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Authentication Guide

QVTM authentication is not password replacement by copying password semantics into a new API. It is a trust workflow based on customer/domain context, operator authority, device state, short-lived challenges, and verifier evidence.

Main actors

ActorRole
CustomerCommercial/account boundary that owns domains, users, applications, and integrations
DomainOperational boundary for QVTM policy, devices, operators, and applications
OperatorHuman or service authority that approves or operates QVTM flows
UserEnd-user identity associated with customer applications
DeveloperIntegration user granted RBAC-scoped access in the SaaS Admin Console
DeviceCryptographic endpoint participating in approvals and trust evidence
VerifierService that checks signed evidence and state before allowing access

Token boundary

Provisioning tokens are backend-only credentials. They are issued through QVTM operational workflows and must never be embedded in browsers, mobile applications, static sites, or customer-controlled clients.

Use provisioning tokens to create or configure customer/domain resources from a trusted backend. Use short-lived challenge and invite material for user-facing approval flows.

Login lifecycle

  1. Backend creates or resolves customer/domain context.
  2. Backend creates an operator, user, or application context as needed.
  3. Backend requests a login or approval challenge.
  4. Operator device scans or receives the challenge.
  5. Device approves using the QVTM mobile/control-plane flow.
  6. Application checks challenge status and verifier evidence.
  7. Application grants a local session only after QVTM trust state is valid.

Fail-closed rules

  • Missing verifier evidence means no access.
  • Expired challenge means no access.
  • Unknown device state means no access.
  • Customer/domain mismatch means no access.
  • A browser-visible provisioning token is a security incident.