Token Validation
Token validation is a security process in software development that verifies the authenticity and integrity of tokens, such as JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) or OAuth tokens, used for authentication and authorization. It involves checking token signatures, expiration times, issuer claims, and audience claims to ensure they are valid and have not been tampered with. This process is critical in modern web and mobile applications to secure API endpoints and user sessions.
Developers should learn token validation to implement secure authentication and authorization systems, especially in distributed applications like microservices or single-page apps where tokens are commonly used. It is essential for preventing unauthorized access, protecting sensitive data, and complying with security standards, such as in OAuth 2.0 flows or JWT-based authentication in RESTful APIs.