serverAuth

ServerAuth is a general term used to describe the set of mechanisms by which a server verifies the identity of a client or requesting entity before granting access to resources. It is a core component of access control and is typically implemented alongside authorization and auditing to form a complete security posture.

A server authentication system may support multiple methods of proving identity. Common approaches include password-based credentials, API keys, and token-based schemes such as JSON Web Tokens (JWT) or opaque tokens. More secure deployments often use certificates and mutual TLS (mTLS), which provide strong cryptographic authentication of both client and server. Modern architectures frequently employ OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for delegated access and single sign-on, or SAML for enterprise federations.

Architecturally, serverAuth can be centralized, with a dedicated authentication service, or embedded within the application or gateway. Sessions can be stateful, with server-stored session data, or stateless, using tokens that carry claims. Best practices emphasize secure credential storage (hashing with salts), strong transport security (TLS), rate limiting, and robust logging for audits and incident response.

Security considerations include protecting against credential theft and replay attacks, ensuring proper token lifetimes, and defending against misconfigurations in middleware or proxies. In practice, serverAuth is used in web applications, APIs, microservices, and other systems where controlled access to resources is required, often enabling features like single sign-on and multi-factor authentication.