Resource Indicator Response Parameter for OAuth 2.0

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

"Resource Indicators for OAuth 2.0" [RFC8707] defines the resource request parameter for use in authorization requests and access token requests, enabling a client to signal the target protected resource(s) to an authorization server. However, it does not define a corresponding response parameter that would allow the authorization server to communicate back to the client which resource(s) the issued access token is actually for.¶

Without a response parameter, a client cannot reliably determine the effective resource(s) of an issued access token when the authorization server restricts the token to a subset of the requested resources, or when it applies a default resource policy in cases where the client did not include the resource parameter in its request.¶

This document addresses that gap by defining the resource parameter for use in access token responses.¶

2. Access Token Response Resource Parameter

In access token responses, the resource parameter is represented as a JSON array of strings, unlike the repeated form-encoded or query parameter used in requests defined in [RFC8707].¶

The resource parameter defined for an access token response (Section 5.1 of [RFC6749]) is used to indicate to the client the resource(s) which an issued access token is for.¶

resource:

OPTIONAL, if identical to the resource value(s) requested by the client; otherwise, REQUIRED. Its value is a JSON array of strings, where each string is an absolute URI as specified by Section 4.3 of [RFC3986], identifying a protected resource for which the access token is valid. The array MUST contain at least one value.¶

[[TODO: Should the response use resource (a JSON string) when a single resource is indicated and resources (a JSON array of strings) when multiple are indicated instead?]]¶

The resource response parameter serves a similar role to the scope response parameter defined in Section 5.1 of [RFC6749]: it informs the client when the resource(s) associated with the issued access token differ from what the client requested. This can occur when the authorization server restricts the token to a subset of the requested resources, or when the authorization server applies a default resource policy in cases where the client did not include the resource parameter in its request.¶

If the client requested access to multiple resources but the authorization server issues an access token that is restricted to a subset of those resources, the authorization server MUST include the resource parameter in the response to inform the client of the effective resource(s). The client can then make additional token requests for the remaining resources as needed.¶

The following is a non-normative example of a token endpoint response where the authorization server indicates that the issued access token is valid for use at https://cal.example.com/ (extra line breaks and indentation are for display purposes only).¶

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
Cache-Control: no-cache, no-store

{
   "access_token":"eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6Ijc3In0.eyJpc3MiOi
    JodHRwOi8vYXV0aG9yaXphdGlvbi1zZXJ2ZXIuZXhhbXBsZS5jb20iLCJzdWI
    iOiJfX2JfYyIsImV4cCI6MTU4ODQyMDgwMCwic2NvcGUiOiJjYWxlbmRhciIs
    ImF1ZCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vY2FsLmV4YW1wbGUuY29tLyJ9.nNWJ2dXSxaDRdMUK
    lzs-cYIj8MDoM6Gy7pf_sKrLGsAFf1C2bDhB60DQfW1DZL5npdko1_Mmk5sUf
    zkiQNVpYw",
   "token_type":"Bearer",
   "expires_in":3600,
   "refresh_token":"4LTC8lb0acc6Oy4esc1Nk9BWC0imAwH7kic16BDC2",
   "scope":"calendar",
   "resource":["https://cal.example.com/"]
}

3. Security Considerations

This document inherits the security considerations of [RFC8707].¶

Knowledge of the resource(s) for which an access token is valid does not introduce new security concerns for the client. The resource response parameter merely makes explicit information that the client either already requested or that the authorization server determined based on its policy.¶

4. Privacy Considerations

The resource response parameter conveys information about the resource(s) associated with an access token back to the client. Since the client either requested these resources or they were determined by authorization server policy, no new privacy-sensitive information is disclosed by this parameter.¶

5. IANA Considerations

6. Normative References

[IANA.OAuth.Parameters]

IANA, "OAuth Parameters", <https://www.iana.org/assignments/oauth-parameters>.

[RFC2119]

Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119>.

[RFC3986]

Berners-Lee, T., Fielding, R., and L. Masinter, "Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax", STD 66, RFC 3986, DOI 10.17487/RFC3986, January 2005, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3986>.

[RFC6749]

Hardt, D., Ed., "The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework", RFC 6749, DOI 10.17487/RFC6749, October 2012, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc6749>.

[RFC8174]

Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC 2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174, May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8174>.

[RFC8707]

Campbell, B., Bradley, J., and H. Tschofenig, "Resource Indicators for OAuth 2.0", RFC 8707, DOI 10.17487/RFC8707, February 2020, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8707>.

Acknowledgments

The original "Resource Indicators for OAuth 2.0" specification [RFC8707] was authored by Brian Campbell, John Bradley, and Hannes Tschofenig.¶

Document History

draft-skokan-oauth-resource-response-00¶

• Initial draft defining the resource access token response parameter¶

Author's Address