Effective token lifecycle management is critical for securing API authentication and authorization. This chapter covers its principles, implementation in digiRunner, and best practices for ensuring token security.

7.1 Principles, Importance, and Problem-Solving

Fundamentals of Token Lifecycle Management

Tokens serve as a core mechanism for authentication and authorization in API security. Proper token lifecycle management ensures that tokens are issued securely, used appropriately, and revoked when necessary to minimize vulnerabilities.

Common Security Risks Without Proper Token Management

Token Leakage: If tokens are exposed, attackers can gain unauthorized access to protected resources.
Long-Lived Tokens: Tokens with long expiration periods increase the risk of unauthorized use.
Lack of Revocation: Without a proper revocation mechanism, compromised tokens remain active until expiry.

Key Concepts of Token Lifecycle

Token Issuance and Expiration: Defining appropriate token lifetimes to balance security and usability.
Refresh Tokens: Used to obtain new access tokens without requiring full authentication.
Revocation Strategies: Mechanisms for invalidating tokens in case of compromise.

7.2 Implementation in digiRunner

Token Issuance in digiRunner

Configuring Access and Refresh Tokens: Define token expiration policies within digiRunner settings. (Source: Applying Refresh Token)
Adjusting Token Lifetimes Based on API Sensitivity: Critical APIs should have shorter-lived tokens.
Enabling Sliding Expiration: Allows active tokens to extend validity while limiting long-term use.

Revocation Strategies in digiRunner

Real-time Revocation Using Token Introspection: digiRunner supports token introspection to check and invalidate tokens instantly. (Source: Token Revocation)
Blacklist Methods for Managing Revoked Tokens: Maintain a list of invalid tokens that are checked before granting access. (Source: Token Introspection)

Monitoring and Auditing in digiRunner

Token Usage Tracking and Logging: digiRunner logs token creation, usage, and expiration for security audits. (Source: Token Introspection)
Setting Up Alerts for Abnormal Activities: Configure digiRunner to trigger alerts for suspicious token activity, such as unusual login patterns. (Source: Applying Refresh Token)

7.3 Best Practices

When implementing token lifecycle management in digiRunner, following best practices ensures security, performance, and compliance with authentication standards.

1. Implement Secure Token Issuance & Refresh Strategies

Why? • Short-lived tokens reduce the risk window if compromised. • Refresh tokens maintain session continuity without repeated login.

How? • Configure access tokens with short lifespans (e.g., 5–30 minutes). • Set refresh token validity to 7–30 days. • Avoid storing tokens in insecure locations like URLs or localStorage.

In digiRunner:

Built-in: Configure access and refresh token expiration and authorization count in Admin Console > Client Management > Token Setting.
Sliding Expiration Supported: After an access token expires, clients can use the refresh token to obtain a new one. Supports both PKCE and client credentials flows.
Reference: digiRunner Docs, Keywords: Client Management, Token Setting, Refresh Token.

2. Enable Token Revocation & Session Control

Why? • Prevents reuse of compromised tokens. • Gives administrators control over session validity.

How? • Revoke access and refresh tokens automatically on logout. • Use introspection endpoints to validate token status. • Maintain blacklists for revoked tokens.

In digiRunner:

Built-in: Supports standard OAuth2 endpoints:
- POST /oauth/revocation to revoke tokens
- POST /oauth/introspection to validate tokens
Use Case: Token revocation can be triggered programmatically during logout or when a threat is detected.
Reference: digiRunner Docs, Keywords: OAuth 2.0, Token Revocation, Introspection.

3. Monitor Token Activity & Detect Threats

Why? • Enables real-time detection of suspicious activity. • Supports auditing and incident response.

How? • Monitor token usage and API call logs. • Identify abnormal usage patterns (e.g., geolocation anomalies, repeated failures). • Integrate with SIEM or AI tools for advanced threat analytics.

In digiRunner:

Built-in:
- View API call logs, response distribution, and unauthorized attempts in Admin Console > Monitoring > Gateway Logs.
- Basic monitoring interface helps identify misuse patterns.
Requires external integration:
- SIEM Integration: Export logs to external tools like Splunk or ELK for full-scale monitoring.
- AI-based Detection: digiRunner does not include built-in AI for anomaly detection. Users can feed exported logs into third-party tools (e.g., AWS GuardDuty, Azure Sentinel).
Reference: digiRunner Docs, Keywords: Monitoring, Logs, Security.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can strengthen their API security and prevent unauthorized access. For further details, refer to the digiRunner Documentation Center: https://docs.tpi.dev/.

7.4 Conclusion

Effective token lifecycle management is a foundational pillar of secure API design. By applying short-lived tokens, implementing robust revocation strategies, and enabling monitoring mechanisms, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and misuse. digiRunner provides built-in support for configuring token policies, enforcing revocation via OAuth2 standards, and tracking token usage through logs. For advanced needs such as AI-powered anomaly detection or integration with enterprise-grade SIEM platforms, digiRunner offers flexible log export options for seamless integration.

By following the best practices outlined in this chapter and leveraging digiRunner's features appropriately, teams can strike the right balance between security, usability, and operational control in their API ecosystems.

digiRunner Playbook VII: Token Lifecycle Management