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Mohammad Waseem
Mohammad Waseem

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Automating Authentication Flows with Node.js and Open Source Tools

#node #security #automation

Automating Authentication Flows with Node.js and Open Source Tools

In the landscape of modern web applications, security and user experience are paramount. Authentication flows often involve multiple steps, third-party integrations, and complex token exchanges that can become cumbersome if handled manually. As a security researcher, leveraging automation not only enhances efficiency but also ensures consistency and compliance with best practices.

This article explores how to automate authentication flows in Node.js using widely adopted open-source tools, enabling developers and security professionals to streamline secure user authentication processes.

Understanding the Challenge

Authentication involves verifying user identities through various mechanisms such as OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, or SAML. Automating these flows requires orchestrating a series of HTTP requests, managing tokens, and handling redirects, all while maintaining security guarantees.

Key challenges include:

  • Automating token retrieval and refresh
  • Managing OAuth/OIDC authorization code exchanges
  • Handling various callback URLs and state parameters
  • Ensuring secure storage of sensitive credentials and tokens

The Open Source Toolbox

To achieve a robust automation, we’ll utilize open-source tools and libraries:

  • Node.js — Server runtime for scripting
  • axios — Promise-based HTTP client
  • openid-client — Client library for OpenID Connect (supports OAuth 2.0 flows)
  • dotenv — Managing environment variables
  • node-fetch — Fetch API for simpler HTTP requests

Setting Up the Environment

First, set up a Node.js project with the necessary dependencies:

mkdir auth-automation
cd auth-automation
npm init -y
npm install axios openid-client dotenv
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Create a .env file to store your secret keys and endpoints:

CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret
ISSUER_URL=https://identity-provider.com
REDIRECT_URI=http://localhost:3000/callback
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Automating OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect Flows

Step 1: Discover the Identity Provider

The openid-client library simplifies the protocol discovery process:

require('dotenv').config();
const { Issuer } = require('openid-client');

(async () => {
  const issuer = await Issuer.discover(process.env.ISSUER_URL);
  console.log('Discovered issuer %s %O', issuer.issuer, issuer.metadata);

  const client = new issuer.Client({
    client_id: process.env.CLIENT_ID,
    client_secret: process.env.CLIENT_SECRET,
    redirect_uris: [process.env.REDIRECT_URI],
    response_types: ['code'],
  });

  // Generate the authorization URL
  const authUrl = client.authorizationUrl({
    scope: 'openid profile email',
    state: 'randomState123',
  });
  console.log('Navigate to:', authUrl);
  // User should be directed to this URL for login

  // The next step involves handling the callback with code
})();
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Step 2: Automate Token Exchange

Once the user authenticates, the authorization code can be exchanged for tokens:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/callback', async (req, res) => {
  const params = client.callbackParams(req);
  const tokenSet = await client.callback(process.env.REDIRECT_URI, params, { state: 'randomState123' });
  console.log('Tokens:', tokenSet);
  res.send('Authentication successful!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Listening on port 3000');
});
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Step 3: Automate Token Refresh

To maintain session continuity, tokens must be refreshed periodically:

// Refresh tokens
const newTokenSet = await client.refresh(tokenSet.refresh_token);
console.log('Refreshed tokens:', newTokenSet);
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Working with the Automation

This approach allows security researchers and developers to script complex authentication flows, simulate user login sequences, and test security implications in a controlled, repeatable manner. It's particularly useful for penetration testing, security validation, or integrating third-party auth into automated pipelines.

Final Remarks

By combining Node.js with open-source tools like openid-client, automating auth flows becomes manageable and secure. This approach supports scalable testing, continuous integration workflows, and enhances understanding of potential vulnerabilities within authentication processes.

Remember to keep your secrets safe, follow protocol specifications, and adapt according to your identity provider's particularities. Automation simplifies complex processes but must be designed with security best practices at the forefront.

References:

🛠️ QA Tip

To test this safely without using real user data, I use TempoMail USA.

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