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| author | Arman Shah <[email protected]> | 2018-02-19 23:50:04 -0800 |
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| committer | Arman Shah <[email protected]> | 2018-02-19 23:50:04 -0800 |
| commit | ae34dcfd3823a609ba7182f2d6eda593be876f7d (patch) | |
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diff --git a/node_modules/hawk/README.md b/node_modules/hawk/README.md new file mode 100755 index 0000000..fc5dd6d --- /dev/null +++ b/node_modules/hawk/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,637 @@ + + +<img align="right" src="https://raw.github.com/hueniverse/hawk/master/images/logo.png" /> **Hawk** is an HTTP authentication scheme using a message authentication code (MAC) algorithm to provide partial +HTTP request cryptographic verification. For more complex use cases such as access delegation, see [Oz](https://github.com/hueniverse/oz). + +Current version: **6.x** + +Note: 6.x, 5.x, 4.x, 3.x, and 2.x are the same exact protocol as 1.1. The version increments reflect changes in the node API. + +[](https://travis-ci.org/hueniverse/hawk) + +# Table of Content + +- [**Introduction**](#introduction) + - [Replay Protection](#replay-protection) + - [Usage Example](#usage-example) + - [Protocol Example](#protocol-example) + - [Payload Validation](#payload-validation) + - [Response Payload Validation](#response-payload-validation) + - [Browser Support and Considerations](#browser-support-and-considerations) +- [**Single URI Authorization**](#single-uri-authorization) + - [Usage Example](#bewit-usage-example) +- [**Security Considerations**](#security-considerations) + - [MAC Keys Transmission](#mac-keys-transmission) + - [Confidentiality of Requests](#confidentiality-of-requests) + - [Spoofing by Counterfeit Servers](#spoofing-by-counterfeit-servers) + - [Plaintext Storage of Credentials](#plaintext-storage-of-credentials) + - [Entropy of Keys](#entropy-of-keys) + - [Coverage Limitations](#coverage-limitations) + - [Future Time Manipulation](#future-time-manipulation) + - [Client Clock Poisoning](#client-clock-poisoning) + - [Bewit Limitations](#bewit-limitations) + - [Host Header Forgery](#host-header-forgery) +- [**Frequently Asked Questions**](#frequently-asked-questions) +- [**Implementations**](#implementations) +- [**Acknowledgements**](#acknowledgements) + +# Introduction + +**Hawk** is an HTTP authentication scheme providing mechanisms for making authenticated HTTP requests with +partial cryptographic verification of the request and response, covering the HTTP method, request URI, host, +and optionally the request payload. + +Similar to the HTTP [Digest access authentication schemes](http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2617.txt), **Hawk** uses a set of +client credentials which include an identifier (e.g. username) and key (e.g. password). Likewise, just as with the Digest scheme, +the key is never included in authenticated requests. Instead, it is used to calculate a request MAC value which is +included in its place. + +However, **Hawk** has several differences from Digest. In particular, while both use a nonce to limit the possibility of +replay attacks, in **Hawk** the client generates the nonce and uses it in combination with a timestamp, leading to less +"chattiness" (interaction with the server). + +Also unlike Digest, this scheme is not intended to protect the key itself (the password in Digest) because +the client and server must both have access to the key material in the clear. + +The primary design goals of this scheme are to: +* simplify and improve HTTP authentication for services that are unwilling or unable to deploy TLS for all resources, +* secure credentials against leakage (e.g., when the client uses some form of dynamic configuration to determine where + to send an authenticated request), and +* avoid the exposure of credentials sent to a malicious server over an unauthenticated secure channel due to client + failure to validate the server's identity as part of its TLS handshake. + +In addition, **Hawk** supports a method for granting third-parties temporary access to individual resources using +a query parameter called _bewit_ (in falconry, a leather strap used to attach a tracking device to the leg of a hawk). + +The **Hawk** scheme requires the establishment of a shared symmetric key between the client and the server, +which is beyond the scope of this module. Typically, the shared credentials are established via an initial +TLS-protected phase or derived from some