UUID-based authentication is a session management technique that enhances user identification in web applications. Here’s a brief overview of how it works:

  1. User Login: When a user successfully logs in, a unique UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) is generated to represent their session.
  2. Session Storage: The generated UUID is stored in a session store (such as a Map or a database) along with user details, allowing the server to associate users with their UUIDs.
  3. HTTP-Only Cookie: The UUID is sent to the client as an HTTP-only cookie. This secure method prevents client-side scripts from accessing the cookie, enhancing security against cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
  4. Middleware Authentication: When the client makes subsequent requests, the middleware checks for the UUID in the cookie. If valid, it retrieves the corresponding user data; if not, the user is redirected to the login page.
  5. Protected Routes: Routes requiring user authentication are protected by this middleware, ensuring only users with valid sessions can access sensitive information.

This approach provides a simple yet effective way to manage user sessions without requiring complex database queries for every request, making it scalable and efficient for web applications.



Steps for Implementing UUID-based Authentication with Middleware

1. Generate UUID upon Login

  • Generate a UUID when the user successfully logs in.
  • This UUID will uniquely identify the user session.

2. Set UUID in Server-Side Session Store

  • Store the UUID in a server-side session storage (e.g., a Map object or a database) along with user information (like user ID or other details).
  • This allows you to retrieve user information later when the UUID is sent back to the server.

3. Send UUID to Client

  • Set the UUID in a secure HTTP-only cookie, which will be automatically sent back to the server with each subsequent request.
  • This cookie acts as the session identifier for the client.

4. Create Middleware to Authenticate Requests

  • In your middleware function, retrieve the UUID from the request cookies.
  • If the UUID is not found, redirect the user to the login page, as this means the user is not authenticated.

5. Retrieve User Data Using UUID

  • Use the UUID to look up user information from the session store on the server.
  • If a user is found, attach the user data to the request object (e.g., req.user) so that subsequent route handlers can access it.

6. Handle Cases Where UUID Is Invalid or Expired

  • If no user is found for the UUID (e.g., it’s invalid or expired), redirect the user to the login page.

7. Protect Routes with Middleware

  • Apply this middleware to any routes that require authentication. This ensures only authenticated users can access those routes.

Summary Flow

  1. Login: Generate UUID → Store UUID with user data → Send UUID in a cookie.
  2. Protected Request: Middleware retrieves UUID from cookie → Looks up user → Attaches user data if valid, otherwise redirects to login.

This setup enables basic session management with UUIDs without requiring a full database-backed session management system.


Step 1: Generate UUID upon Login

In your login controller, generate a UUID after user authentication.




Step 2: Set UUID in Server-Side Session Store

Define a session store and helper functions to set and get users by UUID.



Step 3: Middleware to Authenticate Requests

Create middleware that checks for the UUID and retrieves user data if valid.




Step 4: Apply Middleware to Protected Routes

Use the middleware in routes that require authentication.