Tag Archives: Zero Trust

Enforcing Device Trust with Certificate‑Based Client Authentication – A Practical Guide for Modern Identity Providers

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Introduction

In today’s zero‑trust world, granting access solely based on a user’s password or even an OTP is no longer sufficient. Threat actors are increasingly targeting compromised credentials, and the security community has responded with identity provider empowered device trust, a model that ensures only verified devices can obtain tokens from an identity provider (IdP).

When you combine device trust with TLS client‑certificate authentication, you create a powerful barrier: before any session token is issued for a sensitive application or service, the IdP validates a device‑bound certificate presented by the client. This approach works equally well for on‑premises workloads, cloud native services, and containerized applications.

In this post we’ll walk through how to configure popular IdPs like Keycloak, Authentik, Okta, OneLogin, and Auth0 to require Certificate ClientAuth using device trust certificates. We’ll also discuss best‑practice considerations for certificate issuance, rotation, and revocation.

Why Certificate‑Based Device Trust?

BenefitExplanation
Strong mutual TLS (mTLS)The client proves possession of a private key bound to a trusted device, eliminating credential stuffing attacks.
Device bindingCertificates are issued per device (or per container/compute) and can be tied to hardware TPMs or secure enclaves, making them hard to steal.
Zero‑trust enforcementEven if a user’s password is compromised, an attacker cannot obtain a token without the correct device certificate.
Fine‑grained policy controlIdPs can apply separate authentication policies based on certificate attributes (e.g., OU=Mobile, OU=Workstation).
Auditable provenanceEvery successful login includes the certificate fingerprint, simplifying forensic investigations.

Device Trust Certificate Lifecycle

  1. Enrollment – During first‑boot or via automated provisioning, the device presents its hardware-bound public certificate to an enrollment endpoint (often part of the IdP or Third-party service like ACME Attestation service).
  2. Provisioning – A trusted CA (internal PKI or managed service) issues a short‑lived X.509 certificate to each device. The private key is bound by the vTPM, HSM, or container runtime.
  3. Authentication – When a user attempts to access a protected app, the client initiates TLS with client‑certificate request. The presented certificate is validated against Device Trust certificate chain.
  4. Renewal / Rotation – Before expiry (typically 30–90 days), the device automatically requests a new cert via the provisioner. Old certificates are revoked or marked as expired in the CRL database.

Identify Provider Empowered Device Trust Authentication Flow

identity provider empowered with device trust Session flow diagram

The diagram illustrates that no token is ever issued unless the device presents a valid certificate that matches the IdP’s trusted CA list. This is the essence of an identity provider empowered device trust.

Preparing Your PKI

All IdPs discussed support the use of external CA integration. The steps are similar across platforms:

  1. Create a dedicated CA hierarchy – Root CA (offline) → Intermediate “Device‑Trust” CA (online).
  2. Define certificate profile – Include extensions such as subjectAltName for device ID, extendedKeyUsage = clientAuth, and optionally certificatePolicies to tag the trust domain.
  3. Deploy an automated provisioning service – For example, cert‑manager in Kubernetes, ACME with device attestation, or a simple SCEP service.

Note: Alternatively you can use smallstep step-ca as outlined in my practical cloud-native guide.

Sample OpenSSL config for the Device‑Trust CA:

[ req ]
distinguished_name = req_distinguished_name
prompt = no

[ req_distinguished_name ]
C  = US
ST = WA
L  = Seattle
O  = AcmeCorp
OU = DeviceTrustCA
CN = device-trust.acme.local

[ v3_intermediate_ca ]
basicConstraints = critical, CA:true, pathlen:0
keyUsage = critical, digitalSignature, cRLSign, keyCertSign
subjectKeyIdentifier = hash
authorityKeyIdentifier = keyid:always,issuer

Use this to generate the intermediate CA and then sign device CSRs with -extensions client_auth:

openssl req -new -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 \
  -keyout device.key -out device.csr \
  -subj "/C=US/ST=WA/L=Seattle/O=AcmeCorp/OU=Workstation/CN=device01"

openssl ca -config openssl.cnf -extensions client_auth \
  -days 30 -notext -md sha256 \
  -in device.csr -out device.crt

Configuring Identity Providers

Below we present the minimal configuration needed to enable Certificate ClientAuth for each IdP. The examples assume you already have a running instance of the IdP and that your PKI’s intermediate certificate is available as device-trust-ca.pem.

Keycloak

Keycloak provides TLS client‑certificate authentication via the X509 Authentication flow.

