Sign-In with OAuth 2.0
OAuth overview
With AWS Sign-In industry-standard OAuth 2.0 support, agents and applications can access supported AWS services using OAuth authorization.
OAuth integrates with your existing AWS identities and authorization model. Applications obtain short-lived OAuth tokens through AWS Sign-In. OAuth tokens work with your existing IAM identities, policies, service control policies (SCPs), resource control policies (RCPs), and other AWS authorization controls. OAuth introduces a standards-based authorization model without changing how access to AWS resources is governed.
With AWS Sign-In, you can authorize applications through a browser (interactive), or applications with existing AWS credentials can obtain OAuth access tokens programmatically (non-interactive).
Supported capabilities
AWS Sign-In provides the following OAuth capabilities.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Interactive authorization | Browser-based OAuth authorization for users. |
| Non-interactive authorization | OAuth authorization for agents and applications using existing AWS credentials without requiring a browser. |
| Token management | Issue and introspect access and refresh tokens, and revoke refresh tokens. |
| Dynamic client registration | Register approved OAuth-compatible applications with AWS Sign-In. |
| IAM integration | Govern OAuth authorization using IAM permissions, resources, and condition keys. |
| CloudTrail integration | Audit OAuth authorization and token lifecycle events using AWS CloudTrail. |
How OAuth works
OAuth authorization in AWS Sign-In follows the OAuth 2.0 standard.
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An agent or application requests authorization to access a supported AWS service.
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AWS Sign-In authenticates the user.
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AWS Sign-In issues OAuth tokens that authorize the application to access the requested AWS service on behalf of the user.
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The AWS service evaluates every request using the existing AWS authorization model, including IAM policies, service control policies (SCPs), resource control policies (RCPs), permission boundaries, and other applicable controls.
OAuth tokens authorize an application to access a supported AWS service. They do not grant additional AWS permissions. Applications can perform only the actions already permitted by the authenticated IAM identity.
Authorization models
AWS Sign-In supports two OAuth authorization models.
Interactive authorization
Interactive authorization is intended for developers using browser-based authentication.
AWS Sign-In enforces the OAuth 2.1 Authorization Code Grant with Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE). When an application requires authorization, it redirects the user to AWS Sign-In, where the user authenticates, reviews the authorization request, and grants consent.
After successful authorization, AWS Sign-In issues:
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Access tokens – Short-lived OAuth tokens (up to one hour) that authorize applications to access supported AWS services.
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Refresh tokens – Used to obtain new access tokens without requiring the user to authenticate again. AWS Sign-In automatically manages token refresh for authorized applications.
Interactive authorization supports:
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IAM users
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AWS account root users
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IAM Identity Center users
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SAML and Custom Identity broker users
For a walkthrough of connecting an agent using interactive authorization, see AWS MCP Server.
Non-interactive authorization
Non-interactive authorization is intended for agents and applications that already possess AWS credentials and cannot perform browser-based authentication.
AWS Sign-In implements the OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials Grant using AWS Signature Version 4 (SigV4) credentials instead of a static OAuth client secret. Applications authenticate to the AWS Sign-In token endpoint using existing AWS credentials and receive a short-lived OAuth access token that can be used to access supported AWS services.
The client credentials grant issues only access tokens (no refresh tokens). Request a new access token when the current token expires.
For a walkthrough of connecting an application using non-interactive authorization, see AWS MCP Server.
Security model
OAuth authorization integrates with the existing AWS security model. AWS Sign-In extends this authorization model with OAuth-specific capabilities, including:
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IAM actions for OAuth authorization and token management. See Actions, resources, and condition keys for AWS Sign-In.
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OAuth authorization grant resources. See Actions, resources, and condition keys for AWS Sign-In.
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OAuth-specific IAM condition keys. See OAuth condition keys.
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Token introspection and revocation APIs.
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AWS CloudTrail auditing for OAuth authorization and token lifecycle events. See Monitoring OAuth activity.
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Required PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange) with OAuth 2.1 for interactive authorization flows.
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Single-use authorization codes and rotating single-use refresh tokens to prevent replay attacks.
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VPCE support for OAuth APIs. See AWS PrivateLink.
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Support trusted redirect URIs in DCR.
These capabilities allow administrators to govern OAuth authorization using the same IAM authorization model they already use across AWS.
OAuth endpoints
AWS Sign-In provides the following OAuth endpoints.
| Endpoint | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Authorization | /v1/authorize |
Initiates the interactive authorization flow. |
| Token | /v1/token |
Exchanges authorization codes, refresh tokens, or client credentials for OAuth tokens. |
| Introspection | /v1/introspect |
Returns metadata about an OAuth token. |
| Revocation | /v1/revoke |
Revokes a refresh token. |
| Dynamic Client Registration | /v1/register |
Registers approved OAuth clients with AWS Sign-In. Only allowlisted redirect URIs are accepted. |
Use this regional endpoint for the OAuth flow at
https://{region}.oauth.signin.aws. For a list of possible region values,
see the Region column in AWS Sign-In
endpoints.
Related topics
