April 2023 Summaries

Single sign-on (SSO) is an authentication method enabling users to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials by establishing trust between a service provider and an identity provider, such as FusionAuth. This trust is built through cryptographic credentials, allowing seamless authentication and reducing password fatigue and IT support tickets. Security is enhanced through additional features like multi-factor authentication without adding complexity to applications. The tutorial demonstrates implementing SSO using Next.js, FusionAuth, and NextAuth.js, highlighting the setup of FusionAuth, application configuration, and user registration. It guides creating a Next.js application, either by cloning an existing demo or building from scratch, with steps for integrating and testing authentication functionality. Configuration involves setting environment variables, and the application is tested by starting a server, logging in using FusionAuth, and verifying user session handling within the app. Future enhancements could involve customizing FusionAuth's appearance, exploring OAuth, and developing a protected page in Next.js.

The Remix framework is a new approach to web development that aims to solve performance issues of React by separating server-side code from client-side functionality. It offers benefits in accessibility through the use of web standards and progressive enhancement, allowing for easy swapping out of various parts of the stack. However, its authentication functionality currently shipped with the basic package does not conform to current best practices, making it necessary to adopt a better solution like FusionAuth. FusionAuth provides a free-to-use OIDC server that can be used with Remix, offering features such as federated login, protection against unauthorized access, and customization of the authentication workflow. By using FusionAuth with Remix, developers can focus on building their app rather than worrying about authentication, and take advantage of its flexibility and deployment options.

You'll create a user action in FusionAuth to flag a user who buys temporary access to a news site, sending emails and webhook notifications. You need Docker and Docker Compose set up, as well as cURL or Postman for testing HTTP requests to the FusionAuth API. First, install and configure FusionAuth using Docker and Docker Compose, then create an application, two users, and an API key. Set up email templates for four different conditions: signup, modify, cancel, and expiration. Create a user action definition with the email template IDs and POST to the /api/user-action route. Record the ID value and verify that the User Action was created in the admin portal. To propagate the message when a user action is taken to sister news sites, set up a webhook by navigating to Settings > Webhooks. Execute the User Action using the api/user/action endpoint, updating the expiry time to be in the future. You can also query the actions API and filter by user and action to verify temporary access.

FusionAuth version 1.45, released on April 10, 2023, introduces several new features and improvements, including enhanced search and pagination capabilities for over ten configuration types, a FusionAuth hosted backend to facilitate integration with single-page applications, and the ability to import Drupal password hashes using the phpass MD5 and SHA-512 algorithms. The update addresses 23 issues, enhancements, and bug fixes, and provides a React SDK for easier authentication processes, eliminating the need for server-side code. Additionally, users are now able to search and paginate through a large number of applications directly from the administrative user interface, improving performance significantly. The release also includes modifications that enhance user profile access and password change requirements. Users are encouraged to review the release notes for a comprehensive understanding of changes and instructions on upgrading both self-hosted and FusionAuth Cloud deployments.

The tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to setting up a React Native application with OAuth authentication using FusionAuth as the auth provider, although the React Native code can work with any OAuth-compliant server. It walks through the installation and configuration of FusionAuth, the setup of a React Native project, and the implementation of an Authorization Code grant with the PKCE extension within the app, highlighting the differences in OAuth architecture between web and mobile environments. The tutorial details configuring both iOS and Android for OAuth by modifying specific files and settings, and it includes steps for securely storing access tokens using the `react-native-keychain` package. The final app displays user information retrieved from an OpenID Connect endpoint after successful authentication. The guide emphasizes best practices, such as using a system browser for authentication instead of an embedded user-agent, and provides code snippets for various implementation steps while encouraging customization and further exploration.

The article describes how the author successfully reduced their company's AWS bill by 16% through the use of AWS Compute Savings Plans, specifically tailored for EC2 instances. It provides insights into why FusionAuth Cloud, which operates authentication services, opted for this cost-saving strategy, emphasizing the benefits of flexibility and minimal time investment. The choice of a one-year, no upfront payment option offered a balance between savings and adaptability to changing needs. The author highlights the benefits of FusionAuth Cloud as a managed service, which alleviates operational burdens for users, and explains the importance of data isolation and the challenges of migrating authentication providers. While acknowledging potential downsides, such as commitment to AWS and the possibility of greater savings with longer terms, the strategy aligns with FusionAuth's focus on growth over optimization. Overall, the approach involves periodically purchasing half of the recommended Compute Savings plan to gradually increase coverage, ensuring cost efficiency with minimal effort.

FusionAuth has introduced Pass-wordle, a password gamification technology that aims to reduce friction and enhance user security through a self-service login process. The system uses color-coded squares to provide hints for users to guess their passwords, with the option to receive additional hints or be locked out after a limited number of incorrect guesses. This new approach is being tested at FusionAuth and has received positive feedback from employees, who have reported enjoying the experience and appreciating the reduced friction in the login process. The company plans to further evolve this technology, introducing Universal Synchronized Authentication, which will eliminate passwords by creating a shared password for every user every 24 hours.