# keycloak-realm.yaml – add a new authentication flow called "DeviceTrust"
realm: myrealm
authenticationFlows:
  - alias: DeviceTrust
    providerId: basic-flow
    topLevel: true
    builtIn: false
    authenticationExecutions:
      - authenticator: x509-browser-authenticator
        requirement: REQUIRED
        priority: 10
        config:
          # Truststore containing device‑trust CA
          trustStoreFile: /opt/keycloak/conf/device-trust-ca.p12
          trustStorePassword: changeit
          # Map certificate subject DN to user attribute "deviceId"
          principalAttribute: cn
      - authenticator: auth-cookie
        requirement: REQUIRED
        priority: 20
  1. Upload the CA – Convert device-trust-ca.pem into a PKCS‑12 keystore (keytool -importcert).
  2. Create the flow via the Admin Console or import the YAML above.
  3. Set the flow as default for the desired client (application) under Authentication → Flows.

Now, any request to /auth/realms/myrealm/protocol/openid-connect/auth will trigger a TLS handshake that expects a device‑trust certificate.

For More information about Keycloak clientAuth review the x509 documentation.

Authentik

Authentik’s Certificate provider can be combined with the Device stage.

# authentik.yaml – DeviceTrustProvider definition
providers:
  - name: device-trust-mtls
    kind: cert
    config:
      ca_file: /etc/authentik/certs/device-trust-ca.pem
      allowed_usages:
        - clientAuth
      map_subject_to_user_attribute: "device_id"
stages:
  - name: DeviceTrustStage
    kind: authentication
    flow: default-authentication-flow
    providers:
      - device-trust-mtls
  1. Place device-trust-ca.pem under /etc/authentik/certs.
  2. Restart Authentik; the stage will now reject any TLS handshake lacking a valid client cert.

For more information about configuring Authentik authentication review the stag flow documentation.

Okta

Okta’s Certificate Authentication is configured via API Access Management.

{
  "type": "CERTIFICATE",
  "name": "DeviceTrustPolicy",
  "settings": {
    "trustedCertificates": [
      { "x5c": ["MIID..."] }   // Base64‑encoded device‑trust CA cert
    ],
    "subjectMatchPattern": "CN=*.device.acme.com"
  }
}

Steps:

  1. In the Okta Admin Console, navigate to Security → Authenticators → Certificate and add a new authenticator with the above JSON.
  2. Attach this authenticator to an Authentication Policy that protects your sensitive app (e.g., “Sensitive‑App‑Policy”).

Okta will now enforce mTLS for any request hitting the OIDC /authorize endpoint of that app.

For more information on configuring certificate-based authentication for Okta review the official docs.

OneLogin

OneLogin supports X.509 certificate authentication through its MFA configuration.

<!-- one-login-mfa-config.xml -->
<CertificateAuthenticator>
    <TrustedCA>$CA_Chain_URL</TrustedCA>
    <SubjectRegex>CN=([a-z0-9\-]+)</SubjectRegex>
    <MapToUserAttribute>device_id</MapToUserAttribute>
</CertificateAuthenticator>

Upload the XML via Settings → Security → Multifactor Authentication → Certificate. Then enable this factor for the Security Policy that guards your high‑value applications.

For more information about how Onelogin handles third-party certificate authentication to validate a trusted device, review the official documentation.

Auth0

Auth0 uses Custom Database Connections with a pre‑login hook to verify client certificates.

// auth0-pre-login.js – Deploy as an Action (Pre‑Login)
exports.onExecutePostLogin = async (event, api) => {
  const certHeader = event.request.headers['x-client-cert'];
  if (!certHeader) {
    return api.access.deny('client_certificate_missing');
  }

  // Decode PEM and verify against trusted CA
  const forge = require('node-forge');
  const pki = forge.pki;
  const caPem = `-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIID...
-----END CERTIFICATE-----`;
  const caCert = pki.certificateFromPem(caPem);
  const clientCert = pki.certificateFromPem(certHeader);

  // Basic chain validation
  const verified = pki.verifyCertificateChain(pki.createCaStore([caCert]), [clientCert]);
  if (!verified) {
    return api.access.deny('invalid_device_certificate');
  }

  // Optional: map CN to user metadata
  const deviceId = clientCert.subject.getField('CN').value;
  event.user.app_metadata = { ...event.user.app_metadata, device_id: deviceId };
};

Deploy this Action and enable TLS termination with client‑certificate forwarding on your reverse proxy (e.g., Nginx proxy_set_header X-Client-Cert $ssl_client_cert;). Auth0 will reject any login that lacks a valid device‑trust certificate.

For more information about how to use Auth0’s mTLS authentication flow to validate device trust certificates, review their official mTLS docs.

