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Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication · Lesson

Signing and Verifying JWTs

Learn the cryptographic principles behind JWT signing and how to verify a token's integrity and authenticity.

Signing and Verifying JWTs is a free Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What is JWT Signing?

JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) are powerful, but how do we trust them? Signing is the answer! It's a cryptographic process that ensures a token hasn't been tampered with and comes from a trusted source.

  • Integrity: Confirms the token's content hasn't been changed since it was issued.
  • Authenticity: Verifies the token was issued by the expected sender.

Without a signature, anyone could create or alter a JWT!

Keys to Security: The Secret

For symmetric signing algorithms like HMAC (e.g., HS256), a single secret key is used. This key is known only to the issuer and the intended verifier(s).

  • The secret key is a string of bytes, crucial for both signing and verifying.
  • It must be kept highly confidential.
  • If the secret key is compromised, your JWTs are no longer secure!

Algorithms: HS256 & RS256

JWTs use cryptographic algorithms to create the signature. The algorithm type is specified in the token's header.

  • HS256 (HMAC SHA-256): A symmetric algorithm. Uses a single secret key for both signing and verification. Simpler to implement.
  • RS256 (RSA SHA-256): An asymmetric algorithm. Uses a private key for signing and a public key for verification. More complex but better for distributed systems.

We'll focus on HS256 for our examples due to its simplicity.

Building the Signature (HS256)

The signature is created by combining the Base64Url encoded header, the Base64Url encoded payload, and your secret key using the chosen algorithm.

  1. Take the Base64Url encoded header.
  2. Take the Base64Url encoded payload.
  3. Concatenate them with a dot: encodedHeader + "." + encodedPayload.
  4. Hash this combined string using HMAC SHA-256 with your secret key.
  5. Base64Url encode the resulting hash to get the final signature.

Result: encodedHeader.encodedPayload.signature

Code: Generating HS256 Signature

Here's a Java example to generate an HS256 signature for a JWT. Notice how the secret key is essential for the hashing process.

import javax.crypto.Mac;
import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;
import java.util.Base64;

public class JwtSigner {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String encodedHeader = "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9"; // {"alg":"HS256","typ":"JWT"}
        String encodedPayload = "eyJpZCI6MSwicm9sZSI6InVzZXIifQ";     // {"id":1,"role":"user"}
        String secret = "coddykit-secret-lesson-key-1234567890";

        String dataToSign = encodedHeader + "." + encodedPayload;

        Mac hmacSha256 = Mac.getInstance("HmacSHA256");
        SecretKeySpec secretKey = new SecretKeySpec(secret.getBytes("UTF-8"), "HmacSHA256");
        hmacSha256.init(secretKey);

        byte[] signatureBytes = hmacSha256.doFinal(dataToSign.getBytes("UTF-8"));
        String encodedSignature = Base64.getUrlEncoder().withoutPadding().encodeToString(signatureBytes);

        System.out.println("Data to Sign: " + dataToSign);
        System.out.println("Generated Signature: " + encodedSignature);
        System.out.println("Full JWT: " + dataToSign + "." + encodedSignature);
    }
}

Verifying a JWT's Signature

Verification is the reverse process of signing. When you receive a JWT, you need to ensure its signature is valid.

  1. Separate the received JWT into its three parts: header, payload, and signature.
  2. Reconstruct the "data to sign" string: encodedHeader + "." + encodedPayload.
  3. Using the same secret key and algorithm, calculate a new signature from this data.
  4. Compare your newly calculated signature with the signature provided in the JWT.

If they match, the token is valid and untampered! If not, it's invalid.

Secure Key Management

The security of your JWTs critically depends on how well you manage your signing keys. A compromised key invalidates all your security efforts!

  • Confidentiality: Keep secret keys private. Never hardcode them in client-side code.
  • Rotation: Regularly change your keys to limit the impact of a potential compromise.
  • Strength: Use strong, random, and sufficiently long keys.
  • Store keys in secure environments, like environment variables or dedicated key management services.

Code: Verifying HS256 Signature

This example demonstrates how to verify a JWT's signature. We use the same secret key to recalculate the signature and compare it against the one in the token.

import javax.crypto.Mac;
import javax.crypto.spec.SecretKeySpec;
import java.util.Base64;

public class JwtVerifier {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String jwt = "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpZCI6MSwicm9sZSI6InVzZXIifQ.qS6pQ_6_q-P_5_o-O_6_n-N_7_m-M_8_l-L_9_k-K_0_j-J_1_i-I_2_h-H_3_g-G_4_f-F_5_e-E_6_d-D_7_c-C_8_b-B_9_a-A"; 
        String secret = "coddykit-secret-lesson-key-1234567890";

        String[] parts = jwt.split("\\.");
        String encodedHeader = parts[0];
        String encodedPayload = parts[1];
        String receivedSignature = parts[2];

        String dataToSign = encodedHeader + "." + encodedPayload;

        Mac hmacSha256 = Mac.getInstance("HmacSHA256");
        SecretKeySpec secretKey = new SecretKeySpec(secret.getBytes("UTF-8"), "HmacSHA256");
        hmacSha256.init(secretKey);

        byte[] calculatedSignatureBytes = hmacSha256.doFinal(dataToSign.getBytes("UTF-8"));
        String calculatedSignature = Base64.getUrlEncoder().withoutPadding().encodeToString(calculatedSignatureBytes);

        if (calculatedSignature.equals(receivedSignature)) {
            System.out.println("Signature is VALID!");
        } else {
            System.out.println("Signature is INVALID!");
            System.out.println("Received: " + receivedSignature);
            System.out.println("Calculated: " + calculatedSignature);
        }
    }
}

Symmetric vs. Asymmetric Signing

While HS256 (HMAC SHA-256) uses a shared secret, RS256 (RSA SHA-256) and ES256 (ECDSA SHA-256) use key pairs.

  • Symmetric (e.g., HS256): Same key for signing and verifying. Best for single-service applications or when the verifier is also the issuer.
  • Asymmetric (e.g., RS256, ES256): Private key for signing, public key for verifying. Ideal for distributed systems where multiple services need to verify tokens issued by a central authority. The public key can be shared widely without compromising security.

Quick Check: JWT Security

You've learned about JWT signing and verification. Let's test your understanding.

Recap: Secure JWTs

Great job! We've demystified how JWTs are secured through signing and verification.

  • Signing ensures a JWT's integrity and authenticity using a cryptographic algorithm and a secret key.
  • HS256 (HMAC SHA-256) is a symmetric algorithm using a single shared secret.
  • Verification involves recalculating the signature and comparing it to the received one.
  • Secure key management is paramount for JWT security.
  • Asymmetric algorithms like RS256 use key pairs for distributed verification.

Next up, we'll see how to integrate JWTs with Spring Security!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Signing and Verifying JWTs” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Signing and Verifying JWTs” is free to read here on the web, and the Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Signing and Verifying JWTs”?

Learn the cryptographic principles behind JWT signing and how to verify a token's integrity and authenticity. You practise Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication?

No prior experience is required. Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Signing and Verifying JWTs” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication lesson?

Yes. Every Spring Security 6 & JWT Authentication lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Understanding JSON Web Tokens
  2. JWT Structure and Claims
  3. Signing and Verifying JWTs
  4. JWT Expiration and Validation Rules
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