🔐 pq-jwt

Post-Quantum JWT - A quantum-resistant JWT implementation using ML-DSA (Module-Lattice Digital Signature Algorithm) signatures.

🛡️ Future-proof your authentication - Protect your JWTs against quantum computer attacks with NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography.

🌟 Features

• ✅ Quantum-Resistant - Uses ML-DSA (FIPS 204) signatures that remain secure even against quantum attacks
• ✅ Multiple Security Levels - Choose from ML-DSA-44, ML-DSA-65, or ML-DSA-87 based on your needs
• ✅ Standards Compliant - JWT format following RFC 7519
• ✅ Flexible API - Simple functions and advanced Builder patterns
• ✅ Key Management - Built-in support for saving keys to files
• ✅ Key Rotation - Support for kid (Key ID) in JWT headers
• ✅ Zero Dependencies Bloat - Minimal, focused dependencies
• ✅ Easy to Use - Simple, intuitive API
• ✅ Well Tested - Comprehensive test coverage with unit and integration tests
• ✅ Pure Rust - Memory-safe implementation with no unsafe code

📋 Feature Matrix

JWT Operations & Claims Support

Post-Quantum Algorithms

Note: This library does NOT support classical algorithms (HS256, RS256, ES256, PS256, EdDSA) as they are vulnerable to quantum attacks. For classical JWT algorithms, use other libraries like jsonwebtoken.

📦 Installation

Add this to your Cargo.toml:

[dependencies]
pq-jwt = "0.1.0"

🚀 Quick Start

use pq_jwt::{generate_keypair, sign, verify, MlDsaAlgo};
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

fn main() -> Result<(), String> {
    // 1. Generate a keypair
    let (private_key, public_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;

    // 2. Create and sign a JWT with issuer and expiration
    let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();
    let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
        MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
        "https://myapp.com",      // Issuer
        now + 3600,                // Expires in 1 hour
        &private_key
    )?;

    println!("JWT: {}", jwt);
    println!("JWT ID (jti): {}", jti);

    // 3. Verify the JWT
    let verified_payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;
    println!("Verified payload: {}", verified_payload);

    println!("✓ JWT verified successfully!");
    Ok(())
}

📚 Usage Examples

Basic Authentication Token (Simple API)

use pq_jwt::{generate_keypair, sign, verify, MlDsaAlgo};
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

// Generate long-term keypair (store securely!)
let (private_key, public_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;

// Create user session token
let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();
let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
    MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
    "https://myapp.com",    // Issuer
    now + 3600,              // Expires in 1 hour
    &private_key
)?;

// Later: verify the token
let payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;
println!("Authenticated user: {}", payload);

Advanced Authentication Token (Builder API with Custom Claims)

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
use serde_json::json;

let (private_key, public_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;
let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// Create signer with all standard claims and custom data
let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&private_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .subject("user123")
    .audience("https://api.myapp.com")
    .custom_claims(json!({
        "name": "Alice",
        "role": "admin",
        "permissions": ["read", "write", "delete"]
    }))
    .build()?;

let (jwt, _, jti) = signer.sign()?;

// Verify
let payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;
println!("Token payload: {}", payload);

Generate and Save Keys to File

use pq_jwt::keygen::Builder;
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;

// Generate and save to default location (keys/)
let (private_key, public_key) = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file()
    .generate()?;

// Or save to custom location
let (private_key, public_key) = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file_at("./my-secure-keys")
    .generate()?;

// Files created:
// - ml_dsa_65_1704139200_private.key
// - ml_dsa_65_1704139200_public.key (derived from private key)

Load Keys from File

use pq_jwt::keygen::{Builder, KeySource};
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;

// Load from default location (keys/) - picks latest by timestamp
let (private_key, public_key, source) = Builder::from(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file()?;

// Load from custom location
let (private_key, public_key, source) = Builder::from(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file_at("./my-secure-keys")?;

