Terms

OAuth

OAuth is an open-standard authorization framework that allows applications to gain secure, delegated access to user data from another service without exposing the user's password. Instead of sharing credentials, it uses authorization tokens to grant specific permissions for a limited time. This process allows a user to approve one application to interact with another on their behalf without ever handing over their password.

OAuth Use Cases

OAuth is a cornerstone of modern application security, enabling seamless and secure interactions across the internet. It allows users to grant limited access to their data without sharing passwords, which is useful in many common scenarios. Some of the most prevalent use cases include:

  • Logins: Using social media accounts like Google or Facebook to sign into third-party websites.
  • Sharing: Granting permission for an app to post content to your social media feeds on your behalf.
  • Integrations: Connecting applications, like allowing a calendar app to access your Google Calendar data.
  • Devices: Authorizing smart home devices and other IoT products to connect securely to cloud services.

OAuth Security Considerations

While OAuth enhances security by eliminating the need to share passwords, its implementation has a large security surface area. Proper configuration is crucial to prevent common vulnerabilities and protect user data from being exposed.

  • Phishing: Malicious apps can mimic login pages to steal user credentials during authorization.
  • Tokens: Intercepted bearer tokens can be reused by attackers to gain unauthorized access.
  • Redirects: Unvalidated redirect URIs can be exploited to steal authorization codes or tokens.
  • Scope: Granting excessive permissions exposes more data than necessary if an app is compromised.
  • CSRF: Flows are vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery without proper state parameter validation.

OAuth vs. OpenID Connect

While often used together, OAuth and OpenID Connect serve distinct but complementary purposes in application security.

  • OAuth: This framework focuses on authorization, granting applications limited access to resources without sharing passwords. It's ideal for enterprises and mid-market companies needing to secure APIs or enable delegated access for third-party integrations. However, it does not verify a user's identity on its own.
  • OpenID Connect: This is an authentication layer built on top of OAuth 2.0 that verifies user identity and enables single sign-on (SSO). Companies prefer it for creating seamless login experiences across web and mobile apps, effectively combining authentication with OAuth's authorization capabilities.

OAuth Implementation Best Practices

Always use OAuth 2.0, as it is more secure and designed for modern web and mobile applications. Ensure all communications happen over HTTPS to protect tokens while in transit. Implement short-lived access tokens with a clear expiration and revocation strategy to limit the window of opportunity for attackers.

To prevent common vulnerabilities, always use the 'state' parameter for CSRF protection and whitelist redirect URIs. Request the minimum necessary permissions (scopes) to reduce the data exposed if an application is compromised. Finally, keep all client secrets confidential and never embed them in public applications.

OAuth in Modern Applications

OAuth is a fundamental protocol in modern application development, enabling secure interactions between services. It allows users to grant applications limited access to their data on other platforms without ever sharing their passwords. This token-based system is crucial for everything from social logins to complex API integrations.

  • Delegation: Allows an application to access a user's data or perform actions on their behalf in another service.
  • Security: Uses temporary access tokens instead of passwords, minimizing the risk of credential exposure.
  • Integration: Facilitates seamless connections for social media, single sign-on (SSO), and API access across platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions about OAuth

How is OAuth 2.0 different from OAuth 1.0?

OAuth 2.0 is a complete rewrite, not backward-compatible with 1.0. It simplifies the process by relying on HTTPS for security instead of complex signatures, making it much easier to implement for web and mobile applications and offering more flexible authorization grant types.

Can OAuth be used for authentication by itself?

No, OAuth 2.0 is strictly an authorization framework for granting access to resources. It doesn't verify a user's identity. For authentication, you need to use a protocol like OpenID Connect (OIDC), which is built on top of OAuth 2.0 to handle identity verification.

Are bearer tokens secure?

Bearer tokens are only as secure as their transport and storage. Since anyone possessing the token can use it, they must be transmitted exclusively over HTTPS. Implementing short token lifespans and secure client-side storage is crucial to mitigating risk if a token is compromised.

Other terms

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Sales Prospecting

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Closed Opportunities

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Closed Opportunities

Competitive Analysis

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Competitive Analysis

Data Privacy

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Cohort Analysis

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Database Management

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Buying Signal

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Sales Bundle

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Cross-Site Scripting

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Cross-Site Scripting

Channel Sales

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FAB Technique

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FAB Technique

Bad Leads

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Product-Led Growth

NoSQL

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Funnel Optimization

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B2B2C

Learn about B2B2C, including benefits of B2B2C model, key strategies for B2B2C success, & B2B2C vs. B2C vs. B2B: understanding the differences.

B2B2C

Digital Sales Room

A Digital Sales Room is a private online space where sellers share all relevant content with buyers to streamline the sales cycle.

Digital Sales Room

Data Management Platform

A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a software that collects and organizes audience data from various sources for targeted marketing efforts.

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Serviceable Obtainable Market

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Serviceable Obtainable Market

Inside Sales Rep

An inside sales rep sells products or services remotely from an office, using digital tools like phone and email to connect with customers.

Inside Sales Rep

Virtual Selling

Virtual selling is the process of selling to customers remotely using technology like video calls, rather than meeting them in person.

Virtual Selling

Buying Criteria

Buying criteria are the specific requirements and standards a customer uses to evaluate products or services before making a decision.

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Business Process Management

Learn about business process management, including benefits of implementing BPM, steps to effective BPM, common BPM mistakes to avoid, & BPM tools and software.

