[EPIC] httpOnly Cookie Authentication Migration

## 🎯 Vision

Migrate Sanctum authentication to **hybrid approach** supporting both httpOnly cookie-based (Web/PWA) and Bearer token authentication (Native mobile) for enhanced security and platform flexibility.

---

## ✅ STATUS: COMPLETE (100%)

**Backend implementation:** ✅ **Fully Complete** (25.11.2025)  
**Frontend implementation:** ✅ **Fully Complete** (25.11.2025)

---

## 📋 Sub-Issues & Work Plan

### Backend Implementation Phases

- [x] #210 Phase 1: CSRF Token Endpoint & Security Hardening ✅ **Complete (23.11.2025)**
- [x] #218 Phase 2: Sanctum Stateful Configuration & CORS Updates ✅ **Complete (25.11.2025)**
- [x] #219 Phase 3: Integration Testing & Documentation ✅ **Complete (25.11.2025)**

### Frontend Implementation (SecPal/frontend)

**Frontend Epic:** SecPal/frontend#208 ✅ **Complete (23.11.2025)**

- [x] frontend#210 localStorage Removal & httpOnly Cookie Migration ✅ **Complete**
- [x] frontend#211 CSRF Token Handling & Request Interceptor ✅ **Complete**
- [x] frontend#212 Integration Testing & Documentation ✅ **Complete**
- [x] frontend#227 CSRF Integration for secretApi ✅ **Complete**

**Note:** Issues frontend#224, #225, #226 were created after implementation was complete under Epic #208 and have been closed as duplicates.

---

## 🎯 Success Criteria

- ✅ **CSRF Protection:** `/sanctum/csrf-cookie` endpoint accessible
- ✅ **httpOnly Cookies:** Session cookies configured securely
- ✅ **Sanctum Stateful:** Frontend domain whitelisted in `SANCTUM_STATEFUL_DOMAINS`
- ✅ **CORS Configured:** `supports_credentials: true` for authenticated requests
- ✅ **Session Driver:** Using `database` driver with secure settings
- ✅ **Documentation:** API docs (`docs/guides/sanctum-spa-auth.md`) and production deployment guide complete
- ✅ **All Tests Pass:** 38 backend tests, 87 assertions + 28 frontend integration tests
- ✅ **Hybrid Authentication:** Cookie-based (Web) + Bearer tokens (Mobile) documented

---

## 🔒 Security Improvements

**Before (Token-based):**
- ❌ Token stored in localStorage (XSS-vulnerable)
- ❌ Token accessible via JavaScript
- ❌ Manual token management required
- ❌ No built-in expiration enforcement

**After (httpOnly Cookies for Web/PWA):**
- ✅ Token in httpOnly cookie (XSS-protected)
- ✅ Browser handles token automatically
- ✅ CSRF protection via Sanctum
- ✅ Server-side expiration control
- ✅ Secure + SameSite flags

**Maintained (Bearer Tokens for Native Apps):**
- ✅ Simple API integration for mobile
- ✅ No CORS complexity
- ✅ Platform secure storage (Keychain/Keystore)
- ✅ Future-proof for Android/iOS apps

---

## 📚 Technical Architecture

### Hybrid Authentication Strategy

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Client Type              │ Auth Method          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Web SPA (Vite)           │ httpOnly Cookies ✅  │
│ PWA (Browser)            │ httpOnly Cookies ✅  │
│ Android App (Native)     │ Bearer Token ✅      │
│ iOS App (Native)         │ Bearer Token ✅      │
│ Desktop App (Tauri)      │ Bearer Token ✅      │
│ CLI / Scripts            │ Bearer Token ✅      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

**Single Guard Configuration:**
```php
// routes/api.php - Accepts BOTH authentication methods
Route::middleware(['auth:sanctum'])->group(function () {
    // Works with Cookie-based (Web/PWA) OR Bearer token (Mobile/API)
});
```

### Configuration Changes

**Sanctum Configuration:**
```php
// config/sanctum.php
'stateful' => explode(',', env(
    'SANCTUM_STATEFUL_DOMAINS',
    'localhost,localhost:5173,127.0.0.1,127.0.0.1:5173,::1'
)),
```

**CORS Configuration:**
```php
// config/cors.php
'supports_credentials' => true,
'allowed_origins' => explode(',', env('CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS', 'http://localhost:5173')),
```

**Session Configuration:**
```php
// config/session.php
'driver' => env('SESSION_DRIVER', 'database'),
'http_only' => true,
'secure' => env('SESSION_SECURE_COOKIE', false), // true in production
'same_site' => 'lax',
```

### API Flow (Web/PWA - Cookie-based)

```
1. Frontend: GET /sanctum/csrf-cookie
   Response: Set-Cookie: XSRF-TOKEN=...

2. Frontend: POST /v1/auth/token (credentials: 'include')
   Headers: X-XSRF-TOKEN: <token>
   Response: Set-Cookie: secpal-session=... (httpOnly)
   Body: { user: {...}, token: "..." }

3. Frontend: Subsequent requests include cookies automatically
   Headers: Cookie: secpal-session=...
           X-XSRF-TOKEN: <token>
```

### API Flow (Mobile - Token-based)

```
1. Mobile App: POST /v1/auth/token
   Headers: Content-Type: application/json
   Body: { email, password }
   Response: { user: {...}, token: "1|abc123..." }

2. Store token in secure storage (Keychain/Keystore)

3. Subsequent requests:
   Headers: Authorization: Bearer 1|abc123...
```

