TokenStatus

Tokenstatus is a generic term used in information security and software development to describe the current state of an authentication or authorization token within a system. It indicates whether a token can be used to access resources at a given moment and is typically maintained by the token issuer or the resource server.

Common token statuses include active (valid), expired, revoked (or blacklisted), not yet valid, suspended, and deactivated. Some systems distinguish between a token’s temporal state (such as expiration and not-before claims) and its operational state (for example, revoked due to a security incident).

In practice, status is determined in different ways. Opaque tokens rely on a central authorization server or a revocation/introspection mechanism to confirm their validity. JWTs embed time-based claims like exp and nbf, and rely on signature verification for integrity, while actual revocation may be tracked separately or via a revocation list. OAuth 2.0 Token Introspection provides a standardized way for clients or resource servers to query the issuer about a token’s active state.

Security considerations related to tokenstatus include maintaining short token lifetimes, using token rotation for refresh flows, and implementing robust revocation and revocation-list strategies. It is important to validate token status before granting access and to manage cached status carefully to avoid stale permissions. Proper status handling helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access due to leaked or compromised tokens.

See also: OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, JWT, token revocation, token introspection.