jose

"JSON Web Almost Everything" - JWA, JWS, JWE, JWT, JWK, JWKS for Node.js with minimal dependencies

Implemented specs & features

The following specifications are implemented by jose

JSON Web Signature (JWS) - RFC7515
JSON Web Encryption (JWE) - RFC7516
JSON Web Key (JWK) - RFC7517
JSON Web Algorithms (JWA) - RFC7518
JSON Web Token (JWT) - RFC7519
JSON Web Key Thumbprint - RFC7638
JWS Unencoded Payload Option - RFC7797
CFRG Elliptic Curve ECDH and Signatures - RFC8037
secp256k1 EC Key curve support - JOSE Registrations for WebAuthn Algorithms

The test suite utilizes examples defined in RFC7520 to confirm its JOSE implementation is correct.

Available JWT validation profiles

Generic JWT
OIDC ID Token - OpenID Connect Core 1.0
(draft 04) OIDC Logout Token - OpenID Connect Back-Channel Logout 1.0
(draft 06) OAuth 2.0 JWT Access Tokens - JWT Profile for OAuth 2.0 Access Tokens

Support

If you or your business use jose, please consider becoming a sponsor so I can continue maintaining it and adding new features carefree.

Documentation

jose API Documentation

Usage

For the best performance Node.js version >=12.0.0 is recommended, but ^10.13.0 lts/dubnium is also supported.

Installing jose

npm install jose

Usage

const jose = require('jose')
const {
  JWE,   // JSON Web Encryption (JWE)
  JWK,   // JSON Web Key (JWK)
  JWKS,  // JSON Web Key Set (JWKS)
  JWS,   // JSON Web Signature (JWS)
  JWT,   // JSON Web Token (JWT)
  errors // errors utilized by jose
} = jose

Keys and KeyStores

Prepare your Keys and KeyStores. See the documentation for more.

const key = jose.JWK.asKey(fs.readFileSync('path/to/key/file'))

const jwk = { kty: 'EC',
  kid: 'dl4M_fcI7XoFCsQ22PYrQBkuxZ2pDcbDimcdFmmXM98',
  crv: 'P-256',
  x: 'v37avifcL-xgh8cy6IFzcINqqmFLc2JF20XUpn4Y2uQ',
  y: 'QTwy27XgP7ZMOdGOSopAHB-FU1JMQn3J9GEWGtUXreQ' }
const anotherKey = jose.JWK.asKey(jwk)

const keystore = new jose.JWKS.KeyStore(key, anotherKey)

JWT vs JWS

The JWT module provides IANA registered claim type and format validations on top of JWS as well as convenience options for verifying UNIX timestamps, setting maximum allowed JWT age, verifying audiences, and more.

The JWS module on the other hand handles the other JWS Serialization Syntaxes with all their additional available features and allows signing of any payload, i.e. not just serialized JSON objects.

JWT Signing

Sign with a private or symmetric key with plethora of convenience options. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWT.sign(
  { 'urn:example:claim': 'foo' },
  privateKey,
  {
    algorithm: 'PS256',
    audience: 'urn:example:client_id',
    expiresIn: '1 hour',
    header: {
      typ: 'JWT'
    },
    issuer: 'https://op.example.com'
  }
)