other shared confidential information available to both the client +and the server. + + +## Replay Protection + +Without replay protection, an attacker can use a compromised (but otherwise valid and authenticated) request more +than once, gaining access to a protected resource. To mitigate this, clients include both a nonce and a timestamp when +making requests. This gives the server enough information to prevent replay attacks. + +The nonce is generated by the client, and is a string unique across all requests with the same timestamp and +key identifier combination. + +The timestamp enables the server to restrict the validity period of the credentials where requests occurring afterwards +are rejected. It also removes the need for the server to retain an unbounded number of nonce values for future checks. +By default, **Hawk** uses a time window of 1 minute to allow for time skew between the client and server (which in +practice translates to a maximum of 2 minutes as the skew can be positive or negative). + +Using a timestamp requires the client's clock to be in sync with the server's clock. **Hawk** requires both the client +clock and the server clock to use NTP to ensure synchronization. However, given the limitations of some client types +(e.g. browsers) to deploy NTP, the server provides the client with its current time (in seconds precision) in response +to a bad timestamp. + +There is no expectation that the client will adjust its system clock to match the server (in fact, this would be a +potential attack vector). Instead, the client only uses the server's time to calculate an offset used only +for communications with that particular server. The protocol rewards clients with synchronized clocks by reducing +the number of round trips required to authenticate the first request. + + +## Usage Example + +Server code: + +```javascript +const Http = require('http'); +const Hawk = require('hawk'); + + +// Credentials lookup function + +const credentialsFunc = function (id, callback) { + + const credentials = { + key: 'werxhqb98rpaxn39848xrunpaw3489ruxnpa98w4rxn', + algorithm: 'sha256', + user: 'Steve' + }; + + return callback(null, credentials); +}; + +// Create HTTP server + +const handler = function (req, res) { + + // Authenticate incoming request + + Hawk.server.authenticate(req, credentialsFunc, {}, (err, credentials, artifacts) => { + + // Prepare response + + const payload = (!err ? `Hello ${credentials.user} ${artifacts.ext}` : 'Shoosh!'); + const headers = { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' }; + + // Generate Server-Authorization response header + + const header = Hawk.server.header(credentials, artifacts, { payload, contentType: headers['Content-Type'] }); + headers['Server-Authorization'] = header; + + // Send the response back + + res.writeHead(!err ? 200 : 401, headers); + res.end(payload); + }); +}; + +// Start server + +Http.createServer(handler).listen(8000, 'example.com'); +``` + +Client code: + +```javascript +const Request = require('request'); +const Hawk = require('hawk'); + + +// Client credentials + +const credentials = { + id: 'dh37fgj492je', + key: 'werxhqb98rpaxn39848xrunpaw3489ruxnpa98w4rxn', + algorithm: 'sha256' +} + +// Request options + +const requestOptions = { + uri: 'http://example.com:8000/resource/1?b=1&a=2', + method: 'GET', + headers: {} +}; + +// Generate Authorization request header + +const header = Hawk.client.header('http://example.com:8000/resource/1?b=1&a=2', 'GET', { credentials: credentials, ext: 'some-app-data' }); +requestOptions.headers.Authorization = header.field; + +// Send authenticated request + +Request(requestOptions, function (error, response, body) { + + // Authenticate the server's response + + const isValid = Hawk.client.authenticate(response, credentials, header.artifacts, { payload: body }); + + // Output results + + console.log(`${response.statusCode}: ${body}` + (isValid ? ' (valid)' : ' (invalid)')); +}); +``` + +**Hawk** utilized the [**SNTP**](https://github.com/hueniverse/sntp) module for time sync management. By default, the local +machine time is used. To automatically retrieve and synchronize the clock within the application, use the SNTP 'start()' method. + +```javascript +Hawk.sntp.start(); +``` + + +## Protocol Example + +The client attempts to access a protected resource without authentication, sending the following HTTP request to +the resource server: + +``` +GET /resource/1?b=1&a=2 HTTP/1.1 +Host: example.com:8000 +``` + +The resource server returns an authentication