Vittorio

Vittorio Bertocci is a Principal Architect for Auth0. Before Auth0, he had a lengthy career with Microsoft, where Vittorio worked with Fortune 100 and Global 100 companies, including working on Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory team as principal program manager focusing on the developer experience. He contributed to the inception and launch of Microsoft's claims-based platform components (Windows Identity Foundation and ADFS, ADAL and MSAL SDKs, ASP.NET middleware). Vittorio is a well known speaker, educator and published author.

Principal Architect

Vittorio Bertocci

Identity protocols for internet browsers with Sam Goto (Google Chrome) and George Fletcher (Verizon)

## The Overview

In this episode of _Identity, Unlocked_, principal architect at Auth0 and podcast host Vittorio Bertocci speaks with Sam Goto, software engineer working on Google Chrome, and George Fletcher, Identity Standards architect at Verizon, on the ever-changing world of identity protocols for internet browsers.

Sam focuses on working with browsers to create better functionality in their foundation protocol by determining the good and bad uses of low-level primitives, such as third-party cookies, iFrames, and pop-ups. In particular, Sam highlights how such primitives are being used by trackers and ad services to track users, often without their knowledge or consent- and how that is prompting browser vendors to put new limits to prevent abuses. There is a precedent for this: Sam gives the example of how over time, web apps increasingly abused low-level primitives such as pop-ups- and how browsers eventually put restrictions on them to give a better user experience. Browser vendors are now attempting to do the same to prevent unwanted tracking; however, those interventions are disrupting legitimate scenarios too- identity protocols being one of the most important ones, and the very reason we are having this conversation on Identity, Unlocked. Sam then talks about how browsers are looking to fix these problems by building higher level primitives to replace the low-level ones, but that even these high-level primitives face challenges.

George explains the many problems the modifications to browsers can cause for Identity and OpenID Connect. George also goes into detail about the protocols being implemented between browsers, relying on parties and IdPs for what happens if an IdP goes down, as well as the RP classification and decentralized identity.

Vittorio, Sam, and George go in depth on the state of browser changes and identity protocol today and what’s in store for their futures.

## Key Takeaways

Distinguishing between good and bad motives of low level primitives:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/da8f4e71"></iframe>

What’s happening to identity protocols as browser authentication changes:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/7a5f49ee"></iframe>

Sam talks about the potential for other browsers to integrate Web ID and the new challenges that would come about:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/38619c76"></iframe>

George points out key problems to solving the RP classification problem:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/3445437a"></iframe>

George’s Call to Action:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/6baaec0f"></iframe>

Sam’s Call to Action:
<iframe width="100%" height="230px" scrolling="no" style="border: none" src="https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/player/4a98766b"></iframe>


### Links/Resources:

- Connect with Sam Goto on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelgoto/)
- Connect with Sam Goto on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/samuelgoto)
- Connect with George Fletcher on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gffletch/)
- Connect with George Fletcher on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/gffletch)

<br>

- Connect with Vittorio Bertocci on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vittoriobertocci/)
- Connect with Vittorio Bertocci on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/vibronet)

<br>

- Learn more about [Identity, Unlocked](https://identityunlocked.auth0.com/public/49/Identity%2C-Unlocked.--bed7fada/episodes)
- Learn more about [Auth0](https://auth0.com/)
- Learn more about the sponsor for this season, the [OpenID Foundation](https://openid.net/foundation/)

<include src="asides/IdentityUnlocked" />

<include src="asides/AboutAuth0" />

Identity, Unlocked... Explained: Season 2 Ep 7

df6c864847fba9687d962cb80b482764?size=200 avatar

df6c864847fba9687d962cb80b482764?size=200

Martin Gontovnikas, a.k.a Gonto, is a software engineer at heart who moved to the ‘dark side’ and became VP of Marketing at Auth0. He considers himself lucky to have found a way to combine his two passions and apply his engineering thinking model to marketing.<br/><br/> Gonto’s analytical thinking is a huge driver of his data-driven approach to marketing strategy and experimental design. He is based in the Bay area, and in his spare time, can be found eating gourmet food at the best new restaurants, visiting every local brewery he can find, or traveling the globe in search of new experiences.