// Public key is automatically derived from private key
assert_eq!(source, KeySource::Loaded);

Load or Generate Keys (Automatic Fallback)

use pq_jwt::keygen::{Builder, KeySource};
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;

// Try to load existing key, generate if missing
let (private_key, public_key, source) = Builder::load_or_generate(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file()?;

match source {
    KeySource::Loaded => println!("Using existing key"),
    KeySource::Generated => println!("Generated new key and saved"),
}

// Custom location
let (private_key, public_key, source) = Builder::load_or_generate(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file_at("./my-secure-keys")?;

// Perfect for server initialization - always has a valid key!

Load Keys from String (Database/Environment)

use pq_jwt::keygen::{Builder, KeySource};
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;

// Load private key from database or environment
let private_key_from_db = std::env::var("JWT_PRIVATE_KEY")?;

// Derive public key from private key
let (private_key, public_key, source) = Builder::from(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key_str(&private_key_from_db)?;

assert_eq!(source, KeySource::Loaded);
// Use the keys for signing/verification

Key Rotation with Key ID (kid)

The Key ID (kid) is automatically generated from the public key using SHA-256, ensuring consistent identification across key rotations.

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder as SignerBuilder;
use pq_jwt::verifier::Builder as VerifierBuilder;
use pq_jwt::{generate_keypair, MlDsaAlgo};
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// Generate keypair
let (priv_key_v2, pub_key_v2) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;

// Create signer (kid is auto-generated from public key)
let signer = SignerBuilder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&priv_key_v2)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .build()?;

let (jwt, _, jti) = signer.sign()?;

// Verify (kid from JWT header can be used to identify which key to use)
let verifier = VerifierBuilder::new()
    .public_key(&pub_key_v2)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .build()?;

let payload = verifier.verify(&jwt)?;

Reusable Signer and Verifier

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder as SignerBuilder;
use pq_jwt::verifier::Builder as VerifierBuilder;
use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// Create once, use many times
let signer = SignerBuilder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&private_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .build()?;

// Sign (no parameters needed - uses configured claims)
let (jwt1, _, jti1) = signer.sign()?;
let (jwt2, _, jti2) = signer.sign()?;
let (jwt3, _, jti3) = signer.sign()?;

// Create reusable verifier
let verifier = VerifierBuilder::new()
    .public_key(&public_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .build()?;

// Verify multiple tokens
for jwt in [jwt1, jwt2, jwt3] {
    match verifier.verify(&jwt) {
        Ok(payload) => println!("Valid: {}", payload),
        Err(e) => println!("Invalid: {}", e),
    }
}

API Authentication

use pq_jwt::{generate_keypair, MlDsaAlgo};
use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use pq_jwt::verifier;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
use serde_json::json;

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// Server initialization
let (server_private_key, server_public_key) =
    generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;

// Issue API token with custom claims
let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&server_private_key)
    .issuer("https://api.myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 86400)  // 24 hours
    .subject("ak_live_123456")
    .custom_claims(json!({
        "scope": ["read", "write"],
        "rate_limit": 1000
    }))
    .build()?;

let (api_token, _, jti) = signer.sign()?;

// Client sends: Authorization: Bearer <api_token>
// Server verifies:
match verifier::verify(&api_token, &server_public_key, "https://api.myapp.com") {
    Ok(claims) => println!("Valid API token: {}", claims),
    Err(e) => println!("Invalid token: {}", e),
}

Custom Payload with Type Safety

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use pq_jwt::{verify, MlDsaAlgo};
use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
use serde_json::json;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
struct CustomData {
    user_id: u64,
    role: String,
    permissions: Vec<String>,
}

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

let custom_data = CustomData {
    user_id: 42,
    role: "admin".to_string(),
    permissions: vec!["read".to_string(), "write".to_string()],
};

// Build JWT with standard claims + custom data
let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&private_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .subject("user_42")
    .custom_claims(serde_json::to_value(&custom_data)?)
    .build()?;

let (jwt, _, jti) = signer.sign()?;