challenge. + +``` +HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized +WWW-Authenticate: Hawk +``` + +The client has previously obtained a set of **Hawk** credentials for accessing resources on the "`http://example.com/`" +server. The **Hawk** credentials issued to the client include the following attributes: + +* Key identifier: `dh37fgj492je` +* Key: `werxhqb98rpaxn39848xrunpaw3489ruxnpa98w4rxn` +* Algorithm: `hmac sha256` +* Hash: `6R4rV5iE+NPoym+WwjeHzjAGXUtLNIxmo1vpMofpLAE=` + +The client generates the authentication header by calculating a timestamp (e.g. the number of seconds since January 1, +1970 00:00:00 GMT), generating a nonce, and constructing the normalized request string (each value followed by a newline +character): + +``` +hawk.1.header +1353832234 +j4h3g2 +GET +/resource/1?b=1&a=2 +example.com +8000 + +some-app-ext-data + +``` + +The request MAC is calculated using HMAC with the specified hash algorithm "`sha256`" and the key over the normalized request string. +The result is base64-encoded to produce the request MAC: + +``` +6R4rV5iE+NPoym+WwjeHzjAGXUtLNIxmo1vpMofpLAE= +``` + +The client includes the **Hawk** key identifier, timestamp, nonce, application specific data, and request MAC with the request using +the HTTP `Authorization` request header field: + +``` +GET /resource/1?b=1&a=2 HTTP/1.1 +Host: example.com:8000 +Authorization: Hawk id="dh37fgj492je", ts="1353832234", nonce="j4h3g2", ext="some-app-ext-data", mac="6R4rV5iE+NPoym+WwjeHzjAGXUtLNIxmo1vpMofpLAE=" +``` + +The server validates the request by calculating the request MAC again based on the request received and verifies the validity +and scope of the **Hawk** credentials. If valid, the server responds with the requested resource. + + +### Payload Validation + +**Hawk** provides optional payload validation. When generating the authentication header, the client calculates a payload hash +using the specified hash algorithm. The hash is calculated over the concatenated value of (each followed by a newline character): +* `hawk.1.payload` +* the content-type in lowercase, without any parameters (e.g. `application/json`) +* the request payload prior to any content encoding (the exact representation requirements should be specified by the server for payloads other than simple single-part ascii to ensure interoperability) + +For example: + +* Payload: `Thank you for flying Hawk` +* Content Type: `text/plain` +* Algorithm: `sha256` +* Hash: `Yi9LfIIFRtBEPt74PVmbTF/xVAwPn7ub15ePICfgnuY=` + +Results in the following input to the payload hash function (newline terminated values): + +``` +hawk.1.payload +text/plain +Thank you for flying Hawk + +``` + +Which produces the following hash value: + +``` +Yi9LfIIFRtBEPt74PVmbTF/xVAwPn7ub15ePICfgnuY= +``` + +The client constructs the normalized request string (newline terminated values): + +``` +hawk.1.header +1353832234 +j4h3g2 +POST +/resource/1?a=1&b=2 +example.com +8000 +Yi9LfIIFRtBEPt74PVmbTF/xVAwPn7ub15ePICfgnuY= +some-app-ext-data + +``` + +Then calculates the request MAC and includes the **Hawk** key identifier, timestamp, nonce, payload hash, application specific data, +and request MAC, with the request using the HTTP `Authorization` request header field: + +``` +POST /resource/1?a=1&b=2 HTTP/1.1 +Host: example.com:8000 +Authorization: Hawk id="dh37fgj492je", ts="1353832234", nonce="j4h3g2", hash="Yi9LfIIFRtBEPt74PVmbTF/xVAwPn7ub15ePICfgnuY=", ext="some-app-ext-data", mac="aSe1DERmZuRl3pI36/9BdZmnErTw3sNzOOAUlfeKjVw=" +``` + +It is up to the server if and when it validates the payload for any given request, based solely on its security policy +and the nature of the data included. + +If the payload is available at the time of authentication, the server uses the hash value provided by the client to construct +the normalized string and validates the MAC. If the MAC is valid, the server calculates the payload hash and compares the value +with the provided payload hash in the header. In many cases, checking the MAC first is faster than calculating the payload hash. + +However, if the payload is not available at authentication time (e.g. too large to fit in memory, streamed elsewhere, or processed +at a different stage in the application), the server may choose to defer payload validation for later by retaining the hash value +provided by the client after validating the MAC. + +It is important to note that MAC validation does not mean the hash value provided by the client is valid, only that the value +included in the header was not modified. Without calculating the payload hash on