Former SVP of Marketing and Growth at Auth0

Martin Gontovnikas

A new password manager and improved UX lead to quick, safer search.



With updates every six weeks, Google is constantly improving their Chrome browser. But for its ten-year anniversary, Google wanted to give their users a special reason to celebrate. And they delivered with their most recent Chrome update. 

![New UI and features of Google Chrome browser](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/vDmVepxBP7oYXs1FyrsvS/67526580ff6011181a887216df198fbe/google-chrome-a-new-look)

Perhaps you've already peeked at the changes (it launched in early September). But with all of the new details it packs in, even the most up-to-date teams might not have dug in far enough. While some of the updates are undetectable, there are a few more prominent ones that teams using Chrome should understand and employ.

This is a first indication of what is to come in search updates from the giants over at Google. For teams looking to increase productivity — and especially security — we've saved you the trouble of sifting through the details on your own.

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="Google is releasing a new Chrome that will improve employee security and productivity."/>

## Chrome's New Password Manager Reduces Chances of Hacking

With a freshly re-imagined password manager, this Chrome update has made it easier for employees to avoid password recycling and improve password storage. This is more important than you might think. According to a recent study, poor passwords are responsible for [81 percent of data breaches](https://www.myndnow.com/news/bismarck-news/poor-passwords-responsible-for-81-of-company-data-breaches/1344822736). Over 70 percent of employees reuse the same password on multiple sites at work — and many of these recycled passwords are easy to hack in the first place. 

Some easily-detectable employee password examples include:

* 123456
* qwerty
* password
* abc123

(The above data is from [Troy Hunt's sample](https://www.troyhunt.com/86-of-passwords-are-terrible-and-other-statistics/) of more than half a billion passwords that were previously implicated in data breaches.)

The [2012 Dropbox data breach](https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/30/dropbox-employees-password-reuse-led-to-theft-of-60m-user-credentials/), which took the company four years to discover, resulted in the theft of 60 million user credentials due to one employee reusing a password.

Convinced that well-crafted passwords are important? Google agrees.

It has evolved its password-saving function (for easier log-ins and payments) to include a unique password generator along with speedy, more accurate form filling. This is designed to help teams use more diverse and complex passwords.

![Google Chrome's built-in recommended password generator example](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/2XBCoxAqohI63tutNIOafV/15c757387aea7a476090158bb2829143/chrome-built-in-password-generator)

On sites that require passwords, Chrome will suggest hard-to-hack options. One of the most substantial of Chrome's updates, the password manager will save newly created passwords directly to your Google account. Employees can manage them within their accounts or directly in the Chrome toolbar. 

Though password security is crucial, this improvement may seem subtle compared to some of the more eye-popping features in this Chrome update. Let's move onto the new Chrome UI, design, and productivity features.

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="The new Chrome now includes a built-in password generator."/>

## A Reimagined Browser Makes Search Faster and Organization Easier

It's clear that Google is focused on making its users more productive. Over and above the rapid generation and storage of passwords, it delivers a valuable interface and design for everyday browsing.

A rounded tab scheme, as opposed to the straight edges in the former version, creates more space to manage web pages and documents across your open tabs. 

![Google Chrome's new UI and rounded design](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/7zhFexF0zeF2HA8mzd6qgT/d89ca63d2a3971466a1aa24358c836e9/chrome-makes-search-faster)

The [improved UX](https://blog.nomnominsights.com/ux-uncensored-what-ux-and-product-people-say-when-nobodys-looking/) allows more space for website icons - the key to differentiating tabs on your browser. Even with fifty tabs open on one window, all fifty icons would be in view. 

You can also search for a specific page in Google's Omnibox - the main hybrid address and search bar. The Omnibox will now tell you if that page is already open, and a click of the new ‘Switch to this tab' option will take you directly there.

Google has already promised an even smarter Omnibox that can search your files from your Google Drive directly. As Chrome evolves, getting yourself to the right page will only continue to get faster and easier.