// Later... verify and extract
let verified = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;
let payload: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&verified)?;
let custom: CustomData = serde_json::from_value(payload)?;
println!("User {} has role: {}", custom.user_id, custom.role);

🔑 Security Levels

Choose the right security level for your use case:

Security Level Comparison

• NIST Category 2 ≈ AES-128 security
• NIST Category 3 ≈ AES-192 security (Recommended)
• NIST Category 5 ≈ AES-256 security

Choosing an Algorithm

use pq_jwt::MlDsaAlgo;

// For most web applications (recommended)
let algo = MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65;

// For IoT or bandwidth-constrained environments
let algo = MlDsaAlgo::Dsa44;

// For maximum security (government, financial)
let algo = MlDsaAlgo::Dsa87;

🎯 Performance

Benchmarked on Apple M1 Pro (release build):

ML-DSA-65 Performance:
├─ Key Generation: ~350 µs (2,857 ops/sec)
├─ Signing:        ~930 µs (1,075 ops/sec)
└─ Verification:   ~220 µs (4,545 ops/sec)

Token Size: ~4.5 KB (vs ~300 bytes for ECDSA)

Performance Tips

1. Cache Keys: Generate keypairs once and reuse them
2. Pre-verify Format: Check JWT structure before cryptographic verification
3. Use ML-DSA-44: If bandwidth is critical and security level 2 is acceptable
4. Batch Operations: Verify multiple tokens in parallel for better throughput

📊 Size Comparison

⚠️ Trade-off: Post-quantum signatures are larger, but provide quantum resistance. The size increase is the price of security against quantum attacks.

🛠️ API Reference

Simple API (Convenience Functions)

generate_keypair(algo: MlDsaAlgo) -> Result<(String, String), String>

Generates a new keypair for the specified algorithm.

Returns: (private_key_hex, public_key_hex)

let (private_key, public_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;

sign(algo: MlDsaAlgo, iss: &str, exp: u64, private_key_hex: &str) -> Result<(String, String, String), String>

Signs JWT claims and returns a JWT with the public key and JWT ID.

Parameters:

• algo - ML-DSA algorithm variant
• iss - Issuer (REQUIRED)
• exp - Expiration time as Unix timestamp in seconds (REQUIRED)
• private_key_hex - Hex-encoded private key

Returns: (jwt, public_key_hex, jti)

• jwt - The signed JWT string
• public_key_hex - Hex-encoded public key (for verification)
• jti - JWT ID (UUID v7 format) - useful for session management

Note: The iat (issued at) claim defaults to the current time. The jti is automatically generated as a UUID v7.

use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();
let (jwt, pub_key, jti) = sign(
    MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
    "https://myapp.com",
    now + 3600,
    &private_key
)?;
println!("JWT ID for session tracking: {}", jti);

verify(jwt: &str, public_key_hex: &str, expected_issuer: &str) -> Result<String, String>

Verifies a JWT and returns the decoded payload.

Parameters:

• jwt - The JWT string to verify
• public_key_hex - Hex-encoded public key
• expected_issuer - Expected issuer that must match the JWT's iss claim

Returns: payload if valid, error otherwise

let payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;

Builder API (Advanced)

keygen::Builder

Generation Methods:

• Builder::new() - Create builder for generation
• .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo) - Set the algorithm variant
• .save_to_file() - Save keys to default location (keys/)
• .save_to_file_at(path) - Save keys to custom path
• .generate() - Generate keypair (and save if configured)
• Returns: (private_key_hex, public_key_hex)

Loading Methods:

• Builder::from(algo) - Create builder for loading (error if missing)
• Builder::load_or_generate(algo) - Load or auto-generate if missing
• .file() - Load from default location (keys/), picks latest by timestamp
• .file_at(path) - Load from custom path, picks latest by timestamp
• .private_key_str(hex) - Load from hex string, derives public key
• Returns: (private_key_hex, public_key_hex, KeySource)

use pq_jwt::keygen::{Builder, KeySource};

