Service-to-service authentication in Microservices - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is service-to-service authentication in microservices?

It is the process where one service proves its identity to another service before exchanging data, ensuring secure communication between microservices.

beginner

Name a common protocol used for service-to-service authentication.

OAuth 2.0 is commonly used, especially with the client credentials flow, to allow services to authenticate securely without user involvement.

intermediate

Why is mutual TLS (mTLS) useful in service-to-service authentication?

mTLS ensures both services verify each other's identity using certificates, providing strong encryption and trust in communication.

beginner

What role does a token play in service-to-service authentication?

A token acts like a digital ID card that a service presents to prove its identity and permissions when calling another service.

intermediate

How does a service typically obtain a token for authentication?

A service requests a token from an authorization server using its credentials, then uses this token to authenticate with other services.

Which protocol is commonly used for service-to-service authentication?

A FTP

B OAuth 2.0

C SMTP

D HTTP

OAuth 2.0 is designed for secure authorization and is commonly used for service-to-service authentication.

What does mTLS provide in service-to-service communication?

A Only identity verification of one side

B Only encryption

C Mutual identity verification and encryption

D No security features

mTLS ensures both services verify each other's identity and encrypt communication.

In OAuth 2.0 client credentials flow, who requests the token?

A The resource server

B The user

C The database

D The client service

The client service requests a token from the authorization server using its own credentials.

What is the main purpose of a token in service-to-service authentication?

A To prove identity and permissions

B To store data

C To encrypt messages

D To log errors

Tokens prove the identity and permissions of a service during authentication.

Which component issues tokens in a typical service-to-service authentication setup?

A Authorization server

B Database server

C Load balancer

D API gateway

The authorization server issues tokens after validating service credentials.

Explain how service-to-service authentication works in a microservices environment.

Think about how one service proves who it is before talking to another.

Describe the benefits of using mutual TLS (mTLS) for service-to-service authentication.

Consider how both sides confirm each other’s identity.