Employees in the U.S. spend an average of [eight hours a day working](https://www.bls.gov/charts/american-time-use/emp-by-ftpt-job-edu-h.htm) (and this is well below the averages of many high-performance roles in industries like finance and law). [Increasing employee productivity](http://blog.idonethis.com/productivity-software/) is critical to keeping teams on track and competitive, even if that means shaving off seconds with improved browser organization and search functions. These will add up over time, freeing up team members to dig into the most valuable tasks.

### It's not all about desktop: Chrome includes mobile browsing updates

Mobile search has also drastically improved, thanks to Google's careful consideration of one-handed, on-the-go features. 

![Chrome mobile browser updates](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/4rg6oIKMw8sGkldmrucn2k/50bbd13bf308a0a0097c4021c4d3adc1/new-chrome-on-mobile-as-well)

Searching with one hand becomes exceedingly more convenient when you don't have to reach the top of the screen. The keyboard appears simply by clicking the new search button at thumb's length.

Google also makes it easier to jump between tabs on your phone by keeping the tab count next to the bottom search button. 

Click through to open tabs and you'll see the same rounded redesign from the desktop version on both iOS and Android. With a full view of each open page, the new look helps make your mobile tabs even more intuitive than on your desktop. Plus, this look matches up with the new Google Drive on your desktop, giving an even more cohesive feel to the whole Google family. 

In 2017, [49.7 percent](https://www.statista.com/topics/779/mobile-internet/) of web page views worldwide were on mobile devices — and mobile data traffic is projected to increase 7X by 2021. As more employees work remotely, travel, and rely on mobile devices, these small tweaks that Chrome has rolled out for iOS will make a difference.

## The Future of Search: What's Ahead For Teams That Use Chrome

Today, Chrome is the most heavily used browser, with over 60 percent of users relying on it.

![Statistics - Chrome is the most widely used browser in the world](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/6Dw9jygFbyGYswOASX3Gks/f67b16dd6b64ad92d5949e57e9fc4644/browsers-usage-comparison)

The changes that Google makes will have far-reaching consequences for employee security and agility at work, helping everyone brace themselves in an [increasingly complex threat environment](https://auth0.com/blog/3-critical-lessons-from-the-t-mobile-data-breach/). 

While this Chrome update has provided the internet with a new look, tighter security, and more productive tabs, the real excitement comes in a reimagined future for upcoming Chrome models. 

With rumors of a [_URL-less browser_](https://www.digitaltrends.com/web/google-wants-to-kill-urls-to-make-the-internet-safer/) for safer browsing and further implementation of artificial intelligence, there's a lot in store that's bound to make life increasingly more efficient. 

Google has also indicated more "under the hood" security updates in 2018, including an improved ad filter to [_site isolation_](https://security.googleblog.com/2018/07/mitigating-spectre-with-site-isolation.html).

Lastly, Google also gave us a first glimpse into smart search bar answers—a convenient way to get answers to straightforward questions. For example, when you search for the weather, Chrome will give you the answer directly into the search bar - rather than taking you to a search engine page first.

![Chrome Omnibox search features include giving you answers directly in the search bar](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/4vMgV5Hlxjsl3Poo171YNz/acbca889e63916c5ef09fcab2ccf245c/new-features-on-google-chrome)

With a deliberate focus on simple questions, this feature is designed for the moments when all you need is a quick explanation or an immediate reminder on a piece of trivia or even a language translation. 

As the Omnibox becomes increasingly smarter, the future of search is rapidly unfurling before our eyes. Google intends to continually improve how users find information—and keep it safe—in 2018 and beyond.

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="Chrome, the most popular browser in the world has a new version with a lot of great features.."/>

<include src="asides/AboutAuth0" />


New Chrome Improves Employee Security and Productivity

001c9ddc5ceb9829b6aaf24f5d28502a

I am software developer with a keen interest in open-source technologies, Linux, and native development. I've worked on many different platforms Android, iOS, Win32, Linux, FreeRTOS, the Web, and others. I've gone through the whole stack and I enjoy learning and using the latest technologies. I now work as a full-stack developer at Auth0.

