Device Flow

Devices can display a user code and instructions for a user, which can be used on a separate client to provide consent, allowing the device to access resources.

As user codes may be displayed on lower resolution devices, the list of possible characters used has been optimized to reduce ambiguity. User codes consist of a random selection of eight of the following characters:

234567ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTVWXYZabcdefghijkmnopqrstvwxyz

This procedure assumes the following configuration:

For more information, see Client Registration.

Perform the following steps to request a user code in the OAuth 2.0 device flow:

1. The client creates a POST request to the /oauth2/device/code endpoint specifying, at least, the following parameters:

   • response_type=device_code

   • client_id=your_client_ID

   For information about the parameters supported by the /oauth2/device/code endpoint, see "/oauth2/device/code". For information about private client authentication methods, see OAuth 2.0 Client Authentication.

   For example:

   $ curl \
   --request POST \
   --data "response_type=device_code" \
   --data "client_id=myClient" \
   --data "scope=write" \
   "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/realms/root/device/code"
   {
       "interval": 5,
       "device_code": "7a95a0a4-6f13-42e3-ac3e-d3d159c94c55...",
       "verification_uri": "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/device/user",
       "verification_url": "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/device/user",
       "user_code": "VAL12e0v",
       "expires_in": 300
   }

   On success, AM returns a verification URI (the verification_url output is included to support earlier versions of the draft), and a user code to enter at that URL. AM also returns an interval, in seconds, that the client device must wait for in between requests for an access token.

   Tip

   You can configure the returned values by navigating to Realms > Realm Name > Services > OAuth2 Provider > Device Flow.

2. The client device should now provide instructions to the user to enter the user code and grant access to the OAuth 2.0 device. The client may choose an appropriate method to convey the instructions, for example, text instructions on screen, or a QR code. Perform the steps in one of the following procedures:

   • To grant access to the client using a browser, see "To Grant Consent with a User Code Using a Browser in the Device Flow".

   • To grant access to the client without using a browser, see "To Grant Consent with a User Code Without Using a Browser in the Device Flow".

3. The client device should also begin polling the authorization server for the access token using the interval and device code information obtained in the previous step. For more information, see "To Poll for Authorization in the OAuth 2.0 Device Flow".

OAuth 2.0 Device Flow requires that the user grants consent to allow the client device to access the resources. The authorization server would then provide the client with an access token.

To grant consent with a user code without using a browser, perform the following steps:

1. The resource owner logs in to the authorization server, for example, using the credentials of the demo user. For example:

   $ curl \
   --request POST \
   --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
   --header "X-OpenAM-Username: demo" \
   --header "X-OpenAM-Password: Ch4ng31t" \
   --header "Accept-API-Version: resource=2.0, protocol=1.0" \
   'https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/json/realms/root/authenticate'
   {
       "tokenId":"AQIC5wM...TU3OQ*",
       "successUrl":"/openam/console",
       "realm":"/"
   }

2. The client makes a POST call to the authorization server's authorization device user endpoint specifying in a cookie SSO token of the demo and, at least, the following parameters:

   • user_code=resource_owner_user_code

   • decision=allow

   • csrf=demo_user_SSO_token

   For information about the parameters supported by the /oauth2/device/user endpoint, see "/oauth2/device/user".

   The iPlanetDirectoryPro cookie is required and should contain the SSO token of the user granting access to the client. For example:

   $ curl \
   --request POST \
   --header "Cookie: iPlanetDirectoryPro=AQIC5wM...TU3OQ*" \
   --data "user_code=VAL12e0v" \
   --data "decision=allow" \
   --data "csrf=AQIC5wM...TU3OQ*" \
   "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/realms/root/device/user"

   The scope and the client_id parameters have not been included because the user code already contains that information.

   AM returns HTML containing a JavaScript fragment named pageData, with details of the result.

   Successfully allowing or denying access returns:

   pageData = {
       locale: "en_US",
       baseUrl : "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/XUI/",
       realm : "/\",
       done: true
   }

   done: true means that the flow can now continue.

   If the supplied user code has already been used, or is incorrect, AM returns the following:

   pageData = {
       locale: "en_US",
       errorCode: "not_found",
       realm : "/\",
       baseUrl : "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/XUI/"
       oauth2Data: {
             csrf: "ErFIk8pMraJ1rvKbloTgpp6b7GZ57kyk9HaIiKMVK3g=",
             userCode: "VAL12e0v",
       }
   }

   Important

   As per Section 4.1.1 of the OAuth 2.0 authorization framework, it is required that the authorization server legitimately obtains an authorization decision from the resource owner.

   Any client using the endpoints to register consent is responsible for ensuring this requirement, AM cannot assert that consent was given in these cases.

OAuth 2.0 Device Flow requires that the user grants consent to allow the client device to access the resources. The authorization server would then provide the client with an access token.

To grant consent with a user code using a browser, perform the following steps:

1. The resource owner navigates to the verification URL acquired with the user code, for example, https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/device/user.

2. The resource owner logs in to the authorization server using, for example, the demo user credentials.

3. The resource owner enters their user code:

   OAuth 2.0 User Code

   
   
   

   Note

   If the user is not logged in to AM when they provide the code, AM redirects them to the login page.

   After authenticating successfully, the user is prompted to enter the code again. The user code is pre-populated with the code they entered before.

4. The resource owner authorizes the device flow client by allowing the requested scopes:

   OAuth 2.0 Consent Page

   
   
   

   Note

   If the client is allowed to skip consent, the user will not see this screen.

5. AM adds the OAuth 2.0 client to the user's profile page in the Authorized Apps section and displays that the user is done with the flow:

   OAuth 2.0 Done Page

   
   
   

   The device now can request an access token from AM.

The client device must poll the authorization server for an access token, since it cannot know whether the resource owner has already given consent or not.

Perform the following steps to poll for an access token:

• On the client device, create a POST request to poll the /oauth2/access_token endpoint to request an access token specifying, at least, the following parameters:

  • client_id=your_client_id

  • grant_type=urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:device_code

  • device_code=your_device_code

  For information about the parameters supported by the /oauth2/access_token endpoint, see "/oauth2/access_token".

  The client device must wait for the number of seconds previously provided as the value of interval between polling AM for an access token. For example:

  $ curl \
  --request POST \
  --data "client_id=myClient" \
  --data "grant_type=urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:device_code" \
  --data "device_code=7a95a0a4-6f13-42e3-ac3e-d3d159c94c55..." \
  "https://openam.example.com:8443/openam/oauth2/realms/root/access_token"

  If the user has authorized the client device, an HTTP 200 status code is returned, with an access token that can be used to request resources:

  {
      "expires_in": 3599,
      "token_type": "Bearer",
      "access_token": "c1e9c8a4-6a6c-45b2-919c-335f2cec5a40"
  }

  If the user has not yet authorized the client device, an HTTP 403 status code is returned, with the following error message:

  {
      "error": "authorization_pending",
      "error_description": "The user has not yet completed authorization"
  }

  If the client device is polling faster than the specified interval, an HTTP 400 status code is returned, with the following error message:

  {
      "error": "slow_down",
      "error_description": "The polling interval has not elapsed since the last request"
  }

  Tip

  The authorization server can also issue refresh tokens at the same time the access tokens are issued. For more information, see Refresh Tokens.