JWT Verifying

Verify with a public or symmetric key with plethora of convenience options. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWT.verify(
  'eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJQUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6IjRQQXBsVkJIN0toS1ZqN0xob0RFM0VVQnNGc0hvaTRhSmxBZGstM3JuME0ifQ.eyJ1cm46ZXhhbXBsZTpjbGFpbSI6ImZvbyIsImF1ZCI6InVybjpleGFtcGxlOmNsaWVudF9pZCIsImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3AuZXhhbXBsZS5jb20iLCJpYXQiOjE1NTEyOTI2MjksImV4cCI6MTU1MTI5NjIyOX0.nE5fgRL8gvlStf_wB4mJ0TSXVmhJRnUVQuZ0ts6a1nWnnk0Rv69bEJ12BoMdpyPrGa_W6dxU4HFj89F4pQwW0kqBK2-TZ_n9lq-iqupj46w_lpKOfPC3clVc7ZmqYF81bEA-nX93cSKqVV-qPNPEFenb8XHKszYhBFu_uiRg9rXj2qXVU7PXGJAGTzhVgVxB-3XDB1bQ_6KiDCwzVPftrHxEYLydRCaHzggDg6sAFUhQqhPguKuE2gs6jVUh_gIL2RXeoLoinx6gZ72rfovaOmud-yzNIUN8Tvo0pqBmx0s_lEhTlfrQCzN7hZNmV1eG0GDDE-S_CfZhPePnVJZoRA',
  publicKey,
  {
    issuer: 'https://op.example.com',
    audience: 'urn:example:client_id',
    algorithms: ['PS256']
  }
)

Verifying OIDC ID Tokens (Click to expand)

ID Token is a JWT, but profiled, there are additional requirements to a JWT to be accepted as an ID Token and it is pretty easy to omit some, use the JWT.IdToken.verify API to make sure what you're accepting is really an ID Token meant to your Client. This will then perform all doable validations given the input. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWT.IdToken.verify(
  'eyJhbGciOiJQUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCIsImtpZCI6InIxTGtiQm8zOTI1UmIyWkZGckt5VTNNVmV4OVQyODE3S3gwdmJpNmlfS2MifQ.eyJzdWIiOiJmb28iLCJub25jZSI6ImE1MWNjZjA4ZjRiYmIwNmU4ODcxNWRkYzRiYmI0MWQ4IiwiYXVkIjoidXJuOmV4YW1wbGU6Y2xpZW50X2lkIiwiZXhwIjoxNTYzODg4ODMwLCJpYXQiOjE1NjM4ODUyMzAsImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3AuZXhhbXBsZS5jb20ifQ.RKCZczgICF5G9XdNDSwe4dolGauQHptpFKPzahA2wYGG2HKrKhyC8ZzqpeVc8cbntuqFBgABJVv6_9YICRx_dgwPYydTpZfZYjHnxrdWF9QsIPEGs672mrnhqIXUnXoseZ0TF6GOq6P7Qbf6gk1ru7TAbr_ieyJnNWcJhh5iHpz1k3mFz0TyTh7UNXshtQXftPUipqz4OBni5r9UaZXHw8B3QYOnms8__GJ3owOxaqkr1jgRs_EWqMlBNjPaj7ElVaeBWljDKuoK673tH0heSpgzUmUX_W8IDUVqs33uglpZwAQC7cAA5mGEg2odcRpvpP5M-WaP4RE9dl9jzcYmrw',
  keyOrStore,
  {
    issuer: 'https://op.example.com',
    audience: 'urn:example:client_id',
    nonce: 'a51ccf08f4bbb06e88715ddc4bbb41d8',
    algorithms: ['PS256']
  }
)

Note: Depending on the channel you receive an ID Token from the following claims may be required and must also be checked: at_hash, c_hash or s_hash. Use e.g. oidc-token-hash to validate those hashes after getting the ID Token payload and signature validated by jose

Verifying OAuth 2.0 JWT Access Tokens (Click to expand)

Draft specification profiles are updated as minor versions of the library, therefore, since they may have breaking changes use the ~ semver operator when using these and pay close attention to changelog and the drafts themselves.

