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Overview

Authentication and authorization for AI systems presents unique challenges. Unlike traditional applications where a human user directly interacts with services, AI assistants act as intermediaries, requiring new approaches to maintain security while enabling useful functionality.

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The AI Auth Challenge

Traditional auth assumes:

  • Direct user interaction with services
  • Users understand what they’re authorizing
  • Sessions are short-lived and contextual

AI systems break these assumptions:

  • The AI makes requests on behalf of users
  • Users may not understand what the AI will do
  • Sessions span multiple conversations and contexts
  • The AI might combine multiple services unexpectedly

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Auth Strategies for AI

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1. OAuth 2.0 with AI Extensions

Standard OAuth works but needs adaptations:

  • Scope Clarity: Make scopes human-readable since users authorize AI access
  • Time Limits: Add temporal bounds to permissions
  • Audit Trails: Log what the AI actually did with the access

Example flow:

User → "AI, check my GitHub PRs"
AI → "I need GitHub access, please authorize: [OAuth Link]"
User → Authorizes specific repos
AI → Uses token to check PRs

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2. Rich Authorization Requests (RAR)

RAR (RFC 9396) enables fine-grained, contextual permissions:

{
  "type": "file_access",
  "locations": ["/project/docs"],
  "actions": ["read"],
  "purpose": "Summarize documentation",
  "max_duration": "1h"
}

Benefits:

  • Context-aware permissions
  • Purpose-bound access
  • Granular control

Users pre-approve certain AI actions:

  • Template-Based: “AI can always read my calendar for scheduling”
  • Conditional: “AI can send emails if I explicitly say ‘send’”
  • Bounded: “AI can make API calls up to 100/day”

Implementation approaches:

  • Store consent rules in user profiles
  • Check consent before each action
  • Provide clear consent management UI

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4. Reusable Authentication

Minimize auth friction while maintaining security:

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Token Vaulting

Store user tokens securely for reuse:

  • Encrypt tokens at rest
  • Implement token refresh logic
  • Provide clear token inventory UI

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Delegated Auth

The AI platform handles auth on behalf of users:

  • Platform maintains service connections
  • Users authorize the platform once
  • Platform manages token lifecycle

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Session-Based Auth

Maintain auth context within AI conversations:

  • Auth persists for conversation duration
  • Clear session boundaries
  • Explicit session termination

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Security Considerations

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Token Leakage

  • Never expose tokens in AI responses
  • Implement token redaction in logs
  • Use short-lived tokens when possible

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Scope Creep

  • Regularly audit AI permission usage
  • Implement least-privilege defaults
  • Provide usage analytics to users

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Confused Deputy

  • Validate the AI is acting for the right user
  • Implement request signing/verification
  • Maintain clear auth context

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Best Practices

  1. Transparency First: Users should always know what the AI can access
  2. Explicit Consent: Never assume permission for sensitive actions
  3. Granular Control: Allow users to grant/revoke specific permissions
  4. Time Boundaries: Implement automatic permission expiration
  5. Audit Everything: Maintain detailed logs of AI actions

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In Civic Labs

Our MCP Hub implements several auth strategies:

  • OAuth Integration: Built-in OAuth flow handling
  • Token Management: Secure storage and refresh
  • Auth Context: Maintains user context across MCP calls
  • Permission UI: Clear visualization of granted permissions

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Implementation Patterns

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Pattern 1: Just-In-Time Auth

async function callTool(tool: string, params: any) {
  const token = await getTokenOrPromptAuth(tool);
  return await executeWithToken(tool, params, token);
}

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Pattern 2: Batch Pre-Auth

// At conversation start
const requiredScopes = analyzeConversationNeeds();
const tokens = await requestBatchAuthorization(requiredScopes);

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Pattern 3: Progressive Auth

// Start with read-only
let permissions = ['read'];

// Escalate as needed
if (userRequests.includes('modify')) {
  permissions = await requestAdditionalScopes(['write']);
}

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Next Steps