jwk": {
      "kty": "OKP",
      "crv": "Ed25519",
      "x": "JrQLj5P_89iXES9-vFgrIy29clF9CC_oPPsw3c5D0bs"
    }
  }
}

Use cases:¶

• Distributed services with ephemeral instance keys¶

• Delegation scenarios where instances act on behalf of an authority¶

• Short-lived credentials for horizontal scaling¶

2.7. X.509 Certificates (x509)

The x509 scheme provides certificate-based verification using PKI trust chains.¶

Parameters:¶

• x5u (REQUIRED, String) - URL to X.509 certificate chain (PEM format, [RFC7517] Section 4.6)¶

• x5t (REQUIRED, Byte Sequence) - Certificate thumbprint: SHA-256 hash of DER-encoded end-entity certificate¶

Verification procedure:¶

1. Check cache for certificate with matching x5t¶

2. If not cached or expired, fetch PEM from x5u¶

3. Validate certificate chain to trusted root CA¶

4. Check certificate validity and revocation status¶

5. Verify x5t matches end-entity certificate¶

6. Extract public key from end-entity certificate¶

7. Verify signature using extracted key¶

8. Cache certificate indexed by x5t¶

Example:¶

Signature-Key: sig=x509;x5u="https://agent.example/.well-known/cert.pem";x5t=:bWcoon4QTVn8Q6xiY0ekMD6L8bNLMkuDV2KtvsFc1nM=:

Use cases:¶

• Enterprise environments with PKI infrastructure¶

• Integration with existing certificate management systems¶

• Scenarios requiring certificate revocation checking¶

• Regulated industries requiring certificate-based authentication¶

3.1. Key Validation

Verifiers MUST validate all cryptographic material before use:¶

• hwk: Validate JWK structure and key parameters¶

• jwks_uri: Verify HTTPS transport and validate fetched JWKS¶

• x509: Validate complete certificate chain, check revocation status¶

• jwt: Verify JWT signature and validate embedded JWK¶

• jkt-jwt: Verify JWT signature using header jwk, validate thumbprint matches iss, validate embedded ephemeral JWK¶

3.2. Caching and Performance

Verifiers MAY cache keys to improve performance but MUST implement appropriate cache expiration:¶

• jwks_uri: Respect cache-control headers, implement reasonable TTLs¶

• x509: Cache by x5t, invalidate on certificate expiry¶

• jwt: Cache embedded keys until JWT expiration¶

• jkt-jwt: Cache embedded keys until JWT expiration; cache by iss thumbprint URI¶

Verifiers SHOULD implement cache limits to prevent resource exhaustion attacks.¶

3.3. Scheme-Specific Risks

hwk: No identity verification - suitable only for scenarios where pseudonymous access is acceptable.¶

jwks_uri: Relies on HTTPS security - vulnerable to DNS/CA compromise. Verifiers should implement certificate pinning where appropriate.¶

x509: Requires robust certificate validation including revocation checking. Verifiers MUST NOT skip certificate chain validation.¶

jwt: Delegation trust depends on JWT issuer verification. Verifiers MUST validate JWT signatures and claims before trusting embedded keys.¶

jkt-jwt: The security of this scheme depends on the enclave key's private key remaining protected in hardware. If the enclave key is compromised, all delegated ephemeral keys are compromised. Verifiers should be aware that the jkt-jwt scheme implies but does not prove hardware protection — there is no attestation mechanism in this scheme. Unlike the jwt scheme where trust is rooted in a discoverable issuer, jkt-jwt trust is rooted in the key itself. Verifiers MUST understand that any party can create a jkt-jwt — the scheme provides pseudonymous identity, not verified identity. The exp claim on the JWT controls how long the ephemeral key is valid. Shorter lifetimes limit the exposure window if an ephemeral key is compromised. Implementations SHOULD use the shortest practical lifetime. The iss value is a JWK Thumbprint URI — a globally unique, collision-resistant identifier. The verifier MUST always compute the expected iss from the header jwk and compare by string equality — never trust the iss value alone.¶

