ID Token vs Access Token: What are the Key Differences?
Blog post from Ory
OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect differentiate between ID tokens and access tokens, each serving distinct purposes, which is crucial for maintaining security. ID tokens, always in JSON Web Token (JWT) format, authenticate the user and provide identity information to the client application, such as a user's name and email, and are intended for use by the client's frontend, mobile app, or single-page application. In contrast, access tokens, which can be JWTs or opaque strings, authorize actions by granting permission to call protected APIs, and are meant for resource servers or APIs to validate. Confusing these tokens can result in security vulnerabilities, such as identity data leakage or improper authorization decisions. Proper token management involves understanding their structure, validating them correctly based on the issuer and audience claims, and ensuring that ID tokens are not used as authorization credentials, while access tokens should not be decoded for user identity information. In systems where machine-to-machine communication occurs, access tokens are used without minting ID tokens, following the OAuth 2.0 client credentials grant. Tools like Ory Hydra and Ory Keto help in implementing token-based identity and authorization, ensuring secure and standards-compliant token flows for both human and machine identities.
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