Senior Engineer

Sebastian Peyrott

We have released new versions of JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension, learn what's new.



We have released another round of updates for our [JWT.io](https://jwt.io/) website and the JWT Debugger extensions ([Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd), [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/jwtio-debugger)). Among the new features are [HMAC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAC) secret length hints, common claim descriptions, simplified library updates for the website, a share button for the website, support for plain RSA public keys, and more token types can be passed in the URL! In this post, we will go over these new features.

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="A new round of updates for JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extensions have been released!"/>

---

## JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension
[JSON Web Tokens (JWTs)](https://jwt.io/introduction/) are a convenient way to exchange claims between parties. The key features of JWTs are their simple format (Base64-encoded JSON) and the use of signatures and/or encryption. [JWT.io](https://jwt.io/) provides a convenient way to debug and inspect [JSON Web Tokens (JWTs)](https://auth0.com/e-books/jwt-handbook), along with an introduction to some of the key concepts behind them. It also provides a list of libraries and frameworks that can be used with them in many different programming languages.

The JWT Debugger extensions ([Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd), [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/jwtio-debugger)) are the [Web Extension](https://browserext.github.io/browserext/) versions of JWT.io. The debugger has the same features as the website but can be used offline. It also provides additional features like automatic inspection of web storage and cookies to easily find and edit JWTs in websites!

Now, let's go over the new features of this release!

## New Features
### HMAC Secret Length Hints
As [we have seen on our blog before](https://auth0.com/blog/brute-forcing-hs256-is-possible-the-importance-of-using-strong-keys-to-sign-jwts/), the length of the HMAC secret is one of the fundamental properties to ensure it cannot be brute forced. For this reason, we have added two hints:

- The default secret for all HMAC token examples now hints at the minimum required length.

![Default secret for HS256 example](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/7bsOiqkha9rbIRXBIaeVhm/ffafe28856d614488a591a39dcdf4cbc/1-hmac-hint-1)

- When typing, a tooltip appears if the secret is too short to be considered safe.

<video src="https://cdn.auth0.com/blog/jwt-io-updates-2/2-hmac-hint-2.mp4" controls autoplay loop></video>

Do note, however, that length is not the only thing that is important for secrets. They must also be hard to guess, or, in other words, completely random.

### Share Button
A `share button` to easily pass tokens in URL form has been requested many times, and indeed, it was already available in the extension. Now it is also available on the website!

<video src="https://cdn.auth0.com/blog/jwt-io-updates-2/3-share-button.mp4" controls autoplay loop></video>

### Easy Library Updates
Since its inception, adding a new library to the library list at JWT.io has been a cumbersome process. Several [Pug](https://pugjs.org/) and CSS files needed to be edited. Furthermore, editing an existing library had its problems too: to change features one had to remember class names, for example. We have finally modernized the process. Now libraries are located in the `views/website/libraries` folder. There, you will find a JSON file for each language or framework. Inside the JSON file you'll see something like this:

```json
{
  "name": "Node.js",
  "uniqueClass": "node",
  "image": "/img/2.svg",
  "bgColor": "rgb(138, 194, 68)",
  "libs": [
    {
      "minimumVersion": "4.2.2",
      "support": {
        "sign": true,
        "verify": true,
        "iss": false,
        "sub": false,
        "aud": true,
        "exp": true,
        "nbf": false,
        "iat": false,
        "jti": false,
        "hs256": true,
        "hs384": true,
        "hs512": true,
        "rs256": true,
        "rs384": true,
        "rs512": true,
        "es256": true,
        "es384": true,
        "es512": true
      },
      "authorUrl": "https://github.com/auth0",
      "authorName": "Auth0",
      "gitHubRepoPath": "auth0/node-jsonwebtoken",
      "repoUrl": "https://github.com/auth0/node-jsonwebtoken",
      "installCommandHtml": "npm install jsonwebtoken"
    }
  ]
}
```

Multiple libraries go in the `libs` array. Most of the JSON file is self-explanatory, but some values are optional. For full details, check out the [README](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/blob/master/README.md) file.