When accepting a JWT-formatted OAuth 2.0 Access Token there are additional requirements for the JWT to be accepted as an Access Token according to the specification and it is pretty easy to omit some. Use the JWT.AccessToken.verify API to make sure what you're accepting is really a JWT Access Token meant for your Resource Server. This will then perform all doable validations given the input. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWT.AccessToken.verify(
  'eyJhbGciOiJQUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6ImF0K0pXVCIsImtpZCI6InIxTGtiQm8zOTI1UmIyWkZGckt5VTNNVmV4OVQyODE3S3gwdmJpNmlfS2MifQ.eyJzdWIiOiJmb28iLCJjbGllbnRfaWQiOiJ1cm46ZXhhbXBsZTpjbGllbnRfaWQiLCJhdWQiOiJ1cm46ZXhhbXBsZTpyZXNvdXJjZS1zZXJ2ZXIiLCJleHAiOjE1NjM4ODg4MzAsImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3AuZXhhbXBsZS5jb20iLCJzY29wZSI6ImFwaTpyZWFkIn0.UYy8vEGWS0cS24giCYobMMy9-bqI45p807yV1l-2WXX2J4UO-eohV_R58LE2oM88gl414c6XydO6QSYXul5roNPoOs41jpEvreQIP-HmegjbWGutktWJKfvoOblE5FjYwjrwStjLQGUzkq6KWcnDLPGmpFy7n6gZ4LF8YVz4dLEaO335hMNVNrmSPSXYqr7bAWybnLVpLxjDYwNfCO1g0_TlFx8fHh2OftHoOOmJFltFwb8JypkSB-JXVVSEh43IOEjeeMJIG_ylWIOxfLLi5Q7vPWgub83ZTkuGNe4KmlQJKIsH5k0yZSshsLYUOOH0RiXqQ-SA4Ubh3Fowigdu-g',
  keyOrStore,
  {
    issuer: 'https://op.example.com',
    audience: 'urn:example:resource-server',
    algorithms: ['PS256']
  }
)

Verifying OIDC Logout Token (Click to expand)

Logout Token is a JWT, but profiled, there are additional requirements to a JWT to be accepted as an Logout Token and it is pretty easy to omit some, use the JWT.LogoutToken.verify API to make sure what you're accepting is really an Logout Token meant to your Client. This will then perform all doable validations given the input. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWT.LogoutToken.verify(
  'eyJhbGciOiJQUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJmb28iLCJhdWQiOiJ1cm46ZXhhbXBsZTpjbGllbnRfaWQiLCJpYXQiOjE1NjM4ODg4MzAsImp0aSI6ImhqazMyN2RzYSIsImlzcyI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb3AuZXhhbXBsZS5jb20iLCJldmVudHMiOnsiaHR0cDovL3NjaGVtYXMub3BlbmlkLm5ldC9ldmVudC9iYWNrY2hhbm5lbC1sb2dvdXQiOnt9fX0.SBi7uNUvjHL9TFoFzautGgTQ1MjyeGUNYHL7inpgq3XgTv6xc9EAKuPRtpixmhdNhmInGwUvAeqDSJxomwv1KK1cTndrC9zAMZ7h657BGQAwGhu7nTm41fWMpKQdiLa9sqp3yit5_FNBmqUNeOoMPrYT_Vl9ytsoNO89MUQy2aqCd-Z7BrNJZH0QycdW6dmYlrmZL7w3t3TaAXoJDJ4Hgl2Itkkkb6_6gO-VoPIdVD8sDuf1zQzGhIkmcFrk0fXczVYOkeF2hNYBuvsM8LuO-EPA3oyE2In9djai3M7yceTQetRa1vwlqWkg_xmYS59ry-6wT44aN7-Y6p0TdXm-Zg',
  keyOrStore,
  {
    issuer: 'https://op.example.com',
    audience: 'urn:example:client_id',
    algorithms: ['PS256']
  }
)

JWS Signing

Sign with a private or symmetric key using compact serialization. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWS.sign(
  { sub: 'johndoe' },
  privateKey,
  { kid: privateKey.kid }
)

JWS Verifying

Verify with a public or symmetric key. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWS.verify(
  'eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJqb2huZG9lIn0.T_SYLQV3A5_kFDDVNuoadoURSEtuSOR-dG2CMmrP-ULK9xbIf2vYeiHOkvTrnqGlWEGBGxYtsP1VkXmNsi1uOw',
  publicKey
)