Note: For services that may not directly support your Identity provider or may not be exposed externally, you can utilize a simple nginx proxy to validate a device trust certificate before allowing users to login.

Best Practices for Production Deployments

AreaRecommendation
Certificate LifetimeUse short lifetimes (30 days) and automate renewal via a provisioner like ACME or SCEP
Key ProtectionStore private keys in credential manager, KMS, Key Vault, or secrets store. Never write them to disk unencrypted.
RevocationPublish CRLs or use OCSP stapling; IdPs should query the revocation endpoint on each login.
Logging & AuditingInclude tls.client.subject_dn and certificate fingerprint in SIEM logs. Enable audit‑log retention for at least 90 days.
Fail‑Open vs Fail‑CloseDefault to fail‑close: if the client cert cannot be validated, deny access.
Device InventoryKeep a synchronized inventory service (e.g., CMDB) that tracks active device fingerprints; automate de‑provisioning when devices leave the fleet.

Testing & Validation

  1. OpenSSL verification – From a client machine with the device cert:
   openssl s_client -connect idp.acme.local:443 \
     -cert device.crt -key device.key -CAfile device-trust-ca.pem

You should see Verify return code: 0 (ok) and the TLS handshake succeed.

  1. Token request – Use curl with the client cert:
   curl -k https://idp.acme.local/auth/realms/myrealm/protocol/openid-connect/token \
     -E device.crt --key device.key \
     -d "grant_type=client_credentials&client_id=myapp"

If the certificate is invalid or missing, the response will be 401 Unauthorized.

  1. Audit log check – In Keycloak’s admin console go to Events → Config and enable Login events. Verify that each successful login entry contains client_certificate_fingerprint.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

SymptomRoot CauseFix
Handshake fails with “unknown ca”Device‑trust CA not added to truststore or wrong file format (PEM vs PKCS12)Convert to PKCS12 and import correctly.
Token issued despite missing certReverse proxy terminates TLS before forwarding to IdP, losing client‑cert headerEnable proxy_ssl_verify and forward X-Client-Cert or use end‑to‑end mTLS (no TLS termination at proxy).
Frequent revocation failuresCRL/OCSP endpoint unreachable from IdP and user deviceHost a OCSP responder or cache CRLs; ensure network connectivity.
Certificate renewal breaks sessionsApplications cache the old cert and do not reload new filesUse cronjob or sidecar containers that check the certificate and automate renewal

Conclusion

By integrating device‑bound certificates with your identity provider, you transform authentication from a just a 2 factor authentication model and combine it into a robust multi factor with verifiable trust paradigm. The configurations shown for Keycloak, Authentik, Okta, OneLogin, and Auth0 prove that enabling Certificate ClientAuth is straightforward, often just a few lines of YAML or JSON plus the import of a trusted CA.

When you adopt this pattern:

  • Security posture improves dramatically – compromised passwords no longer grant access.
  • Compliance becomes easier – many regulations (e.g., NIST 800‑63B, PCI DSS) encourage strong mutual authentication.
  • Operational overhead stays low – automated short‑lived cert issuance and rotation eliminate manual key management.

If you’re looking to future‑proof your applications against credential‑theft attacks, make the shift today: empower your identity provider with device trust and let mTLS do the heavy lifting.

Creating a Simple Device Trust Gateway Using Device Certificates

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In the evolving world of cybersecurity, identity-based access alone is no longer sufficient. The modern Zero Trust model mandates that access decisions consider not just the user but also the device. A user might be who they claim to be, but what if they’re logging in from a compromised machine or a jailbroken phone?

That’s where a device trust gateway comes in—a simple, scalable method to enforce access controls based on both user identity and device posture. Surprisingly, this doesn’t require complex architecture. In fact, with just a few lines of configuration in common web proxies like NGINX, you can create a robust checkpoint to validate device certificates before allowing application access.

In this post, we’ll explore how to build a simple yet effective device trust gateway using web proxy configurations, why it matters, and how it enhances your Zero Trust posture.

What Is a Device Trust Gateway?

A device trust gateway is a proxy layer that sits in front of applications and checks whether the connecting device presents a valid, cryptographically signed certificate. This certificate—typically issued by a corporate Certificate Authority (CA)—acts as a machine identity, verifying that the device is registered, managed, and secure.

By validating the certificate before allowing a user session to proceed, organizations can enforce stronger controls such as:

  • Allowing access only from corporate-managed endpoints
  • Blocking jailbroken or unmanaged devices
  • Issuing short-lived access tokens only after successful posture checks

This approach complements MFA and SSO. Even if credentials are phished or stolen, an attacker can’t authenticate without access to a trusted device.

