# Which Problems Are Solved
ZITADEL cannot currently be used as an OAuth 2.0 Authorization Server by
clients that need to register themselves at runtime:
- There is no [OAuth 2.0 Dynamic Client Registration (RFC
7591)](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7591) endpoint, and no
`registration_endpoint` is advertised in the discovery document.
- This blocks [Model Context Protocol
(MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) clients (Claude Desktop,
claude.ai, Cursor, the MCP SDKs), whose OAuth 2.1 authorization profile
expects an Authorization Server that supports dynamic client
registration. They self-register before any user context exists and only
then start the authorization code + PKCE flow.
# How the Problems Are Solved
## Control plane: instance security settings
No feature flag and no runtime config. A
`DynamicClientRegistrationSettings` message is nested under the instance
`SecuritySettings` in `settings/v2`, next to `embedded_iframe` and
`enable_impersonation`:
| `enabled` | `allow_unauthenticated` | Behaviour |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `false` (default) | — | `POST /oauth/v2/register` returns `404`,
`registration_endpoint` absent from discovery |
| `true` | `false` (default) | Token-gated registration, client homed in
the token's organization |
| `true` | `true` | Open registration for MCP hosts, client homed in the
instance default organization |
Both values are carried on `authz.Instance` and loaded with the
instance, exactly like `EnableImpersonation`, so the discovery document
and the endpoint read them per request without an extra query.
`allow_unauthenticated` implies `enabled` in both implementations, so a
single setting closes the endpoint.
Adding the two columns bumps the projection table to
`projections.security_policies3`, following what the impersonation
setting did for `security_policies2`.
## Authorization: a dedicated permission, not `project.app.write`
- New org-scoped permission **`project.app.register_dynamic`**, granted
by default to `ORG_OWNER`, `IAM_OWNER` and `IAM_ORG_MANAGER` — in both
`InternalAuthZ` and `SystemAuthZ`, mirroring where `project.app.write`
already lives.
- New built-in role **`ORG_DYNAMIC_CLIENT_REGISTRAR`** carrying only
that permission, so a service user can self-register clients without
gaining write access to the organization's existing applications.
- Open mode (`allow_unauthenticated = true`) requires no token and no
permission: that is the MCP self-register path.
- A valid token whose user lacks the permission is answered with **`403
insufficient_scope`** (RFC 6750 §3.1) rather than `401 invalid_token`,
so a caller can tell "your token is bad" from "your token may not do
this". `verifyAccessToken` also reports invalid tokens as permission
denied, so the authorization failure is marked explicitly to keep the
two apart.
The check runs once, at the endpoint, right after the token is verified
and before any state is created, so it also gates the auto-provisioning
of the organization's DCR project. The permission itself lives in the
command layer next to the others
(`Commands.CheckPermissionRegisterDynamicClient`). As the OIDC endpoints
are not behind the authorization interceptor, the caller identity is
derived from the verified token, the way token exchange does for the
impersonating actor.
## Registration itself
- **Registered clients are ordinary OIDC applications.** The endpoint
reuses the existing application-creation events
(`NewApplicationAddedEvent` and `NewOIDCConfigAddedEvent`), so the whole
token, authorization and introspection flow keeps working unchanged.
They are stored in a dedicated, auto-provisioned project named `ZITADEL
DCR` per organization (name lookup), so they do not pollute the
`IAMProject` or other projects.
- Input is validated with the existing `GetOIDCV1Compliance` rules;
`private_key_jwt` and `jwks`/`jwks_uri` are rejected with
`invalid_client_metadata`.
- **Endpoint wiring without forking the library.** `NewServer` calls
`op.RegisterServer` instead of `op.RegisterLegacyServer`, so the new
route can be added through the same `op.WithSetRouter` hook as the
authorize callback. `op.RegisterLegacyServer` appends a middleware after
the caller options, which chi forbids once a route has been registered;
`op.NewIssuerInterceptor` reproduces the issuer middleware it would
otherwise add. The `/oauth/v2` routing prefix is unchanged.