To add a language or framework, a new JSON file must be created. The name of the file should start with a number, followed by a name, and end with `.json`. No further changes are required (other than editing the contents of the file).

It really is that simple!

### JWT.io as OpenID Connect Callback
One of the uses that JWT.io originally supported, was to be set as the callback for OpenID Connect operations (you can do this from the Auth0 Dashboard). That way, after a successful login, developers could be sent automatically to JWT.io with the returned token in the editor. This was disabled a long time ago during refactors. But now, that feature is back!

<video src="https://cdn.auth0.com/blog/jwt-io-updates-2/4-jwt-io-callback.mp4" controls autoplay loop></video>

The following URL parameters are recognized: `access_token`, `id_token`, `token`, and `value`.

<a href="https://auth0.com/signup" data-amp-replace="CLIENT_ID" data-amp-addparams="anonId=CLIENT_ID(cid-scope-cookie-fallback-name)">Sign up for a free Auth0 account</a> to try this out!

### Common Claims Tooltips
In our previous update, we had enabled tooltips for dates in claims. This time, we have extended tooltips to also show a short description of what the claim means.

<video src="https://cdn.auth0.com/blog/jwt-io-updates-2/5-claims-tooltips.mp4" controls autoplay loop></video>

Of course, human-readable dates still work.

### Plain RSA Public Keys
Some RSA implementations work using the [old PEM-encoded RSA public key without the X.509 `SubjectPublicKeyInfo` header](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18039401/how-can-i-transform-between-the-two-styles-of-public-key-format-one-begin-rsa) that is much more common nowadays. Unfortunately, old versions of JWT.io did not support these keys. But that's no longer the case! Plain RSA keys of yore are now supported, try it out!

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="The new round of features for JWT.io include: HMAC secret length hints, a share button, easy library updates, JWT.io as OIDC callback, common claim tooltips, and plain RSA pubkeys!"/>

## Other Changes
Of course, not every change in this release is related to new features. In this release, we have also:

- Merged **all PRs**.
- Added **6 new libraries** (thanks to external contributors!).
- Updates **12 libraries** (thanks again to external contributors!).
- Improved the [README file](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/blob/master/README.md).
- Implemented some **design changes**.
- Passed the **100 combined tests** mark!
- And fixed a good deal of bugs.

<include src="asides/Jwt" />

## What's Next
After all these changes, we will now let the codebase stabilize for a while. Of course, if you find any bugs, please report them in [the bug tracker](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/issues).

But that is not all! We are also thinking of more ways of improving JWT.io. Here are some of the ideas we are considering at the moment:

- Adding a button to clear the last saved token.
- Allowing the selection of different tokens passed in as URL parameters (`access_token` vs `id_token` for example).
- Support more algorithms, such as `ES512` or the [new EdDSA signatures](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8037).
- Undock capability for the extensions (if possible).

What are your thoughts? Don't hesitate to tell us in the comments or by opening an enhancement request in the [bug-tracker](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/issues). Hack on!


Another Round of JWT.io and JWT Debugger Extension Updates



We have released a major update to our [JWT.io](https://jwt.io/) website and the [JWT Debugger](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd) extension based on it. Among the new features, there are new signing algorithms, improved public-key handling, human-readable timestamps, and even [Firefox support](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/jwtio-debugger) for the extension! In this post, we will go over these new features.

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension have been updated with new features!"/>

---

## JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension
[JSON Web Tokens (JWTs)](https://jwt.io/introduction/) are a convenient way to exchange claims between parties. The key features of JWTs are their simple format (Base64-encoded JSON) and the use of signatures and/or encryption. [JWT.io](https://jwt.io/) provides a convenient way to debug and inspect [JSON Web Tokens (JWTs)](https://auth0.com/e-books/jwt-handbook), along with an introduction to some of the key concepts behind them. It also provides a list of libraries and frameworks that can be used with them in many different programming languages.

The [JWT Debugger extension](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd) is the [Web Extension](https://browserext.github.io/browserext/) version of JWT.io. The debugger has the same features as the website but can be used offline. It also provides additional features like automatic inspection of web storage and cookies to easily find and edit JWTs in websites!

