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How OAuth 2.0 works? Explained with example

 Subjects involve in this example.

1. ChatGPT (The Client)

2. Gmail account owner (Resource owner)

3. Gmail (Authenticator)


OAuth 2.0 has three main phases. They are:

  • Requesting an Authorization Grant
  • Exchanging the Authorization Grant for an Access Token 
  • Accessing the resources using the obtained Access Token



OAuth 2.0 is a protocol that allows a user (resource owner) to grant limited access to their resources (like their Gmail account) to another application (client), without giving away their actual credentials (username and password). Instead of sharing your Gmail password with the client, OAuth 2.0 provides a safer way to let the client access your Gmail data.

Here's how the flow would work between you (resource owner), ChatGPT (client), and Gmail (authentication point):


Step 1: Registration

  • ChatGPT (the client) is registered with Gmail's OAuth system. This involves ChatGPT providing its own information (like a name, website, and a redirect URL) to Gmail so that Gmail recognizes it as a legitimate client.

Step 2: Requesting Authorization

2. You (the resource owner) want ChatGPT to access your Gmail account's information, so you initiate the process by clicking on a "Sign in with Gmail" button in the ChatGPT app.

  • ChatGPT sends a request to Gmail's OAuth system, asking for permission to access your Gmail data on your behalf. This request includes information like what it wants to access and why (scopes), as well as its own credentials.

Step 3: Redirect to Authentication

4. Gmail's OAuth system presents you with a login page (if you're not already logged in) to verify your identity. You provide your Gmail credentials directly to Gmail, not to ChatGPT.

  • After verifying your identity, Gmail's OAuth system asks if you want to grant the requested permissions to ChatGPT.
  • If you approve, Gmail's OAuth system generates a special token (access token) and sends it back to ChatGPT's provided redirect URL.

Step 4: Access Token

7. ChatGPT receives the access token, which is a short-lived key that proves it has permission to access your Gmail data.

  • This access token is used to make requests to Gmail's API on your behalf.

Step 5: Accessing Resources

9. ChatGPT uses the access token to make API requests to Gmail's servers. These requests can be to read your emails, send emails, or perform other authorized actions.

  • Gmail's servers check the access token to ensure that the request is coming from an authorized client (ChatGPT).

Step 6: Expiry and Refresh

11. Access tokens have a limited lifespan for security. Once the access token expires, ChatGPT needs to go through the authorization process again.

  • To avoid making you log in every time the token expires, OAuth 2.0 also provides a way for ChatGPT to request a new access token (refresh token) without needing your interaction.

In this way, OAuth 2.0 enables secure access to your Gmail data without revealing your password to ChatGPT. It's a safer and more controlled method for sharing your resources with other applications.



In step 2 of the OAuth 2.0 flow, when the client (in this case, ChatGPT) sends a request to the OAuth system of Gmail, it includes certain pieces of information in that request. Let's break down the components of that request:

  • What it wants to access: The client needs to specify what kind of resources it wants to access on behalf of the user (you). For example, if ChatGPT wants to read your Gmail inbox, it needs to specify that it wants access to your emails. If it wants to send emails, it would specify that it needs access to sending capabilities. These specific permissions are called "scopes." Scopes define the level of access the client is requesting. Different services (like Gmail) provide different scopes that the client can request.
  • Why (scopes): The client also needs to provide a reason for why it's requesting these permissions. This is often described in terms of the scopes it's asking for. For instance, if ChatGPT is requesting access to read your emails, it might explain that it needs this access to provide you with relevant responses based on your email content. This explanation helps the user (you) understand why the application is asking for specific permissions.
  • Its own credentials: The client also includes its own credentials in the request. These credentials identify the client to the OAuth system. They typically include a client ID and a client secret, which were provided to the client during the registration process. These credentials are used to authenticate the client with the OAuth system, ensuring that the client is authorized to make requests.

To summarize, in step 2, the client (ChatGPT) sends a request to the OAuth system of Gmail. This request includes details about what specific resources (scopes) it wants to access on your behalf, an explanation of why it needs those permissions, and its own credentials to prove its identity. This information helps the OAuth system and the user (you) understand what access the client is requesting and why.





In the context of your Gmail account, Gmail, and ChatGPT, the most suitable grant type would likely be the "Authorization Code Grant." Let me explain how this grant type would apply to the scenario you described:

  1. Authorization Code Grant:
    • Resource Owner (You): You are the resource owner, the person who owns the Gmail account.
    • Client (ChatGPT): ChatGPT is the client application that wants to access your Gmail data.
    • Authorization Server (Gmail): Gmail's authentication system acts as the authorization server that handles the authorization process and issues access tokens.
    • Resource Server (Gmail API): The Gmail API is the resource server that hosts your Gmail data (emails, contacts, etc.).

Flow:

  1. You initiate the process by clicking on "Sign in with Gmail" in ChatGPT.
  2. ChatGPT redirects you to Gmail's login page to authenticate yourself.
  3. After successful authentication, Gmail presents you with a consent screen explaining what access ChatGPT is requesting and why (scopes).
  4. If you grant permission, Gmail generates an authorization code and redirects you back to ChatGPT with this code.
  5. ChatGPT uses the authorization code to make a secure, backend-to-backend request to Gmail's OAuth system.
  6. In exchange for the authorization code, ChatGPT provides its client credentials (client ID and secret) and requests an access token from Gmail's OAuth system.
  7. If everything checks out (client credentials match, code is valid, etc.), Gmail's OAuth system provides ChatGPT with an access token.
  8. ChatGPT uses this access token to make requests to the Gmail API on your behalf. The Gmail API verifies the token and provides the requested data back to ChatGPT.

This "Authorization Code Grant" flow ensures that ChatGPT never handles your Gmail credentials directly and operates within the boundaries defined by the scopes you approved during the consent process. It's a secure and commonly used method to allow third-party applications access to your resources without exposing your credentials


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