How It Works

  1. Device Enrollment: Devices are provisioned with client certificates from an internal CA.
  2. Proxy Enforcement: A reverse proxy (like NGINX or Apache) is configured to validate client certificates.
  3. Access Control: Only clients presenting valid certificates can reach upstream applications or IdPs (Identity Providers).
  4. Logging and Auditing: All device certificate checks are logged for forensics and compliance.

Why This Matters

In many organizations, devices are a weak link. Remote work, BYOD, and cloud-native services increase the risk of unmanaged or misconfigured endpoints.

By enabling device trust enforcement at the proxy level, you:

  • Avoid re-architecting your identity system
  • Add a powerful security control with minimal code changes
  • Stop attackers who steal credentials but don’t have trusted hardware

The best part? You likely already have the infrastructure to make it happen.

NGINX: Enforcing Client Certificate Validation

NGINX makes it straightforward to enable cleintAuth and client certificate validation.

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name secure.mycompany.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/certs/server.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/certs/server.key;
    ssl_client_certificate /etc/nginx/certs/ca.crt; # Your CA Chain
    ssl_verify_client on;# <‑ key line

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://internal-app;
        proxy_set_header X-Client-Cert $ssl_client_cert;
        proxy_set_header X-Client-DN  $ssl_client_s_dn;
    }
}

In this snippet:

  • ssl_client_certificate points to the CA that signed your device certificates
  • ssl_verify_client on enforces certificate presentation
  • The subject DN is passed upstream for audit or additional policy checks

If a device doesn’t present a valid certificate, NGINX terminates the connection.

Note: The client cert can be passed to through the proxy to other backend services using the nginx variable $ssl_client_cert which contains the entire URL encoded client certificate in PEM format.

Optional: Enforce Device Policies

If you want to go beyond “certificate is valid” and enforce per‑device rules, leverage OpenSSL extensions or X.509 Subject Alternative Names (SAN). For example:

# Add a custom extension in the CSR:
openssl req -new -key device-01.key.pem \
    -subj "/CN=device-01.acme.com/O=Acme Devices/C=US" \
    -addext "subjectAltName = @alt_names" \
    -config <(cat /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf <(printf "[alt_names]\nrole=admin\n"))

Then in nginx you can inspect $ssl_client_s_dn or $ssl_client_cert and use map directives to block or allow based on the role.

Apache HTTPD: A Similar ClientAuth Approach

Apache’s mod_ssl module can perform the same function.

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName secure.mycompany.com

    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/httpd/certs/server.crt
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/httpd/certs/server.key
    SSLCACertificateFile /etc/httpd/certs/ca.crt
    SSLVerifyClient require

    <Location />
        ProxyPass http://internal-app/
        ProxyPassReverse http://internal-app/
    </Location>
</VirtualHost>

Apache enforces client cert verification with SSLVerifyClient require, ensuring only trusted devices make it through.

Monitoring & Logging

Nginx logs each handshake, including whether client cert verification succeeded. Add a custom log format:

log_format devicelog '$remote_addr - $remote_user [$time_local] '
                     '"$request" $status $body_bytes_sent '
                     'client_cert="$ssl_client_verify" '
                     'cn="$ssl_client_s_dn"';
access_log /var/log/nginx/device_access.log devicelog;

Now you can audit which devices accessed the gateway, detect expired certs, or spot anomalies.

Testing the Gateway

Valid Device – On a client machine, install device-01.cert.pem and device-01.key.pem. Or use curl:

curl -k --cert device-01.cert.pem \
     --key  device-01.key.pem \
     https://proxy.acme.com/

You should get the backend response.

  • Invalid Device – Remove or rename the cert/key and try again; you’ll receive a 403.
  • Expired Certificate – Tamper with device-01.cert.pem’s validity period or use openssl x509 -in device-01.cert.pem -noout -dates to verify expiration. The gateway will reject it automatically.

Device Trust Gateway Flow

Device Trust Gateway Authentication work flow

Steps:

  1. Device connects to proxy and presents client certificate
  2. Proxy checks cert against trusted CA
  3. If valid, forwards request to application
  4. If invalid, terminates connection

Implementation Tips

  • Use short-lived device certificates (e.g., 24 hours)
  • Automate provisioning with MDM scripts and/or SCEP
  • Use headers like X-Client-Cert to enrich identity at the application layer
  • Monitor failed certificate handshakes as potential threats

Conclusion

  • Fast Implementation – Adding just two lines (ssl_verify_client on + ssl_client_certificate) turns any TLS‑enabled proxy into a device trust gateway.
  • Zero‑Trust Foundation – Every device must prove its identity before accessing sensitive resources.
  • Scalable – The same CAs can issue thousands of certificates; you can automate provisioning via scripts or PKI tools like step-ca.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to overhaul your infrastructure to implement device trust. Adding a few lines of proxy configuration can provide a powerful gateway that ensures only secure, trusted devices can access your applications.

