Securing your app with signed headers

Help secure your app using signed Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) headers.

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For detailed documentation that includes this code sample, see the following:

• Securing your app with signed headers

Code sample

C#

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

using Google.Apis.Auth;
using Google.Apis.Auth.OAuth2;
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

public class IAPTokenVerification
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Verifies a signed jwt token and returns its payload.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="signedJwt">The token to verify.</param>
    /// <param name="expectedAudience">The audience that the token should be meant for.
    /// Validation will fail if that's not the case.</param>
    /// <param name="cancellationToken">The cancellation token to propagate cancellation requests.</param>
    /// <returns>A task that when completed will have as its result the payload of the verified token.</returns>
    /// <exception cref="InvalidJwtException">If verification failed. The message of the exception will contain
    /// information as to why the token failed.</exception>
    public async Task<JsonWebSignature.Payload> VerifyTokenAsync(
        string signedJwt, string expectedAudience, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
    {
        SignedTokenVerificationOptions options = new SignedTokenVerificationOptions
        {
            // Use clock tolerance to account for possible clock differences
            // between the issuer and the verifier.
            IssuedAtClockTolerance = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1),
            ExpiryClockTolerance = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1),
            TrustedAudiences = { expectedAudience },
            TrustedIssuers = { "https://cloud.google.com/iap" },
            CertificatesUrl = GoogleAuthConsts.IapKeySetUrl,
        };

        return await JsonWebSignature.VerifySignedTokenAsync(signedJwt, options, cancellationToken: cancellationToken);
    }
}

Go

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"io"

	"google.golang.org/api/idtoken"
)

// validateJWTFromAppEngine validates a JWT found in the
// "x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion" header.
func validateJWTFromAppEngine(w io.Writer, iapJWT, projectNumber, projectID string) error {
	// iapJWT := "YmFzZQ==.ZW5jb2RlZA==.and0" // req.Header.Get("X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion")
	// projectNumber := "123456789"
	// projectID := "your-project-id"
	ctx := context.Background()
	aud := fmt.Sprintf("/projects/%s/apps/%s", projectNumber, projectID)

	payload, err := idtoken.Validate(ctx, iapJWT, aud)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("idtoken.Validate: %w", err)
	}

	// payload contains the JWT claims for further inspection or validation
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "payload: %v", payload)

	return nil
}

// validateJWTFromComputeEngine validates a JWT found in the
// "x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion" header.
func validateJWTFromComputeEngine(w io.Writer, iapJWT, projectNumber, backendServiceID string) error {
	// iapJWT := "YmFzZQ==.ZW5jb2RlZA==.and0" // req.Header.Get("X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion")
	// projectNumber := "123456789"
	// backendServiceID := "backend-service-id"
	ctx := context.Background()
	aud := fmt.Sprintf("/projects/%s/global/backendServices/%s", projectNumber, backendServiceID)

	payload, err := idtoken.Validate(ctx, iapJWT, aud)
	if err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("idtoken.Validate: %w", err)
	}

	// payload contains the JWT claims for further inspection or validation
	fmt.Fprintf(w, "payload: %v", payload)

	return nil
}

Java

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

import com.google.api.client.http.HttpRequest;
import com.google.api.client.json.webtoken.JsonWebToken;
import com.google.auth.oauth2.TokenVerifier;

/** Verify IAP authorization JWT token in incoming request. */
public class VerifyIapRequestHeader {

  private static final String IAP_ISSUER_URL = "https://cloud.google.com/iap";

  // Verify jwt tokens addressed to IAP protected resources on App Engine.
  // The project *number* for your Google Cloud project via 'gcloud projects describe $PROJECT_ID'
  // The project *number* can also be retrieved from the Project Info card in Cloud Console.
  // projectId is The project *ID* for your Google Cloud Project.
  boolean verifyJwtForAppEngine(HttpRequest request, long projectNumber, String projectId)
      throws Exception {
    // Check for iap jwt header in incoming request
    String jwt = request.getHeaders().getFirstHeaderStringValue("x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion");
    if (jwt == null) {
      return false;
    }
    return verifyJwt(
        jwt,
        String.format("/projects/%s/apps/%s", Long.toUnsignedString(projectNumber), projectId));
  }

  boolean verifyJwtForComputeEngine(HttpRequest request, long projectNumber, long backendServiceId)
      throws Exception {
    // Check for iap jwt header in incoming request
    String jwtToken = request.getHeaders().getFirstHeaderStringValue("x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion");
    if (jwtToken == null) {
      return false;
    }
    return verifyJwt(
        jwtToken,
        String.format(
            "/projects/%s/global/backendServices/%s",
            Long.toUnsignedString(projectNumber), Long.toUnsignedString(backendServiceId)));
  }

  private boolean verifyJwt(String jwtToken, String expectedAudience) {
    TokenVerifier tokenVerifier =
        TokenVerifier.newBuilder().setAudience(expectedAudience).setIssuer(IAP_ISSUER_URL).build();
    try {
      JsonWebToken jsonWebToken = tokenVerifier.verify(jwtToken);

      // Verify that the token contain subject and email claims
      JsonWebToken.Payload payload = jsonWebToken.getPayload();
      return payload.getSubject() != null && payload.get("email") != null;
    } catch (TokenVerifier.VerificationException e) {
      System.out.println(e.getMessage());
      return false;
    }
  }
}