New versions of JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension have been released. Let's go over the changes.

## New Features
### New Signing Algorithms
For a long time, JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension only supported the two most popular algorithms: HS256 and RS256. HS256 is an HMAC-based algorithm that relies on a shared secret between parties to produce and verify signatures. On the other hand, RS256 is an RSA-based algorithm, relying on public and private key pairs to sign and verify signatures. The advantages of RS256 are clear: signatures can only be produced by the private-key holder, while verification can be performed by anyone holding the public key. However, the complexity of the implementation for RS256 can make HS256 signatures better for certain use cases (embedded, small devices, etc.).

![New algorithms](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/1NaGCSea11eRFPXlrqP2EO/daed2abf80e328068b91d25647d6f087/1-new-algs)

The new version of JWT.io and the extensions support many more algorithms:

#### HMAC
- HS384
- HS512

These are variants of HS256. HMAC signatures rely on a hash function to produce and verify the signature. In the case of HS256, the hash function is SHA-256. For the other two, the hash functions are SHA-384 and SHA-512. For certain use cases, SHA-512 exhibits better performance than the other two. Security wise, none of these hash functions has been broken.

#### RSA
- RS384
- RS512
- PS256
- PS384

Much like the HMAC counterparts, RSA signatures also rely on a hash function to produce and verify a signature. The same thing changes between RS256, RS384, and RS512.

PS256/384 use a different type of signature (RSA-PSS) that also relies on the RSA algorithm as the baseline. In particular, it uses an encoding method that relies on a random salt value. This produces probabilistic rather than deterministic signatures. It is considered stronger than RS256/384/512 signatures as long as the random salt is truly random. In case the salt is not truly random, it provides the same level of strength as the baseline RSA algorithm

#### ECDSA
- ES256
- ES384

These algorithms rely on the elliptic-curve digital signing algorithm (ECDSA) rather than RSA. The main advantage of ECDSA is that keys can be smaller for a similar level of cryptographic strength. A 256-bit ECDSA key provides a cryptographic strength similar to a 3248-bit RSA key. This makes ECDSA keys better for certain hardware limited devices.

> If you are interested in a detailed rundown of JWT signing algorithms, don't forget to check our [JWT Handbook](https://auth0.com/e-books/jwt-handbook). Chapter 7 goes over all signing algorithms in detail.

#### "none"
JWTs also support setting the `alg` claim to `none`. This means that the JWT is not signed. Unfortunately, this has resulted in [critical vulnerabilities in JSON Web Token libraries](https://auth0.com/blog/critical-vulnerabilities-in-json-web-token-libraries/). For this reason, JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extensions now consider `alg: "none"` tokens always _invalid_.

### Automatic Public-Key Download
Another interesting feature that has been added is automatic public key downloads. Public-key algorithms, such as RSA, RSA-PSS, and ECDSA, rely on public-keys to verify signatures. Public-keys, like their name implies, can be safely shared without compromising the security of the signature. For this reason, it is not uncommon for JWT public-keys to be available either embedded in the token itself, or in a public URL.

JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extensions now attempt to get public keys in different ways according to the claims embedded in the token.

If the token contains both the `iss` and `kid` claims, JWT.io will attempt to download the token from a specially crafted URL. For example:

```javascript
header: {
  kid: 1
},
payload: {
  iss: "https://username.auth0.com/"
}
```

In this case, JWT.io and the extensions will attempt to download the key with `kid = 1` from the special URL `https://username.auth0.com/.well-known/jwks.json`. This is a [common scheme used by Auth0](https://auth0.com/docs/jwks). In other words, all Auth0 JWTs can now be verified in JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension by simply pasting the token!

