🔑 Add JWT Access Token Validation Layer #58
Description
📌 Overview
While API keys provide basic authentication, enterprise applications require stronger, flexible authentication mechanisms. JWT (JSON Web Token) based access provides stateless, secure, and verifiable authentication across distributed services.
This task introduces a JWT Access Token Validation Layer to strengthen authentication and ensure enterprise-grade security for GasGuard APIs.
🎯 Objective
Build a validation layer that:
- Verifies JWT access tokens for all protected endpoints
- Ensures token integrity, expiration, and claims validation
- Works alongside existing API key authentication
- Enables enterprise security compliance and single-sign-on readiness
🛠 Scope of Work
1️⃣ Token Verification
- Validate JWT signature using configured secret or public key
- Check standard claims:
iss(issuer)exp(expiration)aud(audience)sub(subject / user ID)
- Reject tokens that are:
- Invalid / tampered
- Expired
- Missing required claims
Example rejection response:
{
"error": "Unauthorized",
"message": "Invalid or expired JWT access token."
}
## 📊 Deliverables
1. JWT validation middleware
2. Role and permission claim enforcement integration
3. Optional refresh token handling (if implemented)
4. Documentation explaining:
5. Token validation flow
6. Required claims
7. RBAC integration
8. Unit tests (minimum 70% coverage)
9. Updated README