// Generate and save
let (priv_key, pub_key) = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file_at("./secure-keys")
    .generate()?;

// Load from file (error if missing)
let (priv_key, pub_key, source) = Builder::from(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file_at("./secure-keys")?;

// Load or generate (auto-fallback)
let (priv_key, pub_key, source) = Builder::load_or_generate(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file_at("./secure-keys")?;

// Load from string
let (priv_key, pub_key, source) = Builder::from(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key_str(&hex_string)?;

signer::Builder

Configuration Methods:

• .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo) - Set the algorithm variant (REQUIRED)
• .private_key(&str) - Set the private key (REQUIRED)

Standard JWT Claims Methods:

• .issuer(&str) - Set iss claim (REQUIRED)
• .expiration(u64) - Set exp claim as Unix timestamp (REQUIRED)
• .subject(&str) - Set sub claim (optional)
• .audience(&str) - Set aud claim (optional)
• .issued_at(Option<u64>) - Set iat claim, defaults to signing time if not set (optional)
• .not_before(u64) - Set nbf claim as Unix timestamp (optional)
• .jwt_id(&str) - Override the auto-generated jti claim (UUID v7 by default)
• .custom_claims(serde_json::Value) - Add custom claims (optional)

Build Method:

• .build() - Build Signer instance, returns Result<Signer, String>

Signer Methods:

• .sign() - Sign the configured claims, returns Result<(String, String, String), String> as (jwt, public_key, jti)

Notes:

• The Key ID (kid) is automatically generated from the public key using SHA-256
• The JWT ID (jti) is automatically generated as UUID v7 (time-ordered) if not explicitly set
• The iat (issued at) defaults to the current signing time if not explicitly set
• Claims are validated before signing (exp > iat, nbf <= iat)
• Custom claims that duplicate standard claim keys are ignored

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
use serde_json::json;

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&priv_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .subject("user@example.com")
    .custom_claims(json!({
        "role": "admin",
        "permissions": ["read", "write"]
    }))
    .build()?;

let (jwt, pub_key, jti) = signer.sign()?;

verifier::Builder

Required Configuration:

• .public_key(&str) - Set the public key (REQUIRED)
• .issuer(&str) - Set expected issuer for validation (REQUIRED)

Optional Claim Validations:

• .audience(&str) - Set expected audience for validation
• .subject(&str) - Set expected subject for validation
• .leeway(u64) - Set time leeway in seconds for clock skew (default: 0)

Build Method:

• .build() - Build Verifier instance, returns Result<Verifier, String>

Verifier Methods:

• .verify(&str) - Verify JWT and return payload, returns Result<String, String>

Automatic Validations (Always Performed):

• ✅ Signature verification (cryptographic)
• ✅ Expiration check (exp must be in the future)
• ✅ Issuer matching (iss claim must match expected issuer)

Optional Validations (Configured via Builder):

• Expected audience matching (if .audience() is called)
• Expected subject matching (if .subject() is called)
• Not before time (nbf if present in token)

use pq_jwt::verifier::Builder;

// Basic verification - issuer is REQUIRED
let verifier = Builder::new()
    .public_key(&pub_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")  // REQUIRED
    .build()?;

let payload = verifier.verify(&jwt)?;

// Advanced verification with additional optional validations
let verifier = Builder::new()
    .public_key(&pub_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")        // REQUIRED
    .audience("https://api.myapp.com")  // Optional: validate audience matches
    .subject("user@example.com")        // Optional: validate subject matches
    .leeway(60)                         // Optional: allow 60s clock skew
    .build()?;

let payload = verifier.verify(&jwt)?;

Enums

MlDsaAlgo

Available algorithm variants:

• MlDsaAlgo::Dsa44 - NIST Category 2
• MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65 - NIST Category 3 (Recommended)
• MlDsaAlgo::Dsa87 - NIST Category 5

