Knowledge Builders

what is the purpose of an office 365 refresh token

by Prof. Jasmin Bosco MD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Office 365 Access vs Refresh Tokens

  • Purpose: Alleviate the end user from having to continually input in their credentials and have no context to resources the user is accessing.
  • Duration: Expire after 90 days.
  • Customer Revoke: Refresh Tokens can be revoked at any time.

When access tokens expire, Office clients use a valid refresh token to obtain a new access token. This exchange succeeds if the user's initial authentication is still valid. Refresh tokens are valid for 90 days, and with continuous use, they can be valid until revoked.Sep 29, 2022

Full Answer

How long does a refresh token last?

What happens if a caller has a refresh token?

What happens if a refresh token is compromised?

What is access token?

What happens if access token is invalid?

Does a refresh token expire?

Can you use an access token if it is expired?

See 2 more

What is the use of a refresh token?

A refresh token is a special token that is used to obtain additional access tokens. This allows you to have short-lived access tokens without having to collect credentials every time one expires.

What will happen if refresh token expires?

When an access token expires, a refresh token is used to get a new access token and it also returns a new refresh token. Now if this new access token expires & a new/updated refresh token is used to get the next access token, it will also receive a newer refresh token.

How do I use Microsoft refresh token?

The following are the basic steps to use the OAuth 2.0 authorization code grant flow to get an access token from the Microsoft identity platform endpoint:Register your app with Azure AD.Get authorization.Get an access token.Call Microsoft Graph with the access token.Use a refresh token to get a new access token.

What is difference between access token and refresh?

The lifetime of a refresh token is much longer compared to the lifetime of an access token. Refresh tokens can also expire but are quiet long-lived. When current access tokens expire or become invalid, the authorization server provides refresh tokens to the client to obtain new access token.

Are refresh tokens permanent?

Refresh tokens are valid until the user revokes access. This field is only present if access_type=offline is included in the authorization code request.

How long is Microsoft refresh token valid?

90 days(2) The refresh token lifetime is 90 days, so after 90 days, it means can't use refresh api to get new refresh token by expired refresh token? Thanks for your help. Attachments: Up to 10 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 3.0 MiB each and 30.0 MiB total.

How often should you refresh token?

The most secure option is for the authorization server to issue a new refresh token each time one is used. This is the recommendation in the latest Security Best Current Practice which enables authorization servers to detect if a refresh token is stolen.

How often should refresh token be used?

Refresh token has a window of 14 days and waits for the user to access to the app so that the refresh-token can get renewed along with a new access-token.

Should I save refresh token?

The recommended approach is not to store access tokens, but get the access tokens as needed. Securely store only the refresh tokens, with as much rigor as if they were access tokens. If necessary, you can revoke refresh tokens if they become compromised.

When should I remove refresh token?

Yes you should. Because after logout when the user will login a new access token with a new refresh token will be issued. In that case, you should not keep your refresh token. Because whether you delete or not, on next login refresh token will be issued again (if your grant allows).

Why do we need access token?

An access token is an object encapsulating the security identity of a process or thread. A token is used to make security decisions and to store tamper-proof information about some system entity.

What happens when JWT refresh token expires?

Your auth server will have an API exposed which will accept refresh token and checks for its validity and return a new access token. Once the refresh token is expired, the User will be logged out.

What if refresh token gets stolen?

If the refresh token can be stolen, then so can the access token. With such an access token, the attacker can start making API calls. To make matters even more complicated, access tokens are often self-contained JWT tokens. Such tokens contain all the information needed for the API to make security decisions.

How many times can you refresh a token?

It depends... by default, each time you refresh token, it returns new access token and new refresh token. If you're talking about old refresh token, it only available one time. But from client side, there is no limitation, you can always refresh as soon as the refresh token is not expired.

When should I remove refresh token?

Yes you should. Because after logout when the user will login a new access token with a new refresh token will be issued. In that case, you should not keep your refresh token. Because whether you delete or not, on next login refresh token will be issued again (if your grant allows).

Monday, November 23, 2020

I had to provide a short write-up to some folks to help them with the understanding of how Office 365 and Sessions Tokens worked. Hope this helps.

Office 365 Access vs Refresh Tokens

I had to provide a short write-up to some folks to help them with the understanding of how Office 365 and Sessions Tokens worked. Hope this helps.

How long does a refresh token last?

Refresh token and its expiry. The refresh token is special type of token, which has very long expiry, typically can range from few days to few months. A refresh token is a token which can be used to get a new access token when the current access token is expired, without user having to present the credentials again.

What happens if a caller has a refresh token?

But if the caller has refresh token, it can be presented to the application and then the application can issue a new access token. This access token can be then used by caller to interact with the application.