# Additional Changes
- **`application_type` inference for custom-scheme redirects** (last
commit, isolated). `application_type` is an OpenID Connect member; RFC
7591 does not define it, so clients that only implement RFC 7591 omit
it. Native MCP hosts doing so register custom-scheme redirect URIs,
which ZITADEL reserves for native applications, and the OIDC default of
`web` rejected them with `invalid_redirect_uri`. Inference is limited to
custom schemes and to an absent `application_type`, so every request
accepted today keeps its current application type and auth method — an
`http` loopback redirect still yields a web application. Happy to drop
this commit if you would rather keep it out of this PR.
- **Docs**: a Dynamic Client Registration integration guide, a
`registration_endpoint` section on the OpenID Connect endpoints page,
and the new role in the administrators table (plus its description in
the Console translations).
# Additional Context
- Part of #9810. This is **Phase 1 (DCR)**; #12315 adds RFC 7592 and
#12316 adds CIMD, both stacked on this branch and rebased once this
lands.
- Implements the control-plane and authorization model requested in the
review of this PR, itself a refinement of the direction in
https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/issues/9810#issuecomment-4891176997.
- **Out of scope (deliberately)**: RFC 7592, CIMD, persisting free-form
metadata (`logo_uri`, `contacts`, and similar), and `private_key_jwt` /
`jwks_uri` (rejected cleanly). No new event types.
- Follow-ups explicitly left out, per the review: DCR client lifecycle
and richer audit, consent and custom scopes, JWT / `aud` (RFC 8707), and
RFC 8414 AS metadata (currently absent from both ZITADEL and
`zitadel/oidc`).
# Which Problems Are Solved
This PR *partially* addresses #9450 . Specifically, it implements the
resource based API for the apps. APIs for app keys ARE not part of this
PR.
# How the Problems Are Solved
- `CreateApplication`, `PatchApplication` (update) and
`RegenerateClientSecret` endpoints are now unique for all app types:
API, SAML and OIDC apps.
- All new endpoints have integration tests
- All new endpoints are using permission checks V2
# Additional Changes
- The `ListApplications` endpoint allows to do sorting (see protobuf for
details) and filtering by app type (see protobuf).
- SAML and OIDC update endpoint can now receive requests for partial
updates
# Additional Context
Partially addresses #9450
# Which Problems Are Solved
To be able to migrate or test the new login UI, admins might want to
(temporarily) switch individual apps.
At a later point admin might want to make sure all applications use the
new login UI.
# How the Problems Are Solved
- Added a feature flag `` on instance level to require all apps to use
the new login and provide an optional base url.
- if the flag is enabled, all (OIDC) applications will automatically use
the v2 login.
- if disabled, applications can decide based on their configuration
- Added an option on OIDC apps to use the new login UI and an optional
base url.
- Removed the requirement to use `x-zitadel-login-client` to be
redirected to the login V2 and retrieve created authrequest and link
them to SSO sessions.
- Added a new "IAM_LOGIN_CLIENT" role to allow management of users,
sessions, grants and more without `x-zitadel-login-client`.
# Additional Changes
None
# Additional Context
closes https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/issues/8702
# Which Problems Are Solved
Do not return an access token for implicit flow from v1 login, if the
`response_type` is `id_token`
# How the Problems Are Solved
Do not create the access token event if if the `response_type` is
`id_token`.
# Additional Changes
Token endpoint calls without auth request, such as machine users, token
exchange and refresh token, do not have a `response_type`. For such
calls the `OIDCResponseTypeUnspecified` enum is added at a `-1` offset,
in order not to break existing client configs.
# Additional Context
- https://discord.com/channels/927474939156643850/1294001717725237298
- Fixes https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/issues/8776
# Which Problems Are Solved
Currently ZITADEL supports RP-initiated logout for clients. Back-channel
logout ensures that user sessions are terminated across all connected
applications, even if the user closes their browser or loses
connectivity providing a more secure alternative for certain use cases.