Traits: Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq

KeySource

Indicates the source of a keypair when using load_or_generate:

• KeySource::Loaded - Successfully loaded existing key from file or string
• KeySource::Generated - Generated new key (file was missing or corrupt)

Traits: Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq

use pq_jwt::keygen::{Builder, KeySource};

let (priv_key, pub_key, source) = Builder::load_or_generate(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .file()?;

match source {
    KeySource::Loaded => println!("Reusing existing key"),
    KeySource::Generated => println!("Created new key"),
}

🔄 Migration Guide

From v0.1.x to v0.2.x

Breaking Change: The sign() function signature has changed to require iss and exp parameters.

Old API (v0.1.x):

let payload = r#"{"sub": "user123", "exp": 1735689600}"#;
let (jwt, _) = sign(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65, payload, &priv_key)?;

New API (v0.2.x):

use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();
let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
    MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
    "https://myapp.com",  // issuer (required)
    now + 3600,            // expiration (required)
    &priv_key
)?;
// jti is now returned - use it for session management

For more complex claims, use the Builder API:

use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use serde_json::json;

let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&priv_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .subject("user123")
    .custom_claims(json!({
        "role": "admin",
        "permissions": ["read", "write"]
    }))
    .build()?;

let (jwt, _, jti) = signer.sign()?;

New Features Available

Key File Management:

// Old way - manual file handling
let (priv_key, pub_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;
std::fs::write("private.key", &priv_key)?;
std::fs::write("public.key", &pub_key)?;

// New way - built-in
use pq_jwt::keygen::Builder;
let (priv_key, pub_key) = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file()
    .generate()?;

Key Rotation:

// New: kid is automatically generated for key rotation
use pq_jwt::signer::Builder;
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

let signer = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&priv_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .build()?;
// The kid in the JWT header can be used to identify which public key to use

Reusable Instances:

use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// New: Create once, use multiple times
let signer = signer::Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&priv_key)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .build()?;

// Sign (no parameters needed - uses configured claims)
let (jwt1, _, jti1) = signer.sign()?;
let (jwt2, _, jti2) = signer.sign()?;

JWT Claims Validation:

// New: Automatic validation of JWT claims
// - exp > iat (expiration must be after issued at)
// - nbf <= iat (not before must be before or equal to issued at)
// Validation happens automatically when calling sign()

🔒 Security Considerations

Key Management

• Never commit private keys to version control
• Rotate keys regularly (every 90 days recommended)
• Use environment variables or secret management systems
• Store keys encrypted at rest
• Use file storage with proper permissions (0600 for private keys)

// ✓ Good - Environment variables
let private_key = std::env::var("JWT_PRIVATE_KEY")?;

// ✓ Good - Secure file storage
use pq_jwt::keygen::Builder;
let (priv_key, pub_key) = Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file_at("/secure/keys")
    .generate()?;

// ✗ Bad - Hardcoded
let private_key = "4343e9e24838dbd8..."; // Never do this

Key Rotation Strategy

use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

// Step 1: Generate new keypair (kid will be auto-generated)
let (new_priv, new_pub) = keygen::Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .save_to_file_at("/keys/v3")
    .generate()?;

// Step 2: Create new signer (kid is auto-generated from public key)
let signer = signer::Builder::new()
    .algorithm(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)
    .private_key(&new_priv)
    .issuer("https://myapp.com")
    .expiration(now + 3600)
    .build()?;

// Step 3: Store the public key with its auto-generated kid for verification
// You can extract the kid from a signed JWT's header to identify which key to use
// Step 4: Keep old public keys for verification during transition period
// Step 5: Gradually phase out old keys

Token Best Practices

1. Always include expiration (exp claim)
2. Use short lifetimes for sensitive operations (15 min - 1 hour)
3. Implement token revocation if needed
4. Validate claims after verification
5. Use HTTPS for token transmission