What happens if a refresh token is compromised?

It means that if the refresh token is compromised, malicious party may get the access tokens and can access the protected resources. If a refresh token is compromised, there can be provision to revoke such refresh tokens.

What is access token?

The access token can be a JWT token or any other custom token type. This is the token which is used by caller to access the application. This token generally has a short lifetime, from generally in seconds. Refresh token and its expiry.

What happens if access token is invalid?

The API would successfully return the result if token is valid. If the access token is invalid, then API would return 401 unauthorized..

Does a refresh token expire?

Like access token, the refresh token also has expiry. Depending on the domain and requirements of your application, you can choose right expiry for the refresh token. Generally access tokens are said to be short lived and refresh tokens are supposed to be long lived.

Can you use an access token if it is expired?

When the caller is authenticated, they get access token. As long as the access token is valid and not expired, the caller can use it for accessing the application. But once the access token is expired, the caller is not allowed by the application. As explained in post about JWT, there is no way to immediately sign out the authenticated caller.

How long does a refresh token last?

Refresh token and its expiry. The refresh token is special type of token, which has very long expiry, typically can range from few days to few months. A refresh token is a token which can be used to get a new access token when the current access token is expired, without user having to present the credentials again.

What happens if a caller has a refresh token?

But if the caller has refresh token, it can be presented to the application and then the application can issue a new access token. This access token can be then used by caller to interact with the application.

What happens if a refresh token is compromised?

It means that if the refresh token is compromised, malicious party may get the access tokens and can access the protected resources. If a refresh token is compromised, there can be provision to revoke such refresh tokens.

What is access token?

The access token can be a JWT token or any other custom token type. This is the token which is used by caller to access the application. This token generally has a short lifetime, from generally in seconds. Refresh token and its expiry.

What happens if access token is invalid?

The API would successfully return the result if token is valid. If the access token is invalid, then API would return 401 unauthorized..

Does a refresh token expire?

Like access token, the refresh token also has expiry. Depending on the domain and requirements of your application, you can choose right expiry for the refresh token. Generally access tokens are said to be short lived and refresh tokens are supposed to be long lived.

Can you use an access token if it is expired?

When the caller is authenticated, they get access token. As long as the access token is valid and not expired, the caller can use it for accessing the application. But once the access token is expired, the caller is not allowed by the application. As explained in post about JWT, there is no way to immediately sign out the authenticated caller.

1.Microsoft identity platform refresh tokens - Microsoft Entra

Url:https://learn.microsoft.com/EN-US/azure/active-directory/develop/refresh-tokens

14 hours ago  · The refresh token is used to obtain new access/refresh token pairs when the current access token expires. Refresh tokens are also used to acquire extra access tokens for …

2.Office 365 Access and Refresh Tokens - Microsoft …

Url:https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad/office-365-access-and-refresh-tokens/td-p/166760

1 hours ago  · Changing the token lifetime will affect all clients/devices and while you can configure this per Office 365 workload, the process is not very well documented and you will …

3.Primary Refresh Token (PRT) and Azure AD - Azure Active …

Url:https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/concept-primary-refresh-token

30 hours ago  · If a Refresh token for the application is already available, Azure AD WAM plugin uses it to request an access token. To provide proof of device binding, WAM plugin signs the …

4.Office 365 Access vs Refresh Tokens - A Static State

Url:http://www.astaticstate.com/2020/11/office-365-access-vs-refresh-tokens.html

33 hours ago  · The refresh token is used to obtain new access/refresh token pairs when the current access token expires. A refresh token is bound to a combination of user and client. A …

5.Understanding the basics about the Refresh tokens

Url:https://thecodeblogger.com/2020/12/05/understanding-the-basics-about-the-refresh-tokens/

26 hours ago The refresh token is used to obtain new access/refresh token pairs when the current access token expires. A refresh token is bound to a combination of user and client. A refresh token …

6.Microsoft Office 365 token - Microsoft Community

Url:https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/microsoft-office-365-token/202429d2-4ab1-4f96-9dde-80845bf68709

30 hours ago  · A refresh token is a token which can be used to get a new access token when the current access token is expired, without user having to present the credentials again. But if the …

7.What is purpose of "Refresh Token Rolling"? - Stack …

Url:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67058424/what-is-purpose-of-refresh-token-rolling

22 hours ago  · In my account, her token over-wrote my Office 365 subscription. My question is; How do I retrieve the token and restore my subscription? I will then put the token in the newly …

8.HOW TO: Generate the Refresh Token for SharePoint …

Url:https://knowledge.informatica.com/s/article/572464

23 hours ago  · Every password flow request server returns for your access and refresh token. After you use refresh token to update access token it returns for you new refresh token as well …

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9