I am using Firebase's auth feature and sometimes I see empty users in the console. This brings issues to some users because instead of logging into their main account (and using their UID to fetch their user data in a users reference), log into that empty account with a UID which is not theirs.
Not sure exactly how that can happen, but it seems like this could be a bug on Firebase's side, because a successful Auth should have at least 1 provider...
Any ideas about such issue and how I could fix it from my side if possible?
Ps.: Is that how "signInAnonymously" would create anonymous accounts?
This is an intended behavior when you authenticate with Firebase anonymously.
signInAnonymously() method signs in the user anonymously without requiring any credential and creates a new account in your Firebase Authentication system, except in the case where there was already an anonymous user signed in into the app.
See FirebaseAuth.signInAnonymously class reference for more details.
Related
I wanted to create website where I have separate Sign In and Sign Up form. I also want to have Google authentication with Firebase.
I've implemented it like this both on sign in and sign up page:
await FIREBASE_AUTH.signInWithPopup(googleAuthProvider);
But this code will always create new user.
What I would like to do is to block creating new user on sign in page, only log them in if user already exists (e.g. as I require terms of use consent on sign up page, but I don't want to require it on sign up page - it would be quite weird)
There is no way in Firebase Authentication to prevent users from signing up, while still allowing them to sign in if they're already created. The reason for this is that Firebase Authentication merely focuses on allowing users to authenticate themselves, so to prove who they are by providing credentials. What they can then do in your app is known as authorization, and is up to you to implement in your front-end application code, back-end application code, and server-side security rules.
For example, if you use one of Firebase's databases (Cloud Firestore or Realtime Database), you'll typically maintain a list of approved user's in that list (either their email or their UID). Then before granting the user access to specific screens in your app or data in your database, you check if the users exists in that list. If not, you don't grant access to the screen or data.
I don't see an issue here, when a user uses google auth when they already have an account it will create a new account with their in some cases new data he might have changed in his google account.
In case your users hold other data in your database I'm pretty sure there's a google auth API for that issue.
What is the exact definition of an anonymous user in firebase authentication?
when I call signInAnonymously() obviously the user is isAnonymous: true.
But if I create a custom token for the user via the admin sdk and then log in again with that customToken (using signInWithCustomToken(token)) the user is no longer isAnonymous.
Is this a bug or intended? And is there any workaround to persist that anonymous state?
What is the exact definition of an anonymous user in firebase authentication?
It's a user account that doesn't have a person's identity attached to it. It merely recognizes that someone (probably the same person) is using the app over time, on a specific device.
But if I create a custom token for the user via the admin sdk and then log in again with that customToken (using signInWithCustomToken(token)) the user is no longer isAnonymous.
When you sign in a new account, the prior account is always immediately signed out. This is true for all types accounts, and has nothing to do with anonymous auth. There can only be one user signed in at a time.
Is this a bug or intended?
Working as intended.
And is there any workaround to persist that anonymous state?
No, the anonymous account is signed out after you sign in a new account. If you instead want to upgrade that anonymous account with a known identity, you should look into linking a new identity to the existing anonymous account by converting the anonymous account to a permanent account. This will preserve the account, but it will no longer be anonymous (as it now contains some identity information in it).
CONTEXT:
In firebase settings, there's a permissions tab. This shows the users/emails that are associated with accounts that have admin access to the firebase project and console.
I could have sworn I once saw a document describing a method or some way of checking if a user account in firebase auth is also an administrator of the firebase project.
I seriously can't tell if it was in a dream (yes I dream code) or if I actually saw it. I often work late nights and fall asleep in front of my computer.
Question: Is there any way to tell if a user is also an administrator of the firebase app?
IE the user email matches an email that’s listed in the IAM/access management section of firebase as an 'owner' role?
Im currently writing an admin panel for my app, so such a feature would be very useful.
If such a thing does not exist, can anyone suggest an alternative way to manage and authorise users that are capable of logging into the admin dashboard to have control over the app? I already understand custom claims so I will use them if no better solution is suggested.
Well, using only the FirebaseAuth through your app, I don't think you can (as far as my knowledge goes). But you can easily implement the Admin SDK to manage your Custom Claims. Basically, you can use the Admin SDK and find out which "role" you want to access.
