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The ABCs of token security: JWS, JWE, JWK, and JWKS explained

Blog post from WorkOS

Post Details
Company
Date Published
Author
Maria Paktiti
Word Count
2,197
Language
English
Hacker News Points
-
Summary

The article explains the importance of token security in web applications using JSON Web Tokens (JWTs). It introduces four key technologies: JWS (JSON Web Signature), JWE (JSON Web Encryption), JWK (JSON Web Key), and JWKS (JSON Web Key Set). These technologies work together to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and authenticity of JWTs. The article provides a detailed explanation of how each technology works, including signing, encrypting, verifying, and managing keys. It also covers when to use each technology based on security requirements. Understanding these technologies is essential for securing web applications and protecting sensitive data.