Where is the error “SessionNotFound: invalid_request” generated?

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Summary

The SessionNotFound: invalid_request error is a common issue encountered when working with OIDC (OpenID Connect) providers. This error occurs when the OIDC provider is unable to find a valid session, resulting in an invalid_request error. The error message is often misleading, making it challenging to identify the root cause.

Root Cause

The root cause of this error can be attributed to several factors, including:

  • Invalid or missing session cookies
  • Incorrect configuration of the OIDC provider
  • Incompatible or outdated dependencies
  • Insufficient error handling in the application code

Why This Happens in Real Systems

This error can occur in real systems due to various reasons, such as:

  • Incomplete or incorrect implementation of OIDC flows
  • Inadequate testing and validation of the OIDC provider
  • Environmental factors, such as network issues or load balancer misconfiguration
  • Incompatible client or server configurations

Real-World Impact

The impact of this error can be significant, resulting in:

  • Failed authentication attempts
  • Inability to access protected resources
  • Poor user experience
  • Increased support requests and debugging efforts

Example or Code (if necessary and relevant)

const { Provider } = require('oidc-provider');

const provider = new Provider('https://example.com', {
  // configuration options
});

provider.interactionDetails('some-client', 'some-uid', (err, details) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error(err);
  } else {
    console.log(details);
  }
});

How Senior Engineers Fix It

Senior engineers can fix this issue by:

  • Carefully reviewing the OIDC provider configuration and implementation
  • Enabling debug logging to identify the root cause
  • Testing and validating the OIDC flows and interactions
  • Implementing robust error handling and retry mechanisms

Why Juniors Miss It

Junior engineers may miss this issue due to:

  • Lack of experience with OIDC and authentication flows
  • Insufficient understanding of the OIDC provider configuration and implementation
  • Inadequate testing and validation of the application code
  • Overlooking environmental factors and compatibility issues