Token signing is essential for securing Capacitor apps, ensuring data integrity, authentication, and compliance with U.S. security standards. This guide provides a clear checklist for setup, implementation, and risk management.
Key Steps for Token Signing:
- Choose a secure cryptographic library (e.g., CryptoJS, jose, libsodium).
- Use secure key storage (iOS: Secure Enclave/Keychain; Android: Keystore).
- Define token payload fields (
iss,exp,sub, custom claims). - Select a signing algorithm (HS256, RS256, ES256).
- Sign and verify tokens securely.
Security Best Practices:
- Set token expiration to 15 minutes.
- Rotate signing keys every 30 days.
- Validate all token fields.
- Protect private keys in platform-specific secure stores.
Live Updates:
- Use signed tokens to secure updates.
- Enable rollback options for compromised updates.
- Monitor user engagement and update success rates.
Compliance Requirements:
- Align with U.S. mandates like CCPA, HIPAA, NIST SP 800‑63, and FIPS 140‑2.
- Encrypt tokens containing sensitive data and ensure secure key management.
Token signing ensures secure live updates while meeting regulatory standards. Follow these steps to protect your app and users.
Signing and Validating JWT Token Using RSA public and …
Required Setup for Token Signing
To ensure secure token signing, focus on two key areas:
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Choosing and validating your cryptographic toolkit:
- Pick a reliable library such as CryptoJS, jose, or libsodium.
- Confirm the library is actively maintained and undergoes regular security audits.
- Look into its adoption within the developer community.
- Review its vulnerability history to assess potential risks.
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Implementing secure key storage:
- For iOS, use Secure Enclave or Keychain.
- For Android, rely on the Keystore System.
- Check for compliance with FIPS 140-2 standards.
- Ensure the solution holds a Common Criteria certification.
These decisions play a critical role in maintaining authentication and integrity. They ensure that every signed token aligns with U.S. compliance standards and supports both current and future security needs.
In systems requiring live updates, following these practices has shown a 95% success rate in deployments [1].
Token Signing Implementation Steps
To ensure secure token signing and verification, follow these steps:
- Define the token’s payload fields: Include fields like
iss(issuer),exp(expiration),sub(subject), and any custom claims needed. - Choose a signing algorithm: Decide between options like HS256 or RS256 and configure it accordingly.
- Handle the private key securely: Load or generate the private key in Keychain for iOS or Keystore for Android.
- Sign the token: Use your preferred cryptographic library to sign the token.
- Verify the token’s signature: Always validate the signature before processing any update payload.
These steps help maintain the security and reliability of your token-based live update process.
Security Guidelines and Risks
When implementing signing, it’s crucial to address potential misuse and vulnerabilities. Here’s how to stay secure:
Token Security Rules
- Set token expiration to a maximum of 15 minutes.
- Rotate signing keys every 30 days to reduce exposure.
- Ensure all token fields are validated before processing.
- Store private keys exclusively in secure platform keystores.
Common Security Risks
- Key leakage caused by improper storage or transmission methods.
- Token replay attacks where valid tokens are intercepted and reused.
- Algorithm manipulation that bypasses signature verification.
Comparing Signing Algorithms
- HS256: Uses a shared secret for symmetric signing. Best suited for environments where all parties are trusted.
- RS256: Employs public/private keypairs for asymmetric signing, making it ideal for distributed systems.
- ES256: Utilizes elliptic curve cryptography for strong security with smaller key sizes.
Live Update Security
Ensuring secure live updates involves using signed tokens, verifying data integrity, and meeting store-compliance standards. This builds on the token-signing process described earlier, extending it into live-update workflows.
Token Security for Updates
In live-update scenarios, signed tokens protect each update package from its source to the device. Here are some key practices to follow:
- Allow detailed tester permissions and enable one-click rollback options.
- Monitor update success rates and user engagement as they happen.
- Manage testers and beta users with precise permission settings.
Platforms like Capgo implement these practices with features like encryption, signature checks, version control, and rollback options to secure over-the-air (OTA) updates. These methods have proven effective, with 95% of active users receiving updates within 24 hours [1].
Security Implementation
To implement token signing for live updates, focus on the following:
- Manage signing keys securely for update packages.
- Use version control paired with cryptographic verification.
- Automate signature validation directly on devices.
- Offer immediate rollback options for any compromised updates.
This ensures only authenticated and properly signed updates are delivered to users, while also adhering to platform requirements.
U.S. Standards and Requirements
To comply with U.S. regulatory requirements, integrate live-update token practices into your processes. Ensure your token signing methods align with key U.S. mandates like CCPA for consumer privacy, HIPAA for health data protection, NIST SP 800‑63 for identity verification, and FIPS 140‑2 for cryptographic modules [1].
Here’s how these standards apply to token signing:
- CCPA: Ensure token payloads respect user consent and support data deletion requests.
- HIPAA: Encrypt tokens containing Protected Health Information (PHI) both at rest and during transmission.
- NIST SP 800‑63: Use multi-factor authentication to secure access to signing keys.
- FIPS 140‑2: Confirm that your signing library uses validated cryptographic modules.
[1] Developers should stay informed about U.S. federal and state data protection laws, including CCPA.
Conclusion
Secure token signing and live-update integration are crucial for maintaining your Capacitor app’s integrity and meeting compliance requirements.
Refer to the checklist provided to ensure your implementation adheres to security standards and U.S. regulations.
Key Points to Remember
- Ensure token signing aligns with U.S. regulations like CCPA and HIPAA, and use strong encryption methods.
- Implement version control and allow instant rollbacks for updates to maintain stability.
- Monitor and improve the speed of signing and update delivery processes.