the server and comparing it to the value provided +by the client, the payload may be modified by an attacker. + + +## Response Payload Validation + +**Hawk** provides partial response payload validation. The server includes the `Server-Authorization` response header which enables the +client to authenticate the response and ensure it is talking to the right server. **Hawk** defines the HTTP `Server-Authorization` header +as a response header using the exact same syntax as the `Authorization` request header field. + +The header is constructed using the same process as the client's request header. The server uses the same credentials and other +artifacts provided by the client to constructs the normalized request string. The `ext` and `hash` values are replaced with +new values based on the server response. The rest as identical to those used by the client. + +The result MAC digest is included with the optional `hash` and `ext` values: + +``` +Server-Authorization: Hawk mac="XIJRsMl/4oL+nn+vKoeVZPdCHXB4yJkNnBbTbHFZUYE=", hash="f9cDF/TDm7TkYRLnGwRMfeDzT6LixQVLvrIKhh0vgmM=", ext="response-specific" +``` + + +## Browser Support and Considerations + +A browser script is provided for including using a `<script>` tag in [lib/browser.js](/lib/browser.js). It's also a [component](http://component.io/hueniverse/hawk). + +**Hawk** relies on the _Server-Authorization_ and _WWW-Authenticate_ headers in its response to communicate with the client. +Therefore, in case of CORS requests, it is important to consider sending _Access-Control-Expose-Headers_ with the value +_"WWW-Authenticate, Server-Authorization"_ on each response from your server. As explained in the +[specifications](http://www.w3.org/TR/cors/#access-control-expose-headers-response-header), it will indicate that these headers +can safely be accessed by the client (using getResponseHeader() on the XmlHttpRequest object). Otherwise you will be met with a +["simple response header"](http://www.w3.org/TR/cors/#simple-response-header) which excludes these fields and would prevent the +Hawk client from authenticating the requests.You can read more about the why and how in this +[article](http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/cors/#toc-adding-cors-support-to-the-server) + + +# Single URI Authorization + +There are cases in which limited and short-term access to a protected resource is granted to a third party which does not +have access to the shared credentials. For example, displaying a protected image on a web page accessed by anyone. **Hawk** +provides limited support for such URIs in the form of a _bewit_ - a URI query parameter appended to the request URI which contains +the necessary credentials to authenticate the request. + +Because of the significant security risks involved in issuing such access, bewit usage is purposely limited only to GET requests +and for a finite period of time. Both the client and server can issue bewit credentials, however, the server should not use the same +credentials as the client to maintain clear traceability as to who issued which credentials. + +In order to simplify implementation, bewit credentials do not support single-use policy and can be replayed multiple times within +the granted access timeframe. + + +## Bewit Usage Example + +Server code: + +```javascript +const Http = require('http'); +const Hawk = require('hawk'); + + +// Credentials lookup function + +const credentialsFunc = function (id, callback) { + + const credentials = { + key: 'werxhqb98rpaxn39848xrunpaw3489ruxnpa98w4rxn', + algorithm: 'sha256' + }; + + return callback(null, credentials); +}; + +// Create HTTP server + +const handler = function (req, res) { + + Hawk.uri.authenticate(req, credentialsFunc, {}, (err, credentials, attributes) => { + + res.writeHead(!err ? 200 : 401, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' }); + res.end(!err ? 