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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Intermediate

Access Token

Credential issued by an authorization server that a client presents to an API to access protected resources.

Definition

Access tokens carry or reference the granted scopes, audience, and expiration. They may be opaque strings or JWTs and are usually bearer tokens, meaning anyone holding them can use them. They should be short-lived and transmitted only over TLS.

Example

An app calls an API with the header Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOi...

Exam tip

Bearer tokens are usable by anyone who steals them; keep them short-lived and protected.

Related terms