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="With automatic key downloads, all Auth0 JWTs can now be verified in JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extension by simply pasting the token!"/>

Of course, since the JWK and JWS standards declare other common schemes for specifying keys, these are also supported: the `jwk`, `jku`, `x5c`, and `x5u` claims. These are used to either embed a key within the token (`jwk` and `x5c`) or to declare a URL to get the keys or certificates (`jku` and `x5u`). For example:

```javascript
header: {
  kid: 1,
  jku: "https://username.auth0.com/.well-known/jwks.json"
}
```

In this case, JWT.io and the extensions will attempt to download the key with `kid = 1` from the URL `https://username.auth0.com/.well-known/jwks.json` specified in the `jku` claim.

### Human Readable Timestamps
Several JWT claims are time-based. For instance, the `iat` claim specifies the exact time the JWT was issued at, the `exp` claim specifies the expiration time for the JWT, the `nbf` sets the time when the JWT becomes valid, etc. Unfortunately, these claims are based on the [Unix epoch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time): they specify the number of seconds elapsed since January 1st, 1970. Understanding these values by simply looking at them is hard. For this reason, now JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extensions display a tooltip when the mouse hovers over a supported time claim.

![Human readable timestamps](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/KAGGuSxmdUdMO3YeLBJfh/a21a8482154c72bf97bb527ed7b670b0/2-timestamps)

The supported claims are: `exp`, `iat`, `nbf`, `auth_time`, and `updated_at`.

### Firefox Support
Yes! It's finally here. Ever since the first release of the JWT Debugger extension for Chrome we have received requests for a Firefox version. Now it's here and supports all the features of the Chrome extension. [Get it here](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/jwtio-debugger)!

![JWT Debugger on Firefox](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/3oxA0AoIwuIHbRGmi2gcqh/eb843e039c0aa895d02963ecd0eabb51/3-firefox)

## Streamlined Codebase
Although the new features are the cool part of the release, we have also done a ton of internal work on both JWT.io and the extensions. In particular:

- We have closed over 40 issues and merged over 15 pull requests (some with more libraries!).
- We have synchronized the codebases of JWT.io and the JWT Debugger extensions to always get the latest features out to you, regardless of what you use more.
- We have updated all internal dependencies to the latest versions. This has fixed many bugs here and there and also improved the experience on mobile platforms.
- We have performed a major refactor to improve code quality and latencies during page load. JWT.io is now faster than ever!
- We have added more tests to our test suite. Do check that these pass before submitting new PRs!
- Build scripts are now simpler. Want to contribute? Doing so is as simple as:

Steps:

1. [Checkout from Git](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/).
2. `npm install`
3. `grunt`

That's it! You will now find JWT.io available on [http://localhost:8000](http://localhost:8000) and ready for your changes. The extension is also built but you'll need to load it manually in your browser, see the Chrome or Firefox docs for help with this. The resulting code can always be found in the `dist` folder. Send your PRs!

<include src="asides/Jwt" />

## What's Next
Although we have just finished with these changes, there's still more in our pipeline!

- **Key-length tips:** we will show you tooltips when your shared secrets are not long enough.
- **Share button:** the extensions already support this, now it's coming to JWT.io!
- **Library submission process:** we get tons of PRs with new libraries, we want to formalize the process and setup tools so that you can easily review any steps that are required to add your library to JWT.io

We hope you enjoy all the new features and changes at [JWT.io](https://jwt.io/) and the JWT Debugger extensions. Please report any bugs at the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/jsonwebtoken/jsonwebtoken.github.io/) and don't forget to leave us your comments or requests here or in the issue tracker at GitHub. Cheers!



JWT.io and JWT Debugger Extension Updates

1097492785caf9ffeebffeb624202d8f?s=200 avatar

1097492785caf9ffeebffeb624202d8f?s=200

Prosper is a great speaker, community leader, open source hacker, technical consultant, and a fervent Developer Advocate. He is a full-stack software engineer who has worked on biometric, health and developer tools. Prosper recently co-founded a startup called Eden that’s focused on improving the quality of lives in Nigeria and currently leads the engineering team. He also co-founded forloop, the largest developer community in Africa.

Former Auth0 Employee

Prosper Otemuyiwa

Check out our summary of the Chrome Developer Summit 2017, Day 2.

Chrome Developer Summit 2017 Summary - Day 2

Check out our summary of the Chrome Developer Summit 2017, Day 1.