In a Zero Trust world, identity is not enough. Trust must be earned—and verified—by the devices themselves.

Certificate-Based Device Trust: The Cornerstone of Modern Zero Trust Architecture

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In today’s digital-first landscape, traditional network security models are rapidly becoming obsolete. The once-reliable perimeter-based security, built on a clear boundary between trusted internal networks and untrusted external ones, is insufficient in the face of today’s distributed workforces, hybrid cloud environments, and rapidly evolving cyber threats. Enter zero trust—a paradigm shift that demands continuous verification, rigorous authentication, and tightly controlled access. While user authentication has rightly received significant attention, an equally crucial aspect— device trust—is often overlooked. Here’s why focusing on device trust is essential to strengthening your organization’s security posture.

The Shift from Network Perimeters to Zero Trust

Zero trust isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a fundamental redesign of security frameworks. It assumes that threats exist both inside and outside traditional boundaries. As a result, every access request—be it from users or devices—is considered potentially risky and must be explicitly verified before granting access. Central to this approach is the principle of “never trust, always verify.”

But while user authentication using multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become standard, verifying devices has lagged behind. Organizations need a more robust, cryptographically strong method to ensure devices interacting with sensitive data are trustworthy. This is where certificate-based device trust becomes indispensable.

Why Certificate-Based Device Trust?

Certificate-based device trust provides a reliable and cryptographically secure way to authenticate and authorize devices. Unlike simple identity checks, device certificates involve digital identities issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs), which verify the device’s authenticity and ensure integrity. Devices without proper certification are automatically denied access, significantly reducing risk.

When properly implemented, certificate-based device trust offers:

  • Better Compliance: Provides clear audit trails required by compliance regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
  • Enhanced Security: Cryptographic certificates are nearly impossible to forge.
  • Reduced Risk of Insider Threats: Only trusted, verified devices are permitted access to sensitive resources.

Securing Remote Workers with Device Certificates

Consider a scenario where a global company employs thousands of remote workers. Each employee must access sensitive data stored in cloud applications like Salesforce, Slack, or internal portals hosted in AWS. While MFA ensures user identity verification, it doesn’t validate whether the device itself is secure or managed.

In this scenario, certificate-based device trust ensures that only devices enrolled and authorized by corporate IT can access company resources. When an employee tries to connect, the device presents its digital certificate, signed by the company’s trusted CA. If the certificate is valid, unexpired, and cryptographically verified, the device is permitted limited, role-specific access to necessary applications.

This granular approach ensures that even if credentials are compromised, attackers can’t gain unauthorized access without possessing the correct device certificates.

Implementing Certificate-Based Device Trust Effectively

For effective deployment, follow these steps:

  1. Set up an Internal Public Key Infrastructure (PKI):Create or deploy a private CA responsible for issuing and managing digital certificates.
  2. Automate Certificate Enrollment and Renewal: Leverage automation tools such as Terraform, step-ca, SCEP, or ACME to streamline certificate issuance, distribution, and renewal processes.
  3. Employ Device Management Solutions: Integrate posture checking on Mobile Device Management (MDM), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), or Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) tools to enforce compliance and validate certificates continuously.
  4. Regular Auditing and Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring solutions like Wazuh and Splunk to log certificate usage, detect suspicious activity, and automate responses to anomalies.

Challenges and Solutions in Adopting Device Trust

Despite clear advantages, some organizations hesitate due to perceived complexity. Common objections include:

  • Complexity of PKI Management: Adopting cloud-managed PKI services (AWS Certificate Manager, Azure Key Vault) simplifies management significantly.
  • Operational Overhead: Automation mitigates operational burdens by handling certificate management tasks efficiently.
  • Initial Implementation Costs: While upfront investments may be required, long-term security enhancements and risk reduction offer substantial returns.

Trust the Device, Not Just the User

In a world where cybersecurity threats evolve daily, organizations can’t afford to rely solely on user-centric authentication. Certificate-based device trust is no longer optional—it’s an essential component of modern security frameworks. By adopting cryptographically verified device certificates, organizations can confidently establish a zero trust model, ensuring secure interactions, safeguarding data integrity, and meeting compliance demands.

Prioritizing certificate-based device trust doesn’t just boost security; it ensures your organization’s resilience in an increasingly digital future.