'Access granted' : 'Shoosh!'); + }); +}; + +Http.createServer(handler).listen(8000, 'example.com'); +``` + +Bewit code generation: + +```javascript +const Request = require('request'); +const Hawk = require('hawk'); + + +// Client credentials + +const credentials = { + id: 'dh37fgj492je', + key: 'werxhqb98rpaxn39848xrunpaw3489ruxnpa98w4rxn', + algorithm: 'sha256' +} + +// Generate bewit + +const duration = 60 * 5; // 5 Minutes +const bewit = Hawk.uri.getBewit('http://example.com:8000/resource/1?b=1&a=2', { credentials: credentials, ttlSec: duration, ext: 'some-app-data' }); +const uri = 'http://example.com:8000/resource/1?b=1&a=2' + '&bewit=' + bewit; + +// Output URI + +console.log('URI: ' + uri); +``` + + +# Security Considerations + +The greatest sources of security risks are usually found not in **Hawk** but in the policies and procedures surrounding its use. +Implementers are strongly encouraged to assess how this module addresses their security requirements. This section includes +an incomplete list of security considerations that must be reviewed and understood before deploying **Hawk** on the server. +Many of the protections provided in **Hawk** depends on whether and how they are used. + +### MAC Keys Transmission + +**Hawk** does not provide any mechanism for obtaining or transmitting the set of shared credentials required. Any mechanism used +to obtain **Hawk** credentials must ensure that these transmissions are protected using transport-layer mechanisms such as TLS. + +### Confidentiality of Requests + +While **Hawk** provides a mechanism for verifying the integrity of HTTP requests, it provides no guarantee of request +confidentiality. Unless other precautions are taken, eavesdroppers will have full access to the request content. Servers should +carefully consider the types of data likely to be sent as part of such requests, and employ transport-layer security mechanisms +to protect sensitive resources. + +### Spoofing by Counterfeit Servers + +**Hawk** provides limited verification of the server authenticity. When receiving a response back from the server, the server +may choose to include a response `Server-Authorization` header which the client can use to verify the response. However, it is up to +the server to determine when such measure is included, to up to the client to enforce that policy. + +A hostile party could take advantage of this by intercepting the client's requests and returning misleading or otherwise +incorrect responses. Service providers should consider such attacks when developing services using this protocol, and should +require transport-layer security for any requests where the authenticity of the resource server or of server responses is an issue. + +### Plaintext Storage of Credentials + +The **Hawk** key functions the same way passwords do in traditional authentication systems. In order to compute the request MAC, +the server must have access to the key in plaintext form. This is in contrast, for example, to modern operating systems, which +store only a one-way hash of user credentials. + +If an attacker were to gain access to these keys - or worse, to the server's database of all such keys - he or she would be able +to perform any action on behalf of any resource owner. Accordingly, it is critical that servers protect these keys from unauthorized +access. + +### Entropy of Keys + +Unless a transport-layer security protocol is used, eavesdroppers will have full access to authenticated requests and request +MAC values, and will thus be able to mount offline brute-force attacks to recover the key used. Servers should be careful to +assign keys which are long enough, and random enough, to resist such attacks for at least the length of time that the **Hawk** +credentials are valid. + +For example, if the credentials are valid for two weeks, servers should ensure that it is not possible to mount a brute force +attack that recovers the key in less than two weeks. Of course, servers are urged to err on the side of caution, and use the +longest key reasonable. + +It is equally important that the pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) used to generate these keys be of sufficiently high +quality. Many PRNG implementations generate number sequences that may appear to be random, but which nevertheless exhibit +patterns or other weaknesses which make cryptanalysis or brute force attacks easier. Implementers should be careful to use +cryptographically secure PRNGs to avoid these problems. + +### Coverage Limitations + +The request MAC only covers the HTTP `Host` header and optionally the `Content-Type` header. It does not cover any other headers +which can often affect how the request body is interpreted by the server. If the server behavior is influenced by the presence +or value of such headers, an attacker can manipulate the request headers without being detected. Implementers should use the +`ext` feature to pass application-specific information via the `Authorization` header which is protected by the request MAC. + +The response authentication, when performed, only covers the response payload, content-type, and the request information +provided by the client in its request (method, resource, timestamp, nonce, etc.). It