Chrome Developer Summit 2017 Summary - Day 1

Check out our summary of the recently concluded Chrome Developer Summit.

Chrome Developer Summit 2016 - Summary

bc94ff6211e645a2bdb4fdc60e23ad85

Kassandra Perch

We've created a video showing of some of the cool features of our JWT Debugger for you to see


<include src="Vidyard" id="d8j9Txpk2R5pPLhbtGFFau" />

## Transcript

Hi, this is Kassandra with Auth0, and today we're gonna talk about the new JWT plugin that we've launched. So I've already installed it, and you can see the logo over here, and so I'm gonna click on it. And you can see the debugger. Now, there are quite a few features that are brand-new to this debugger that I want to show you. One of the first ones is this "Open JWT From." So what I'm gonna do is, it says, "Web Storage" and "Cookies," so I'm actually going to use the local storage API to save a JWT into local storage and show you how you can debug it.

Okay, now to do that, what I'm going to do is say, "localStorage.setItem()" with our token. Okay. So now I'm going to reopen the JWT debugger and go to Open JWT From. And as you can see, my token now shows up here. Now it does still say invalid signature, so I'm gonna have to change the secret to the secret I made this key with, and you can now see signature verified, just like with the JWT debugger on the webpage. You can also share JWTs with this button. You copy the URL, and it will send people to the debugger on the website.

One of the other really cool things you can do with the JWT plugin is decode and check RSA signed JWTs. And so I've pasted one in here, and as you can see, it wants my public and private key. I'm gonna put in my public key here, and I'm gonna take my private key off there. And I'm gonna put that here. And as you can see, the signature is now verified. This can come in handy in many, many situations. So basically if you're working on a site using JWTs, you can now pull those JWTs from local storage or cookies, and no matter what you used to encode them, be it a public, private key pair or an HS256 secret, you can debug them in your browser without even having to leave.

Hopefully this will inspire you to [download the debugger yourself](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd?hl=en). I'm Kassandra Perch with Auth0. Thanks for watching.


Learn more about the new JWT Debugger Chrome Extension

Do you like JWT.io? Then you'll love this extension!



Do you find yourself visiting [JWT.io](https://jwt.io) a lot to debug your tokens? Then you'll love what we have in store for you: [JWT.io as a Chrome extension](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd) with extra features!

<include src="TweetQuote" quoteText="Debug JWTs from your browser with our new extension: https://goo.gl/axNsXn"/>

-----

## A New Chrome Extension
We noticed many users rely on [JWT.io](https://jwt.io) to debug their JWTs. And with good reason! The colored visual editor is intuitive and has support for both HMAC and RSA signed JWTs. So we thought: what if we made this available offline for all users with a few extra features? So our [new Chrome extension](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd) was born.

## Features
- Visual JWT editor with coloring:
![JWT Debugger](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/6kNIm4984TkoHc56HSWpw4/12e31ed46fb4001384321f0624273634/editor)

- Support for HS256 (HMAC + SHA256) signed JWTs:
![JWT Debugger HS256 support](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/7HtwQ0sZRJpQzXI8GNIC77/be00c8f35eedbe242c7849cba440e5d2/hs256-2)

- Support for RS256 (RSA) signed JWTs:
![JWT Debugger RS256 support](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/BHrWz3ctLpLumgRPozIUM/7cac276fedfd8956e02c49fc465c16ea/rs256-2)

- Load and save JWTs in cookies and web storage from the current tab:
![JWT Debugger load from cookies/web storage](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/33ZIvbcX2GIIGo3aZbzkaC/c0ae9508862cd211898db57eb8023d0a/load-from)

- Get a shareable URL for your JWTs:
![JWT Debugger shareable URL](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/4Gp39AxqZH41lM9XxOzkjU/af9f4bb9d589ff2100ad78a5f477421e/share-2)

[Try it out now](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jwt-debugger/ppmmlchacdbknfphdeafcbmklcghghmd) and give us your feedback! Can you think of any other features you'd love to have? Tell us below in the comments or through Chrome's Web Store.

<include src="asides/Jwt" />


"chrome"