Example with Expiration

use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)?.as_secs();

// Sign with issuer and expiration
let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
    MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
    "https://example.com",  // issuer
    now + 3600,             // expiration (1 hour from now)
    &private_key
)?;

🍪 Session Management for Large JWTs

Post-quantum JWTs are significantly larger (3-6 KB) than classical JWTs (~300 bytes), making them impractical to store in cookies due to browser size limits (~4 KB per cookie). Here's a recommended pattern for managing sessions:

Cookie + Server-Side Storage Pattern

Instead of storing the entire JWT in a cookie, store only the jti (JWT ID) and keep the full JWT server-side:

use pq_jwt::{generate_keypair, sign, verify, MlDsaAlgo};
use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};

// 1. Generate and sign JWT
let (private_key, public_key) = generate_keypair(MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65)?;
let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();

let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
    MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
    "https://myapp.com",
    now + 3600,  // 1 hour expiration
    &private_key
)?;

// 2. Store JWT server-side (Redis, database, etc.)
// redis.set(jti, jwt, expiry=3600)
// OR
// database.insert(jti, jwt, expires_at)

// 3. Store only the jti in cookie (36 bytes as UUID)
// Set-Cookie: session_id={jti}; HttpOnly; Secure; SameSite=Strict

// 4. On subsequent requests, retrieve JWT using jti
// let jwt = redis.get(session_id)?;
// let payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;

Why UUID v7 for JTI?

This library uses UUID v7 (time-ordered) for jti, which provides several benefits:

• Sortable: UUIDs are time-ordered, making them efficient for database indexing
• K-sorted: Improves database performance by reducing index fragmentation
• Timestamp component: Can extract creation time from the UUID
• Collision-resistant: Cryptographically random with timestamp prefix

Implementation Considerations

Storage Backend Options:

// Option 1: Redis (recommended for high-performance)
// - TTL automatically expires sessions
// - In-memory speed for lookups
redis.setex(jti, 3600, jwt)?;

// Option 2: Database (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
// - Persistent storage
// - Can query by user_id, created_at, etc.
db.execute(
    "INSERT INTO sessions (jti, jwt, expires_at) VALUES ($1, $2, $3)",
    &[&jti, &jwt, &(now + 3600)]
)?;

// Option 3: Distributed cache (Memcached)
// - Multi-server support
// - Automatic eviction
cache.set(jti, jwt, 3600)?;

Security Best Practices:

1. Set appropriate cookie attributes:

   Set-Cookie: session_id={jti};
               HttpOnly;           // Prevent XSS access
               Secure;             // HTTPS only
               SameSite=Strict;    // CSRF protection
               Max-Age=3600        // Match JWT expiration
   

2. Implement TTL matching JWT expiration:

   • Server-side storage TTL should match JWT exp claim
   • Prevents storage of expired tokens

3. Rate limit lookups by jti:

   • Prevent enumeration attacks
   • Limit requests per IP/user

4. Clean up expired sessions:

   // Periodic cleanup for database-backed storage
   db.execute("DELETE FROM sessions WHERE expires_at < NOW()")?;
   

Example: Full Web Application Flow

// Login endpoint
async fn login(credentials: Credentials) -> Result<Response> {
    // Authenticate user...

    let now = SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap().as_secs();
    let (jwt, _, jti) = sign(
        MlDsaAlgo::Dsa65,
        "https://myapp.com",
        now + 3600,
        &private_key
    )?;

    // Store in Redis with TTL
    redis.setex(&jti, 3600, &jwt).await?;

    // Return cookie with jti only (36 bytes vs 4.5 KB)
    Ok(Response::new()
        .cookie(Cookie::build("session_id", jti)
            .http_only(true)
            .secure(true)
            .same_site(SameSite::Strict)
            .max_age(Duration::seconds(3600))
            .finish()))
}

// Protected endpoint
async fn protected(session_id: String) -> Result<Response> {
    // Lookup full JWT from Redis
    let jwt = redis.get(&session_id).await?
        .ok_or("Session not found")?;

    // Verify JWT
    let payload = verify(&jwt, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")?;

    // Process request...
    Ok(Response::new().body(payload))
}

// Logout endpoint
async fn logout(session_id: String) -> Result<Response> {
    // Delete from Redis
    redis.del(&session_id).await?;

    Ok(Response::new()
        .cookie(Cookie::build("session_id", "")
            .max_age(Duration::seconds(0))
            .finish()))
}

Size Comparison: Cookie Storage

🤔 Why Post-Quantum?