JWE Encrypting

Encrypt using the recipient's public key or a shared symmetrical secret. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWE.encrypt(
  'eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJqb2huZG9lIn0.T_SYLQV3A5_kFDDVNuoadoURSEtuSOR-dG2CMmrP-ULK9xbIf2vYeiHOkvTrnqGlWEGBGxYtsP1VkXmNsi1uOw',
  publicKey,
  { kid: publicKey.kid }
)

JWE Decrypting

Decrypt using the private key or a shared symmetrical secret. See the documentation for more.

jose.JWE.decrypt(
  'eyJlbmMiOiJBMTI4Q0JDLUhTMjU2IiwiYWxnIjoiRUNESC1FUyIsImVwayI6eyJrdHkiOiJFQyIsImNydiI6IlAtMjU2IiwieCI6IkVsUGhsN1ljTVZsWkhHM0daSkRoOVJhemNYYlN2VFNheUF6aTBINFFtRUEiLCJ5IjoiM0hDREJTRy12emd6cGtLWmJqMU05UzVuUEJrTDBBdFM4U29ORUxMWE1SayJ9fQ..FhmidRo0twvFA7jcfKFNJw.o112vgiG_qUL1JR5WHpsErcxxgaK_FAa7vCWJ--WulndLpdwdRXHd9k3aL_k8K67xoAThrt10d7dSY2TlPpHdYkw979u0V-C4TNrpzNkv5jpBjU6hHyKpoGZfEsiTD1ivHaFy3ZLCTS69kN_eVKsZGLVf_dkq6Sz6bWE4-ln_fuwukPyMvjTyaTreLjPLBZW.ocKwptCm4Zn437L5hWFnHg',
  privateKey
)

Detailed Support Matrix

JWK Key Types	Supported	`kty` value	`crv` values
RSA	✓	RSA
Elliptic Curve	✓	EC	P-256, secp256k1^[1], P-384, P-521
Octet Key Pair	✓	OKP	Ed25519, Ed448^[1], X25519^[1], X448^[1]
Octet sequence	✓	oct

Serialization	JWS Sign	JWS Verify	JWE Encrypt	JWE Decrypt
Compact	✓	✓	✓	✓
General JSON	✓	✓	✓	✓
Flattened JSON	✓	✓	✓	✓

JWS Algorithms	Supported
RSASSA-PKCS1-v1_5	✓	RS256, RS384, RS512
RSASSA-PSS	✓	PS256, PS384, PS512
ECDSA	✓	ES256, ES256K^[1], ES384, ES512
Edwards-curve DSA	✓	EdDSA
HMAC with SHA-2	✓	HS256, HS384, HS512
Unsecured JWS	✓	none^[2]

JWE Key Management Algorithms	Supported
AES	✓	A128KW^[1], A192KW^[1], A256KW^[1]
AES GCM	✓	A128GCMKW, A192GCMKW, A256GCMKW
Direct Key Agreement	✓	dir
RSAES OAEP	✓	RSA-OAEP, RSA-OAEP-256^[3], RSA-OAEP-384^[3], RSA-OAEP-512^[3]
RSAES-PKCS1-v1_5	✓	RSA1_5
PBES2	✓	PBES2-HS256+A128KW^[1], PBES2-HS384+A192KW^[1], PBES2-HS512+A256KW^[1]
ECDH-ES	✓^[4]	ECDH-ES, ECDH-ES+A128KW^[1], ECDH-ES+A192KW^[1], ECDH-ES+A256KW^[1]

JWE Content Encryption Algorithms	Supported
AES GCM	✓	A128GCM, A192GCM, A256GCM
AES_CBC_HMAC_SHA2	✓	A128CBC-HS256, A192CBC-HS384, A256CBC-HS512