does not cover the HTTP status code or +any other response header field (e.g. `Location`) which can affect the client's behaviour. + +### Future Time Manipulation + +The protocol relies on a clock sync between the client and server. To accomplish this, the server informs the client of its +current time when an invalid timestamp is received. + +If an attacker is able to manipulate this information and cause the client to use an incorrect time, it would be able to cause +the client to generate authenticated requests using time in the future. Such requests will fail when sent by the client, and will +not likely leave a trace on the server (given the common implementation of nonce, if at all enforced). The attacker will then +be able to replay the request at the correct time without detection. + +The client must only use the time information provided by the server if: +* it was delivered over a TLS connection and the server identity has been verified, or +* the `tsm` MAC digest calculated using the same client credentials over the timestamp has been verified. + +### Client Clock Poisoning + +When receiving a request with a bad timestamp, the server provides the client with its current time. The client must never use +the time received from the server to adjust its own clock, and must only use it to calculate an offset for communicating with +that particular server. + +### Bewit Limitations + +Special care must be taken when issuing bewit credentials to third parties. Bewit credentials are valid until expiration and cannot +be revoked or limited without using other means. Whatever resource they grant access to will be completely exposed to anyone with +access to the bewit credentials which act as bearer credentials for that particular resource. While bewit usage is limited to GET +requests only and therefore cannot be used to perform transactions or change server state, it can still be used to expose private +and sensitive information. + +### Host Header Forgery + +Hawk validates the incoming request MAC against the incoming HTTP Host header. However, unless the optional `host` and `port` +options are used with `server.authenticate()`, a malicious client can mint new host names pointing to the server's IP address and +use that to craft an attack by sending a valid request that's meant for another hostname than the one used by the server. Server +implementors must manually verify that the host header received matches their expectation (or use the options mentioned above). + +# Frequently Asked Questions + +### Where is the protocol specification? + +If you are looking for some prose explaining how all this works, **this is it**. **Hawk** is being developed as an open source +project instead of a standard. In other words, the [code](/hueniverse/hawk/tree/master/lib) is the specification. Not sure about +something? Open an issue! + +### Is it done? + +As of version 0.10.0, **Hawk** is feature-complete. However, until this module reaches version 1.0.0 it is considered experimental +and is likely to change. This also means your feedback and contribution are very welcome. Feel free to open issues with questions +and suggestions. + +### Where can I find **Hawk** implementations in other languages? + +**Hawk**'s only reference implementation is provided in JavaScript as a node.js module. However, it has been ported to other languages. +The full list is maintained [here](https://github.com/hueniverse/hawk/issues?labels=port&state=closed). Please add an issue if you are +working on another port. A cross-platform test-suite is in the works. + +### Why isn't the algorithm part of the challenge or dynamically negotiated? + +The algorithm used is closely related to the key issued as different algorithms require different key sizes (and other +requirements). While some keys can be used for multiple algorithm, the protocol is designed to closely bind the key and algorithm +together as part of the issued credentials. + +### Why is Host and Content-Type the only headers covered by the request MAC? + +It is really hard to include other headers. Headers can be changed by proxies and other intermediaries and there is no +well-established way to normalize them. Many platforms change the case of header field names and values. The only +straight-forward solution is to include the headers in some blob (say, base64 encoded JSON) and include that with the request, +an approach taken by JWT and other such formats. However, that design violates the HTTP header boundaries, repeats information, +and