Referencing Firebase
Custom claims can contain sensitive data, therefore they should only
be set from a privileged server environment by the Firebase Admin SDK.
and
Custom claims can only be retrieved through the user's ID token.
Access to these claims may be necessary to modify the client UI based
on the user's role or access level. However, backend access should
always be enforced through the ID token after validating it and
parsing its claims. Custom claims should not be sent directly to the
backend, as they can't be trusted outside of the token.
Once the latest claims have propagated to a user's ID token, you can
get them by retrieving the ID token.
Therefore, you'll only need the FirebaseAuth implemented on your app's (client), but will need an extra implementation using a server.
Please see the Firebase use cases, they'll probably fit your needs, and you can pick the one that is "easier" for you.
It turns out it can't do what I wanted in the first place because it's only available on certain triggers.
Here it is: context.authType
https://firebase.google.com/docs/reference/functions/functions.EventContext#.authType
The level of permissions for a user. Valid values are:
ADMIN Developer user or user authenticated via a service account. USER
Known user. UNAUTHENTICATED Unauthenticated action null For event
types that do not provide user information (all except Realtime
Database).
Although it would be great if we could get this information on callable functions and firebase triggers because it would help further secure hosted backend admin apps for customer service or developers, who have high-level access to admin functions. This variable seems to not be available on callable functions but is available on newUser trigger - which is strange, because how can user signup ever be authenticated anyway?
I am working on Firebase application ( Firebase version 4.1.3 )
My health care related application is made for dependent group of people such as children and seniors. However, most of my users are independent group of people age around 18-55. Most of my users use my application for their seniors/children. They need to create account for each of their family seniors/children member. Therefore, my users have to log in and out many times and they have to keep track of their family members' account. My first thought was I should make an account switching feature so that my user can switch their account back and forth between their family members to update information on my application.
After searches on Google, I found way to force switching account on Firebase authentication with Google provider, but those are not what I'm looking for.
My questions are:
Is it possible to store the multiple firebase auth objects (logged in object) in client side?
If it is possible, for how long will the token inside the firebase auth object last for?
If it doesn't last forever, is it possible to refresh update the token so that it can be use without authenticating with the social/phone login again?
The functionality you are asking for is not available out of the box. You have to build it on your own. I do think Firebase provides the pieces to allow you to build it (via Auth and Database).
Is it possible to store the multiple firebase auth objects (logged in object) in client side: You can have multiple Firebase app instances and each one have an auth instance with a current user. You would need to ask each user to authenticate though (you can't authenticate once and sign-in into all of the account). However, you can build your own user group login mechanism, where logging in with one "master" account can allow you to login with multiple accounts using custom Auth.
If it is possible, for how long will the token inside the firebase auth object last for. Firebase sessions are supposed to be indefinite. If a token expires (typically after one hour), it can be refreshed automatically if you are using real time database.
I do not think Firebase has that token capability. But what you could do is simply put the email address of the people in the device by Shared Preferences( for Android). When the user wants to log in with that user bring the email address just ask him to enter the password and then go through the log in process. If you do not want to use SharedPreferences you could simply store the users(also as you said family members) in Firebase Database and link them with the controller user so to speak. Whenever user wants the switch, go and bring the email addres of other family members from Firebase Database and ask in the client for the password and do the login by Firebase Authentication.Hope that helps!
I'm using Firebase Auth (web API) and am looking for a way to check the validity of a user's email / password combination for account removal.
Ideally a call like Firebase.isValidCredentials(email, password)
Problem context:
In my app, when a user requests to remove his/her account, I want to prompt to re-enter their password as confirmation. If correct, the account should be removed along with all other associated data (living under different Firebase nodes).
While the credentials check is done by Firebase.removeUser(), that also removes the auth:ed account with it, which breaks my ability to remove user data (as I've set Firebase Security to require active auth for manipulating user data nodes).
Appreciate guidance here, and if there's a Firebase recipe for removing user accounts along with user data.
Firebase.authWithPassword(email, password) can be used to confirm credentials of already authenticated users, in addition to signing in non-authenticated users.
(thanks Kato for the advice!)