JWT profile validation	Supported	Stable profile
JWT Access Tokens - JWT Profile for OAuth 2.0 Access Tokens	✓	✕⁵	see `JWT.AccessToken.verify`
ID Token - OpenID Connect Core 1.0	✓	✓	see `JWT.IdToken.verify`
Logout Token - OpenID Connect Back-Channel Logout 1.0	✓	✕⁵	see `JWT.LogoutToken.verify`
JARM - JWT Secured Authorization Response Mode for OAuth 2.0	◯
JWT Response for OAuth Token Introspection	◯
OAuth 2.0 DPoP	◯

Legend:

✓ Implemented
✕ Missing node crypto support / won't implement
◯ TBD

¹ Not supported in Electron due to Electron's use of BoringSSL
² Unsecured JWS is supported for the JWS and JWT sign and verify operations but it is an entirely opt-in behaviour, downgrade attacks are prevented by the required use of a special JWK.Key-like object that cannot be instantiated through the key import API
³ RSAES OAEP using SHA-2 and MGF1 with SHA-2 is only supported when Node.js >=12.9.0 runtime is detected
⁴ ECDH-ES with X25519 and X448 keys is only supported when Node.js ^12.17.0 || >=13.9.0 runtime is detected
⁵ Draft specification profiles are updated as minor versions of the library, therefore, since they may have breaking changes use the ~ semver operator when using these and pay close attention to changelog and the drafts themselves.

FAQ

Semver?

Yes. Everything that's either exported in the TypeScript definitions file or documented is subject to Semantic Versioning 2.0.0. The rest is to be considered private API and is subject to change between any versions.

Although. Draft specification profiles are updated as minor versions of the library, therefore, since they may have breaking changes use the ~ semver operator when using these and pay close attention to changelog and the drafts themselves.

How do I use it outside of Node.js

It is only built for >=10.13.0 Node.js environment - including jose in transpiled browser-environment targeted projects is not supported and may result in unexpected results.

How is it different from `jws`, `jwa` or `jsonwebtoken`?

it supports JWK Key Format for all four key types (oct, RSA, EC and OKP)
it is providing Key and KeyStore abstractions
there is JSON Web Encryption support
it supports all JWS / JWE Serialization Syntaxes
it supports the "crit" member validations to make sure extensions are handled correctly
it is not only validating the signatures, it is making sure the JWE/JWS is syntactically correct, e.g. not having duplicated header parameters between protected/unprotected or per-recipient headers

How is it different from `node-jose`

node-jose is built to work in any javascript runtime, to be able to do that it packs a lot of backfill and javascript implementation code in the form of node-forge, this significantly increases the footprint of the module with dependencies that either aren't ever used or have native implementation available in Node.js already, those are often times faster and more reliable.

What is the ultimate goal?

No dependencies, the moment JWK formatted keys are supported by node's crypto the direct dependency count will go down from 1 to 0. 🚀
Just the API one needs, having used other jose modules for 3+ years I only include what's useful

Why? Just, why?

I was using node-jose for openid-client and oidc-provider and came to realize its shortcomings in terms of performance and API (not having well defined errors).

+ this was an amazing opportunity to learn JOSE as a whole

wunderkind2k1 / jose

jose

Implemented specs & features

Support

Documentation

Usage

Keys and KeyStores

JWT vs JWS

JWT Signing

JWT Verifying

JWS Signing

JWS Verifying

JWE Encrypting

JWE Decrypting

Detailed Support Matrix

FAQ

Semver?

How do I use it outside of Node.js

How is it different from `jws`, `jwa` or `jsonwebtoken`?

How is it different from `node-jose`

What is the ultimate goal?

Why? Just, why?

About

Languages

jose

Implemented specs & features

Support

Documentation

Usage

Keys and KeyStores

JWT vs JWS

JWT Signing

JWT Verifying

JWS Signing

JWS Verifying

JWE Encrypting

JWE Decrypting

Detailed Support Matrix

FAQ

Semver?

How do I use it outside of Node.js

How is it different from jws, jwa or jsonwebtoken?

How is it different from node-jose

What is the ultimate goal?

Why? Just, why?

About

Languages

How is it different from `jws`, `jwa` or `jsonwebtoken`?

How is it different from `node-jose`