3.4. Algorithm Selection

The alg parameter in Signature-Input (RFC 9421) determines the signature algorithm. Verifiers MUST:¶

• Validate algorithm against policy (reject weak algorithms)¶

• Ensure key type matches algorithm requirements¶

• Reject algorithm/key mismatches¶

3.5. Signature-Key Integrity

The Signature-Key header SHOULD be included as a covered component in Signature-Input:¶

Signature-Input: sig=("@method" "@authority" "@path" "signature-key"); created=1732210000

If signature-key is not covered, an attacker can modify the header without invalidating the signature. Attacks include:¶

Scheme substitution: An attacker extracts the public key from an hwk scheme and republishes it via jwks_uri under their own identity, causing verifiers to attribute the request to the attacker.¶

Identity substitution: An attacker modifies the id parameter in a jwks_uri scheme to point to their own metadata endpoint that returns the same public key, impersonating a different signer.¶

Verifiers SHOULD reject requests where signature-key is not a covered component.¶

4.1. Pseudonymity vs. Identity

The hwk scheme enables pseudonymous operation where the signer's identity is not disclosed. Verifiers should be aware that:¶

• hwk provides no identity linkage across requests (unless keys are reused)¶

• Key reuse enables tracking but may be necessary for reputation/rate-limiting¶

• Verifiers should not log or retain hwk keys beyond operational necessity¶

The jkt-jwt scheme is pseudonymous like hwk — the identity is a key thumbprint URI. However, because the thumbprint is stable across sessions (tied to the enclave key), it enables long-term tracking. Verifiers should apply the same retention considerations as for hwk keys.¶

The jwks_uri, x509, and jwt schemes all reveal signer identity. Protocols using these schemes should inform signers that their identity will be disclosed to verifiers.¶

4.2. Key Discovery Tracking

The jwks_uri and x509 schemes require verifiers to fetch resources from signer-controlled URLs. This creates potential tracking vectors:¶

• Signers can observe when and from where keys are fetched¶

• Verifiers should cache keys to minimize fetches¶

• Verifiers may wish to use shared caching infrastructure to reduce fingerprinting¶

4.3. JWT Contents

JWTs in the jwt scheme may contain additional claims beyond cnf. Verifiers should:¶

• Only process claims necessary for verification¶

• Not log or retain unnecessary JWT claims¶

• Be aware that JWT contents are visible to network observers unless using TLS¶

5.1. HTTP Field Name Registration

This document registers the Signature-Key header field in the "Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Field Name Registry" defined in [RFC9110].¶

Header field name: Signature-Key¶

Applicable protocol: http¶

Status: standard¶

Author/Change controller: IETF¶

Specification document(s): [this document]¶

5.2. Signature-Key Scheme Registry

This document establishes the "HTTP Signature-Key Scheme" registry. This registry allows for the definition of additional key distribution schemes beyond those defined in this document.¶

A.1. draft-hardt-httpbis-signature-key-03

• Added jkt-jwt scheme for self-issued key delegation¶
• Renamed well-known parameter to dwk (dot well-known)¶
• Added iss and dwk claims to jwt scheme (SHOULD) for issuer key discovery¶
• Added early validation step to jwt verification procedure (format, typ, exp checks before network fetches)¶
• Added TOFU reference (RFC 7435) to jkt-jwt scheme¶
• Added design rationale for jwks_uri vs inline JWKS¶
• Moved hwk string vs byte sequence design note to rationale appendix¶
• Reordered schemes¶
• Added acknowledgments¶

A.2. draft-hardt-httpbis-signature-key-02

• Changed x5t parameter to byte sequence per reviewer feedback¶
• Added structured field types to all parameters¶
• Added design note explaining string vs byte sequence choice for hwk¶

A.3. draft-hardt-httpbis-signature-key-01

• Initial public draft with four schemes: hwk, jwks_uri, x509, jwt¶

B.1. Why jwks_uri Instead of Inline JWKS?