---

## 🔗 Related Issues

**Frontend (SecPal/frontend):**
- frontend#205 ✅ Complete - Duplicate Epic (closed, work done under #208)
- frontend#208 ✅ Complete - Epic: httpOnly Cookie Authentication Migration
- frontend#210 ✅ Complete - localStorage Removal
- frontend#211 ✅ Complete - CSRF Token Handling
- frontend#212 ✅ Complete - Integration Testing & Documentation
- frontend#227 ✅ Complete - CSRF Integration for secretApi

**Backend (this repo):**
- #210 ✅ Complete - CSRF Token Endpoint & Security Hardening
- #218 ✅ Complete - Sanctum Stateful Configuration & CORS Updates
- #219 ✅ Complete - Integration Testing & Documentation

---

## 📊 Implementation Timeline

**Phase 1 (Complete):** CSRF Token Endpoint - Issue #210 ✅ **Done (23.11.2025)**  
**Phase 2 (Complete):** Sanctum Stateful Configuration - #218 ✅ **Done (25.11.2025)**  
**Phase 3 (Complete):** Integration Testing & Documentation - #219 ✅ **Done (25.11.2025)**

**Backend Status:** ✅ **Complete (100%)**  
**Frontend Status:** ✅ **Complete (100%)**  
**Total Effort:** 4 days (cross-repo)  
**Completion Date:** 25 November 2025

---

## ✅ Completed Deliverables

### Documentation
- ✅ `docs/guides/sanctum-spa-auth.md` (571 lines) - Complete SPA authentication guide
- ✅ `docs/guides/production-deployment.md` (600+ lines) - Production deployment guide
- ✅ Frontend: `docs/authentication-migration.md` (600+ lines) - Developer migration guide

### Tests
- ✅ Backend: 38 tests, 87 assertions (all passing)
- ✅ Frontend: 28 integration tests (all passing)
- ✅ Total: 677 frontend tests passing

### Configuration
- ✅ `config/sanctum.php` - Stateful domains configured
- ✅ `config/cors.php` - Credentials support enabled
- ✅ `config/session.php` - httpOnly, SameSite=lax configured
- ✅ `.env.example` - Fully documented with all variables

### Quality Assurance
- ✅ Backend: PHPStan Level Max: 0 errors
- ✅ Backend: Laravel Pint PSR-12: 0 violations
- ✅ Frontend: TypeScript strict mode: Clean
- ✅ Frontend: ESLint: Clean
- ✅ CHANGELOG.md updated (both repos)

---

## 📝 Testing Strategy

**Backend:**
- [x] Feature test: CSRF token endpoint accessible ✅
- [x] Feature test: Session configuration correct ✅
- [x] Feature test: Sanctum stateful domains configured ✅
- [x] Feature test: CORS credentials support ✅
- [x] Integration test: Login with credentials flow ✅
- [x] Integration test: Authenticated requests work ✅
- [x] Integration test: CSRF validation enforced ✅
- [x] Integration test: Logout clears session ✅
- [x] Integration test: Cross-origin requests work ✅
- [x] Security test: httpOnly flag set correctly ✅
- [x] Security test: Secure flag set in production ✅
- [x] Integration test: Concurrent device sessions ✅
- [x] Integration test: CORS preflight requests ✅

**Frontend:**
- [x] Integration test: Login flow with CSRF and cookies ✅
- [x] Integration test: Authenticated requests with cookies ✅
- [x] Integration test: Logout clears session ✅
- [x] Integration test: No token in localStorage ✅
- [x] Integration test: CSRF token in mutating requests ✅
- [x] Integration test: 419 retry with fresh token ✅

---

## 📖 References

- [Laravel Sanctum SPA Authentication](https://laravel.com/docs/sanctum#spa-authentication)
- [Production Deployment Guide](./docs/guides/production-deployment.md)
- [Sanctum SPA Auth Guide](./docs/guides/sanctum-spa-auth.md)
- [OWASP: Session Management](https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Session_Management_Cheat_Sheet.html)
- [MDN: Set-Cookie httpOnly](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Set-Cookie)

---

**Type:** Epic  
**Priority:** High (Security Feature)  
**Target Milestone:** v0.3.0  
**Backend Status:** ✅ **Complete (100%)**  
**Frontend Status:** ✅ **Complete (100%)**  
**Completion Date:** 25 November 2025

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[EPIC] httpOnly Cookie Authentication Migration #217

🎯 Vision

✅ STATUS: COMPLETE (100%)

📋 Sub-Issues & Work Plan

Backend Implementation Phases

Frontend Implementation (SecPal/frontend)

🎯 Success Criteria

🔒 Security Improvements

📚 Technical Architecture

Hybrid Authentication Strategy

Configuration Changes

API Flow (Web/PWA - Cookie-based)

API Flow (Mobile - Token-based)

🔗 Related Issues

📊 Implementation Timeline

✅ Completed Deliverables

Documentation

Tests

Configuration

Quality Assurance

📝 Testing Strategy

📖 References

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

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[EPIC] httpOnly Cookie Authentication Migration #217

Description

🎯 Vision

✅ STATUS: COMPLETE (100%)

📋 Sub-Issues & Work Plan

Backend Implementation Phases

Frontend Implementation (SecPal/frontend)

🎯 Success Criteria

🔒 Security Improvements

📚 Technical Architecture

Hybrid Authentication Strategy

Configuration Changes

API Flow (Web/PWA - Cookie-based)

API Flow (Mobile - Token-based)

🔗 Related Issues

📊 Implementation Timeline

✅ Completed Deliverables

Documentation

Tests

Configuration

Quality Assurance

📝 Testing Strategy

📖 References

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Type

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

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