The Quantum Threat

Quantum computers, when fully developed, will break current cryptographic systems:

• RSA - Vulnerable to Shor's algorithm
• ECDSA - Vulnerable to Shor's algorithm
• Diffie-Hellman - Vulnerable to quantum attacks

Timeline

• 2023: NIST standardizes post-quantum algorithms (ML-DSA = FIPS 204)
• 2025-2030: Quantum computers may break RSA-2048
• 2030+: All systems must use post-quantum crypto

"Harvest Now, Decrypt Later"

Attackers can:

1. Intercept and store encrypted data today
2. Wait for quantum computers to become available
3. Decrypt the data retroactively

Solution: Start using post-quantum crypto NOW to protect long-term secrets.

🆚 Comparison with Classical JWT

🔧 Integration Examples

With Actix Web

use actix_web::{web, App, HttpRequest, HttpServer, Result};
use pq_jwt::{verify, MlDsaAlgo};

async fn protected_route(req: HttpRequest) -> Result<String> {
    let auth_header = req
        .headers()
        .get("Authorization")
        .and_then(|h| h.to_str().ok())
        .ok_or_else(|| actix_web::error::ErrorUnauthorized("Missing token"))?;

    let token = auth_header.strip_prefix("Bearer ")
        .ok_or_else(|| actix_web::error::ErrorUnauthorized("Invalid format"))?;

    let public_key = std::env::var("JWT_PUBLIC_KEY")
        .map_err(|_| actix_web::error::ErrorInternalServerError("Config error"))?;

    match verify(token, &public_key, "https://myapp.com") {
        Ok(payload) => Ok(format!("Authenticated: {}", payload)),
        Err(_) => Err(actix_web::error::ErrorUnauthorized("Invalid token")),
    }
}

With Axum

use axum::{
    extract::Request,
    http::{StatusCode, HeaderMap},
    middleware::Next,
    response::Response,
};
use pq_jwt::verify;

async fn auth_middleware(
    headers: HeaderMap,
    request: Request,
    next: Next,
) -> Result<Response, StatusCode> {
    let auth_header = headers
        .get("Authorization")
        .and_then(|h| h.to_str().ok())
        .ok_or(StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED)?;

    let token = auth_header
        .strip_prefix("Bearer ")
        .ok_or(StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED)?;

    let public_key = std::env::var("JWT_PUBLIC_KEY")
        .map_err(|_| StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;

    verify(token, &public_key, "https://myapp.com")
        .map_err(|_| StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED)?;

    Ok(next.run(request).await)
}

🧪 Testing

Run the test suite:

# Run all tests
cargo test

# Run with output
cargo test -- --nocapture

# Run specific test
cargo test test_full_workflow

# Run benchmarks
cargo test --release

📖 Further Reading

• NIST FIPS 204 - ML-DSA Standard
• Post-Quantum Cryptography FAQ
• JWT RFC 7519
• NIST Post-Quantum Standards

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/MKSinghDev/pq-jwt-rust.git
cd pq-jwt-rust
cargo build
cargo test

📄 License

This project is dual-licensed under:

• MIT License (LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
• Apache License, Version 2.0 (LICENSE-APACHE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)

You may choose either license for your use.

👨‍💻 Author

MKSingh (@MKSingh_Dev)

⭐ Star History

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Made with ❤️ for a quantum-safe future