Is it possible to utilize an OAuth token generated from the backend on the frontend of my application?

After reviewing the details of Google's DrEdit sample app in Java, which showcases how to create a simple Drive application and manage authorization on the backend, I have come across an issue. Despite authenticating the app previously, users are still required to log in again when choosing a file from their Drive, which can be quite inconvenient.

The file selection process relies on the Google Picker API, available only in Javascript, leading me to explore options for sharing authorization information between the backend and frontend. Is it possible to directly pass the OAuth token from the backend to the frontend? If so, what is the recommended approach to achieve this?

javajavascriptgoogle-drive-apigoogle-oauth

Answer №1

It is completely acceptable to retrieve a token in this manner. Even though some may view it as snooping, the access token remains just as susceptible to being viewed regardless of where it was generated, whether on the client or server side.

The main challenge lies in ensuring that the token is only downloaded by the authenticated user. There are various methods that can be employed for this purpose, such as:-

  1. User authenticates with your application via server-based OAuth.
  2. The server stores the user's ID or email in a session variable.
  3. When the client requests a token, the session user is used to generate one.

Answer №2

While it may be possible to achieve this (I'm not very knowledgeable about Java, but in Rails, it would be straightforward), the main reason to avoid doing so is for security purposes.

Server-side operations are typically more secure and inaccessible to clients. On the other hand, client-side information is vulnerable. By inspecting elements, a person could potentially access an OAuth token if they knew what to look for.

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