Node.js

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

/**
 * TODO(developer): Uncomment these variables before running the sample.
 */
// const iapJwt = 'SOME_ID_TOKEN'; // JWT from the "x-goog-iap-jwt-assertion" header

let expectedAudience = null;
if (projectNumber && projectId) {
  // Expected Audience for App Engine.
  expectedAudience = `/projects/${projectNumber}/apps/${projectId}`;
} else if (projectNumber && backendServiceId) {
  // Expected Audience for Compute Engine
  expectedAudience = `/projects/${projectNumber}/global/backendServices/${backendServiceId}`;
}

const oAuth2Client = new OAuth2Client();

async function verify() {
  // Verify the id_token, and access the claims.
  const response = await oAuth2Client.getIapPublicKeys();
  const ticket = await oAuth2Client.verifySignedJwtWithCertsAsync(
    iapJwt,
    response.pubkeys,
    expectedAudience,
    ['https://cloud.google.com/iap']
  );
  // Print out the info contained in the IAP ID token
  console.log(ticket);
}

verify().catch(console.error);

PHP

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

namespace Google\Cloud\Samples\Iap;

# Imports Google auth libraries for IAP validation
use Google\Auth\AccessToken;

/**
 * Validate a JWT passed to your App Engine app by Identity-Aware Proxy.
 *
 * @param string $iapJwt The contents of the X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion header.
 * @param string $cloudProjectNumber The project *number* for your Google
 *     Cloud project. This is returned by 'gcloud projects describe $PROJECT_ID',
 *     or in the Project Info card in Cloud Console.
 * @param string $cloudProjectId Your Google Cloud Project ID.
 */
function validate_jwt_from_app_engine(
    string $iapJwt,
    string $cloudProjectNumber,
    string $cloudProjectId
): void {
    $expectedAudience = sprintf(
        '/projects/%s/apps/%s',
        $cloudProjectNumber,
        $cloudProjectId
    );
    validate_jwt($iapJwt, $expectedAudience);
}

/**
 * Validate a JWT passed to your Compute / Container Engine app by Identity-Aware Proxy.
 *
 * @param string $iapJwt The contents of the X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion header.
 * @param string $cloudProjectNumber The project *number* for your Google
 *     Cloud project. This is returned by 'gcloud projects describe $PROJECT_ID',
 *     or in the Project Info card in Cloud Console.
 * @param string $backendServiceId The ID of the backend service used to access the
 *     application. See https://cloud.google.com/iap/docs/signed-headers-howto
 *     for details on how to get this value.
 */
function validate_jwt_from_compute_engine(
    string $iapJwt,
    string $cloudProjectNumber,
    string $backendServiceId
): void {
    $expectedAudience = sprintf(
        '/projects/%s/global/backendServices/%s',
        $cloudProjectNumber,
        $backendServiceId
    );
    validate_jwt($iapJwt, $expectedAudience);
}

/**
 * Validate a JWT passed to your app by Identity-Aware Proxy.
 *
 * @param string $iapJwt The contents of the X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion header.
 * @param string $expectedAudience The expected audience of the JWT with the following formats:
 *     App Engine:     /projects/{PROJECT_NUMBER}/apps/{PROJECT_ID}
 *     Compute Engine: /projects/{PROJECT_NUMBER}/global/backendServices/{BACKEND_SERVICE_ID}
 */
function validate_jwt(string $iapJwt, string $expectedAudience): void
{
    // Validate the signature using the IAP cert URL.
    $token = new AccessToken();
    $jwt = $token->verify($iapJwt, [
        'certsLocation' => AccessToken::IAP_CERT_URL
    ]);

    if (!$jwt) {
        print('Failed to validate JWT: Invalid JWT');
        return;
    }

    // Validate token by checking issuer and audience fields.
    assert($jwt['iss'] == 'https://cloud.google.com/iap');
    assert($jwt['aud'] == $expectedAudience);

    print('Printing user identity information from ID token payload:');
    printf('sub: %s', $jwt['sub']);
    printf('email: %s', $jwt['email']);
}

Python

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

from google.auth.transport import requests
from google.oauth2 import id_token


def validate_iap_jwt(iap_jwt, expected_audience):
    """Validate an IAP JWT.

    Args:
      iap_jwt: The contents of the X-Goog-IAP-JWT-Assertion header.
      expected_audience: The Signed Header JWT audience. See
          https://cloud.google.com/iap/docs/signed-headers-howto
          for details on how to get this value.

    Returns:
      (user_id, user_email, error_str).
    """

    try:
        decoded_jwt = id_token.verify_token(
            iap_jwt,
            requests.Request(),
            audience=expected_audience,
            certs_url="https://www.gstatic.com/iap/verify/public_key",
        )
        return (decoded_jwt["sub"], decoded_jwt["email"], "")
    except Exception as e:
        return (None, None, f"**ERROR: JWT validation error {e}**")

Ruby

To authenticate to IAP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

# iap_jwt = "The contents of the X-Goog-Iap-Jwt-Assertion header"
# project_number = "The project *number* for your Google Cloud project"
# project_id = "Your Google Cloud project ID"
# backend_service_id = "Your Compute Engine backend service ID"
require "googleauth"

audience = nil
if project_number && project_id
  # Expected audience for App Engine
  audience = "/projects/#{project_number}/apps/#{project_id}"
elsif project_number && backend_service_id
  # Expected audience for Compute Engine
  audience = "/projects/#{project_number}/global/backendServices/#{backend_service_id}"
end

# The client ID as the target audience for IAP
payload = Google::Auth::IDTokens.verify_iap iap_jwt, aud: audience

puts payload

if audience.nil?
  puts "Audience not verified! Supply a project_number and project_id to verify"
end

What's next

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