The jwks_uri and jwt schemes reference a jwks_uri property in the .well-known metadata document rather than embedding the JWKS directly in the metadata. This separation of concerns is deliberate:¶

1. Independent key rotation: Keys can be rotated by updating the JWKS endpoint without modifying the .well-known metadata document. This decouples key lifecycle management from configuration management, allowing operations teams to rotate keys on their own schedule without redeploying metadata.¶

2. Independent management: The .well-known metadata document and the JWKS can be hosted, managed, and secured by different systems or teams. For example, an identity team may manage keys while a platform team manages service metadata.¶

3. Caching semantics: The JWKS endpoint can have its own cache-control headers tuned for key rotation frequency (e.g., short TTLs during a rotation event), independent of the .well-known document's caching policy.¶

4. Consistency with existing standards: This approach mirrors the pattern established by OpenID Connect Discovery [OpenID.Discovery] and OAuth Authorization Server Metadata [RFC8414], which both use jwks_uri in metadata documents for the same reasons.¶

B.2. Why a Separate Header?

An alternative design would extend Signature-Input with additional parameters to carry key material. This was considered and rejected for several reasons:¶

1. Parameter complexity: Each scheme has a different set of parameters (e.g., hwk needs kty, crv, x, y; jwks_uri needs id, dwk, kid; jwt needs a full JWT string). Overloading Signature-Input with all possible key parameters across all schemes would make the Signature-Input grammar unwieldy and harder to parse.¶

2. Separation of concerns: Signature-Input describes what is signed and how (covered components, algorithm, timestamps). Signature-Key describes who signed it and where to find the key. These are distinct concerns, and separating them into distinct headers makes each easier to understand and process independently.¶

3. Extensibility: A separate header with a scheme registry allows new key distribution mechanisms to be added without modifying the Signature-Input grammar. New schemes can define arbitrary parameters without coordination with RFC 9421.¶

4. Multiple signatures: With a dictionary structure keyed by label, each signature can use a different scheme. This is natural in a separate header but would create complex nesting if embedded in Signature-Input.¶

B.3. Why Schemes Instead of Just a Key and Key ID?

A simpler design would define Signature-Key as carrying only a public key (or key reference) and a key identifier, without the scheme abstraction. This was considered insufficient because:¶

1. Trust model varies: A bare key tells the verifier nothing about the trust model. Is this a pseudonymous key to be evaluated on its own merits (hwk)? A key bound to a discoverable identity (jwks_uri)? A delegated key from an authority (jwt)? A certificate-backed key (x509)? The scheme token tells the verifier which verification procedure to follow and what trust properties the key carries.¶

2. Verification procedure differs: Each scheme has a fundamentally different verification path. hwk requires no external fetches. jwks_uri requires metadata discovery. x509 requires certificate chain validation. jwt requires JWT signature verification before the HTTP signature can be verified. A key-and-ID-only design would push scheme detection to heuristics or out-of-band agreement.¶

3. Security properties differ: Without an explicit scheme, a verifier cannot distinguish between a self-asserted key and a CA-certified key. The scheme makes the trust model explicit, allowing verifiers to enforce policy (e.g., "only accept jwt or x509 schemes").¶

4. Interoperability: Explicit schemes create clear interoperability targets. Two implementations that support the jwt scheme know exactly what to expect from each other. Without schemes, the same key material could be interpreted differently by different implementations.¶

B.4. Why Strings Instead of Byte Sequences for hwk?

The hwk parameters use structured field strings rather than byte sequences. JWK key values are base64url-encoded per [RFC7517], while structured field byte sequences use base64 encoding per [RFC8941]. Using strings allows implementations to pass JWK values directly without converting between base64url and base64, avoiding a potential source of encoding bugs.¶