shopify-ai-backup/AUTHENTICATION_FIX_SUMMARY.md

Authentication System Fix Summary

Issues Fixed

The original authentication system had several critical security and functionality issues:

1. Client-side Only Authentication

• Problem: No server-side user database or password verification
• Solution: Implemented complete server-side user authentication with persistent storage

2. Device-based Storage

• Problem: Apps were linked to localStorage user IDs rather than actual accounts
• Solution: Server-side user database with proper session management

3. No Password Persistence

• Problem: Passwords were never stored or validated server-side
• Solution: bcrypt password hashing with persistent storage

4. Account ID Computation

• Problem: Used email hash but didn't verify credentials
• Solution: Server assigns and returns authenticated user IDs

Implementation Details

1. Server-Side Dependencies Added

{
  "dependencies": {
    "bcrypt": "^5.1.1",
    "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.2"
  }
}

2. User Database Structure

• File: .data/.opencode-chat/users.json
• Format: Array of user objects with hashed passwords
• User Schema:

  {
    id: "uuid",
    email: "normalized-lowercase-email",
    password: "bcrypt-hashed-password",
    createdAt: "ISO-timestamp",
    lastLoginAt: "ISO-timestamp"
  }
  

3. New API Endpoints

User Registration

• Endpoint: POST /api/register
• Payload: { email, password }
• Response: { ok: true, user: { id, email }, token, expiresAt }
• Validates: Email format, password strength (6+ chars), unique email

User Login

• Endpoint: POST /api/login
• Payload: { email, password }
• Response: { ok: true, user: { id, email }, token, expiresAt }
• Validates: Password against stored bcrypt hash

User Session Management

• Endpoint: GET /api/me - Get current user info
• Endpoint: POST /api/logout - End user session

Secure Account Migration

• Endpoint: POST /api/account/claim
• Requires: Valid user authentication
• Migrates: Device apps to authenticated user account

4. Session Token System

• Storage: HTTP-only cookies + JWT tokens
• Expiration: 30 days (configurable)
• Security: bcrypt password hashing (12 rounds)
• Validation: Server-side token verification

5. Client-Side Updates

Enhanced Login Flow

• Tries server authentication first
• Stores session tokens in localStorage
• Falls back to old system for backwards compatibility
• Proper error handling and user feedback

Enhanced Registration Flow

• Server-side validation
• Immediate account creation and login
• Device app migration
• Password strength validation

API Request Enhancement

• Automatically includes session tokens
• Handles 401 responses by redirecting to login
• Maintains backwards compatibility with device-based auth

6. Environment Configuration

Required Environment Variables

# User authentication (recommended)
USER_SESSION_SECRET=your-secure-random-secret
USER_SESSION_TTL_MS=2592000000  # 30 days in milliseconds

# Optional overrides
PASSWORD_SALT_ROUNDS=12  # bcrypt rounds (default: 12)

Security Notes

• Default session secret is provided but should be overridden in production
• All passwords are hashed with bcrypt (12 rounds by default)
• Session tokens expire after 30 days
• Secure cookies in production (set COOKIE_SECURE=1)

7. Backwards Compatibility

• Old device-based authentication still works
• Gradual migration from client-side to server-side auth
• Account claiming works for both old and new accounts
• Existing apps continue to function

Security Improvements

1. Password Security

• bcrypt hashing with 12 salt rounds
• Never store plaintext passwords
• Password strength validation

2. Session Security

• HTTP-only cookies prevent XSS attacks
• SameSite cookie protection
• Session token expiration
• Server-side token validation

3. API Security

• Authentication required for sensitive operations
• Proper error handling without information leakage
• Secure account migration process

Testing

1. Dependencies Test

cd /home/engine/project/chat
node -e "const bcrypt = require('bcrypt'); console.log('bcrypt works:', bcrypt.hashSync('test', 12).length)"

2. Server Startup

cd /home/engine/project/chat
node server.js
# Should create users.json file in .data/.opencode-chat/

3. API Testing

# Register user
curl -X POST http://localhost:4000/api/register \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"password123"}'

# Login user
curl -X POST http://localhost:4000/api/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"password123"}'

Migration Guide

For Existing Users

1. Automatic: Old accounts continue to work with device-based auth
2. Upgrade: Users can register/login with the same email to upgrade
3. Migration: Apps automatically migrate to new authenticated account

For Developers

1. Update Environment: Set USER_SESSION_SECRET for production
2. Test Authentication: Verify login/registration flows work
3. Monitor Logs: Watch for authentication events in logs

Files Modified

Server Changes

• chat/server.js: Complete authentication system implementation
• chat/package.json: Added bcrypt and jsonwebtoken dependencies

Client Changes

• chat/public/login.html: Enhanced with server authentication
• chat/public/signup.html: Enhanced with server registration
• chat/public/app.js: Enhanced API calls with session tokens

Summary

The authentication system has been completely overhauled from a client-side only system to a secure, server-side authentication system with:

• ✅ Persistent user database
• ✅ Secure password hashing
• ✅ Session token management
• ✅ Backwards compatibility
• ✅ Enhanced security
• ✅ Proper error handling

The system now properly supports user accounts that work across devices and browsers, with secure authentication and session management.