introduces other security issues because firewalls will not be aware of these "hidden" headers. In addition, any information +repeated must be compared to the duplicated information in the header and therefore only moves the problem elsewhere. + +### Why not just use HTTP Digest? + +Digest requires pre-negotiation to establish a nonce. This means you can't just make a request - you must first send +a protocol handshake to the server. This pattern has become unacceptable for most web services, especially mobile +where extra round-trip are costly. + +### Why bother with all this nonce and timestamp business? + +**Hawk** is an attempt to find a reasonable, practical compromise between security and usability. OAuth 1.0 got timestamp +and nonces halfway right but failed when it came to scalability and consistent developer experience. **Hawk** addresses +it by requiring the client to sync its clock, but provides it with tools to accomplish it. + +In general, replay protection is a matter of application-specific threat model. It is less of an issue on a TLS-protected +system where the clients are implemented using best practices and are under the control of the server. Instead of dropping +replay protection, **Hawk** offers a required time window and an optional nonce verification. Together, it provides developers +with the ability to decide how to enforce their security policy without impacting the client's implementation. + +### What are `app` and `dlg` in the authorization header and normalized mac string? + +The original motivation for **Hawk** was to replace the OAuth 1.0 use cases. This included both a simple client-server mode which +this module is specifically designed for, and a delegated access mode which is being developed separately in +[Oz](https://github.com/hueniverse/oz). In addition to the **Hawk** use cases, Oz requires another attribute: the application id `app`. +This provides binding between the credentials and the application in a way that prevents an attacker from tricking an application +to use credentials issued to someone else. It also has an optional 'delegated-by' attribute `dlg` which is the application id of the +application the credentials were directly issued to. The goal of these two additions is to allow Oz to utilize **Hawk** directly, +but with the additional security of delegated credentials. + +### What is the purpose of the static strings used in each normalized MAC input? + +When calculating a hash or MAC, a static prefix (tag) is added. The prefix is used to prevent MAC values from being +used or reused for a purpose other than what they were created for (i.e. prevents switching MAC values between a request, +response, and a bewit use cases). It also protects against exploits created after a potential change in how the protocol +creates the normalized string. For example, if a future version would switch the order of nonce and timestamp, it +can create an exploit opportunity for cases where the nonce is similar in format to a timestamp. + +### Does **Hawk** have anything to do with OAuth? + +Short answer: no. + +**Hawk** was originally proposed as the OAuth MAC Token specification. However, the OAuth working group in its consistent +incompetence failed to produce a final, usable solution to address one of the most popular use cases of OAuth 1.0 - using it +to authenticate simple client-server transactions (i.e. two-legged). As you can guess, the OAuth working group is still hard +at work to produce more garbage. + +**Hawk** provides a simple HTTP authentication scheme for making client-server requests. It does not address the OAuth use case +of delegating access to a third party. If you are looking for an OAuth alternative, check out [Oz](https://github.com/hueniverse/oz). + +# Implementations + +- [Logibit Hawk in F#/.Net](https://github.com/logibit/logibit.hawk/) +- [Tent Hawk in Ruby](https://github.com/tent/hawk-ruby) +- [Wealdtech in Java](https://github.com/wealdtech/hawk) +- [Kumar's Mohawk in Python](https://github.com/kumar303/mohawk/) +- [Hiyosi in Go](https://github.com/hiyosi/hawk) + +# Acknowledgements + +**Hawk** is a derivative work of the [HTTP MAC Authentication Scheme](http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-hammer-oauth-v2-mac-token-05) proposal +co-authored by Ben Adida, Adam Barth, and Eran Hammer, which in turn was based on the OAuth 1.0 community specification. + +Special thanks to Ben Laurie for his always insightful feedback and advice. + +The **Hawk** logo was created by [Chris Carrasco](http://chriscarrasco.com). |