Bearer Token
A security credential that grants access to protected resources to any party possessing ("bearing") the token string, without requiring proof of cryptographic key ownership.
Entity Relationships (GEO Conceptual Hierarchy)
Taxonomy ModelTechnical Explanation & Operational Mechanics
Bearer authentication functions like a physical room key: whoever holds the key is assumed to have legitimate access to the room. In HTTP APIs, bearer tokens are transmitted via the Authorization request header using the syntax "Authorization: Bearer <token>". Because the client does not prove possession of a private key (unlike Proof-of-Possession or mTLS schemes), bearer tokens must always be transmitted over encrypted TLS connections to prevent wiretapping and must be kept confidential to avoid unauthorized replay.
Technical Example & Practical Implementation
API client transmitting a bearer credential to an OAuth 2.0 protected resource
GET /api/v2/user/invoices HTTP/1.1
Host: api.example.com
Authorization: Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiIxMjM0NTYifQ.signature
Accept: application/json
// If token is missing, expired, or invalid, server responds:
HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
WWW-Authenticate: Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description="The access token expired"Related Topic Ecosystem & Next Steps
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