port-nimara-client-portal/docs/authentication-session-fixes.md

Authentication Session Fixes Summary

Problem Description

Users were experiencing frequent logouts (every 5 minutes) and 502 errors when trying to re-login through Keycloak SSO. The authentication system was not properly managing session lifetimes and token refresh.

Root Causes Identified

1. Short Session Duration: Cookie lifetime was tied to access token expiry (5 minutes) instead of SSO session duration
2. No Automatic Token Refresh: Tokens expired without automatic refresh, forcing manual re-login
3. Cookie Domain Issues: Hardcoded cookie domain causing potential CORS issues
4. Poor Error Handling: 502 errors weren't handled gracefully with retry logic

Solutions Implemented

1. Fixed Session Cookie Duration

Files Modified:

• server/api/auth/keycloak/callback.ts
• server/api/auth/refresh.ts
• server/api/auth/session.ts

Changes:

• Changed cookie maxAge from access token lifetime (5 minutes) to SSO session duration (8 hours)
• Made cookie domain configurable via COOKIE_DOMAIN environment variable
• Separated access token lifetime from session cookie lifetime

// Before
maxAge: tokenResponse.expires_in, // 5 minutes

// After  
const sessionDuration = 8 * 60 * 60; // 8 hours in seconds
const cookieDomain = process.env.COOKIE_DOMAIN || '.portnimara.dev';
maxAge: sessionDuration,
domain: cookieDomain,

2. Implemented Auto-Refresh System

New File:

• plugins/01.auth-refresh.client.ts

Features:

• Automatically refreshes tokens 2 minutes before expiry
• Monitors session expiration client-side
• Handles tab visibility changes to refresh when user returns
• Graceful fallback to login page on refresh failure

Key Functions:

• scheduleTokenRefresh(): Schedules automatic token refresh
• checkAndScheduleRefresh(): Checks current session and schedules refresh
• Event listeners for route changes and tab visibility

3. Enhanced Error Handling

Files Modified:

• composables/useCustomAuth.ts

Improvements:

• Added retry logic for network errors (502, 503, etc.)
• Better distinction between auth failures (401) and network issues (5xx)
• Exponential backoff for retries
• Maintains auth state during network issues vs clearing on auth failures

4. Environment Configuration

Files Modified:

• .env.example

New Variables:

# Cookie Configuration
COOKIE_DOMAIN=.portnimara.dev

# Keycloak Configuration (used by custom auth)
KEYCLOAK_CLIENT_SECRET=your-keycloak-client-secret

Keycloak Admin Console Settings

These settings were configured in Keycloak to support longer sessions:

Realm Settings → Tokens

• SSO Session Idle: 8 hours
• SSO Session Max: 12 hours
• Access Token Lifespan: 5 minutes (kept short for security)
• Client Session Idle: 8 hours
• Client Session Max: 12 hours

Client Settings

• Use Refresh Tokens: ON
• Refresh Token Max Reuse: 0 (unlimited)

How It Works Now

1. Initial Login: User authenticates via Keycloak, gets 8-hour session cookie
2. Token Refresh: Access tokens refreshed automatically every ~3 minutes
3. Session Management: Session lasts 8 hours or until user explicitly logs out
4. Error Recovery: Network errors trigger retries; auth errors trigger re-login
5. Tab Management: Returning to tab triggers session check and refresh if needed

Expected Behavior

• Users stay logged in: For up to 8 hours of activity
• No manual re-login: Unless session truly expires or refresh tokens become invalid
• Graceful error handling: 502 errors are retried; true auth failures redirect to login
• Background refresh: Tokens refresh automatically without user interaction

Testing

Manual Testing

1. Login and monitor console logs for refresh scheduling
2. Leave tab open for >5 minutes, verify no logout
3. Close/reopen tab, verify automatic session restoration
4. Test with network disconnection/reconnection

Console Logs to Monitor

[AUTH_REFRESH] Scheduling token refresh in: X ms
[AUTH_REFRESH] Attempting automatic token refresh...
[AUTH_REFRESH] Token refresh successful, scheduling next refresh
[CUSTOM_AUTH] Session check result: { authenticated: true, userId: 'xxx' }

Troubleshooting

Users Still Getting Logged Out

1. Check Keycloak realm token settings
2. Verify COOKIE_DOMAIN environment variable
3. Check browser console for refresh errors
4. Verify Keycloak client refresh token settings

502 Errors Persist

1. Check nginx configuration and upstream health
2. Verify network connectivity between services
3. Monitor nginx error logs for backend issues
4. Check if retry logic is working in browser console

Refresh Not Working

1. Verify refresh tokens are being issued by Keycloak
2. Check client secret configuration
3. Monitor network tab for refresh API calls
4. Ensure auto-refresh plugin is loading (check console)

Security Considerations

• Access tokens remain short-lived (5 minutes) for security
• Refresh tokens enable long sessions without storing access tokens long-term
• Session cookies are httpOnly, secure, and sameSite protected
• Domain restrictions prevent cross-site cookie access

Future Enhancements

• Add user notification before session expiry
• Implement sliding session extension on user activity
• Add session management UI for users
• Monitor and alert on high refresh failure rates
• Add metrics for session duration and refresh success rates