# How the Problems Are Solved
If the feature is activated and the client used for the authentication
has a back_channel_logout_uri configured, a
`session_logout.back_channel` will be registered. Once a user terminates
their session, a (notification) handler will send a SET (form POST) to
the registered uri containing a logout_token (with the user's ID and
session ID).
- A new feature "back_channel_logout" is added on system and instance
level
- A `back_channel_logout_uri` can be managed on OIDC applications
- Added a `session_logout` aggregate to register and inform about sent
`back_channel` notifications
- Added a `SecurityEventToken` channel and `Form`message type in the
notification handlers
- Added `TriggeredAtOrigin` fields to `HumanSignedOut` and
`TerminateSession` events for notification handling
- Exported various functions and types in the `oidc` package to be able
to reuse for token signing in the back_channel notifier.
- To prevent that current existing session termination events will be
handled, a setup step is added to set the `current_states` for the
`projections.notifications_back_channel_logout` to the current position
- [x] requires https://github.com/zitadel/oidc/pull/671
# Additional Changes
- Updated all OTEL dependencies to v1.29.0, since OIDC already updated
some of them to that version.
- Single Session Termination feature is correctly checked (fixed feature
mapping)
# Additional Context
- closes https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/issues/8467
- TODO:
- Documentation
- UI to be done: https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/issues/8469
---------
Co-authored-by: Hidde Wieringa <[email protected]>
# Which Problems Are Solved
Zitadel never stored or returned the requested `response_mode` in oidc
Auth Requests. This caused the oidc library to fallback to the default
based on the response_type.
# How the Problems Are Solved
- Store the `response_mode` in the Auth request repo
- Store the `response_mode` in the Auth request v2 events
- Return the `resonse_mode` from the Auth Request v1 and v2
`ResponseMode()` methods. (Was hard-coded to an empty string)
# Additional Changes
- Populate the `response_modes_supported` to the oidc Discovery
Configuration. When it was empty, the standard specifies the default of
`query` and `fragment`. However, our oidc library also supports
`form_post` and by this fix, zitadel now also supports this.
# Additional Context
- Closes#6586
- Reported
https://discord.com/channels/927474939156643850/1151508313717084220
---------
Co-authored-by: Livio Spring <[email protected]>
* add token exchange feature flag
* allow setting reason and actor to access tokens
* impersonation
* set token types and scopes in response
* upgrade oidc to working draft state
* fix tests
* audience and scope validation
* id toke and jwt as input
* return id tokens
* add grant type token exchange to app config
* add integration tests
* check and deny actors in api calls
* fix instance setting tests by triggering projection on write and cleanup
* insert sleep statements again
* solve linting issues
* add translations
* pin oidc v3.15.0
* resolve comments, add event translation
* fix refreshtoken test
* use ValidateAuthReqScopes from oidc
* apparently the linter can't make up its mind
* persist actor thru refresh tokens and check in tests
* remove unneeded triggers
* fix: if device Code is selected Auth Code no longer a hard requirement
* fix: create device code app without auth code as grant type
* fix: don't show redirect uris in overview for devicecode app wizard
* feat: reload component when oidc app is updated
* fix: oidcapp is valid grantTypes cannot be empty
* fix: auth code not mandatory if refresh token and device code combined
* fix: org tests
* fix: org tests
* fix: user grant test
* fix: user grant test
* fix: project and project role test
* fix: project grant test
* fix: project grant test
* fix: project member, grant member, app changed tests
* fix: application tests
* fix: application tests
* fix: add oidc app test
* fix: add oidc app test
* fix: add api keys test
* fix: iam policies
* fix: iam and org member tests
* fix: clock skew validation
* revert crypto changes
* fix: tests
* fix project grant member commands
Co-authored-by: Livio Amstutz <[email protected]>
jmaretteandGitHub
Livio SpringandGitHub
Tim MöhlmannandGitHub
Miguel CabrerizoandGitHub
Firmino ChanganiandGitHub
