topic
Verified 2026-09-18

VAPID Web Push Authentication

VAPID authenticates an application server to a Web Push service using a signed JWT and an application public key.

Use a short-lived VAPID JWT with the correct audience and subject contact, and keep the signing key private. VAPID identifies the sender; it does not authorize arbitrary push subscriptions.

httpauthsecuritypushauthentication

Reference (http)

Authorization: vapid t=eyJ..., k=BASE64URL_PUBLIC_KEY

Use a short-lived VAPID JWT with the correct audience and subject contact, and keep the signing key private. VAPID identifies the sender; it does not authorize arbitrary push subscriptions.

Common mistakes

  • Using the wrong push-service audience, allowing a long-lived JWT, or treating VAPID as proof that a subscription belongs to the caller.
Permalink: https://merginit.com/reference/http/auth-vapid