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Discount Strategies

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Discount Strategies

Sales Development Representative (SDR)

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Sales Development Representative (SDR)

Shipping Solutions

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Shipping Solutions

Contact Discovery

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Contact Discovery

Accounts Payable

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Accounts Payable

Knowledge Base

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Knowledge Base

Cold Call

Cold calling is a sales technique where reps contact potential customers who have had no prior interaction with their company or product.

Cold Call

Cloud-based CRM

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Cloud-based CRM

Sales Enablement Platform

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Sales Enablement Platform

Sales Enablement

Sales enablement provides sales teams with the necessary tools, content, and information to help them sell more effectively and efficiently.

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AppExchange

AppExchange is Salesforce's cloud marketplace, offering a vast ecosystem of apps and expert services to extend Salesforce functionality.

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Territory Management

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Territory Management

Sales Rep Training

Sales rep training is the process of equipping your sales team with the skills, knowledge, and tools to effectively sell and hit their targets.

Sales Rep Training

Signaling

Signaling is using credible actions to convey information about quality or intent to a less-informed party, effectively building trust.

Signaling

Channel Marketing

Channel marketing is a strategy where a company sells its products or services through third-party partners, like resellers or affiliates.

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Overcoming Objections

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Overcoming Objections

Generic Keywords

Generic keywords are broad search terms that lack specific details like brand or location. They attract a wide audience with less specific intent.

Generic Keywords

Sales Pipeline Velocity Formula

The sales pipeline velocity formula is a key metric that measures how quickly deals move through your pipeline and turn into revenue.

Sales Pipeline Velocity Formula

Direct Mail

Direct mail is a marketing method where businesses send physical promotional materials directly to potential customers' mailboxes.

Direct Mail

Gated Content

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Gated Content

Kanban

Kanban is a visual project management method that uses a board to visualize workflow, limit work-in-progress, and maximize team efficiency.

Kanban

Stakeholder

A stakeholder is any individual, group, or party that has an interest in an organization and the outcomes of its actions.

Stakeholder

Psychographics

Psychographics categorizes people by their attitudes, interests, and lifestyles, revealing the 'why' behind their purchasing decisions.

Psychographics

Sales Strategy

A sales strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how a business will sell its products or services to achieve its revenue goals.

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Content Management System

A Content Management System (CMS) is software for creating, managing, and modifying website content without needing specialized technical skills.

Content Management System

API

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other and exchange information.

API

Letter of Intent

A Letter of Intent (LOI) is a document declaring the preliminary commitment of one party to do business with another, outlining the chief terms.

Letter of Intent

CSS

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Master Service Agreement

A Master Service Agreement (MSA) is a foundational contract that sets the general terms for an ongoing business relationship between two parties.

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Deal-Flow

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Private Labeling

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80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, posits that 80% of results come from just 20% of the effort. It's a key concept for prioritization.

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B2B Sales Channels

Learn about B2B sales channels, including types of B2B sales channels, strategies for effective channel selection, & integrating technology in B2B sales.

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Customer Lifecycle

The customer lifecycle is the journey a person takes from first becoming aware of your brand to becoming a loyal, repeat customer.

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Digital Rights Management

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is technology that controls access to copyrighted digital content, restricting its use, modification, and distribution.

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Sales Workflows

Sales workflows are a set of automated actions that streamline the sales process, helping teams engage leads consistently and close deals faster.

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Predictive Lead Scoring

Predictive lead scoring uses AI to analyze data and rank leads by their likelihood to convert, helping sales teams prioritize their efforts.

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Subject Matter Expert

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Decision Maker

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Target Buying Stage

The Target Buying Stage identifies a prospect's position in the buying journey, from initial awareness to the final decision to purchase.

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PPC

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No Forms

No Forms is a method for capturing lead data directly from your website visitors' profiles without requiring them to fill out any forms.

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Feature Flags

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Account-Based Advertising

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Customer Acquisition Cost

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Lookalike Audiences

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Lookalike Audiences

Page Views

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Product Recommendations

Product recommendations are a marketing strategy that uses customer data to suggest relevant products, boosting sales and customer engagement.

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Clustering

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Clustering

Sales Plan Template

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Sales Plan Template

Consumer Buying Behavior

Consumer buying behavior is the study of how individuals select, buy, and use products and services to satisfy their needs and desires.

Consumer Buying Behavior

Gamification

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Gamification

Consideration Buying Stage

The consideration buying stage is where potential customers have defined their problem and are now actively researching and evaluating solutions.

Consideration Buying Stage

No Cold Calls

No Cold Calls is a sales strategy that replaces unsolicited calls with warm outreach to prospects who have already demonstrated interest.

No Cold Calls

Drip Campaign

A drip campaign is a series of automated messages sent to prospects or customers over time to nurture leads and drive engagement.

Drip Campaign

Sales Productivity

Sales productivity is the measure of a sales team's efficiency, focusing on maximizing revenue generation while minimizing the resources spent.

Sales Productivity

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is a service model where data is stored on remote servers and accessed from the internet, rather than on a local drive.

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Unit Economics

Unit economics are the direct revenues and costs of a business calculated on a per-unit basis, revealing its fundamental profitability.

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Field Sales Rep

A field sales representative, or outside sales rep, travels to meet prospects in person, selling products or services directly within their territory.

Field Sales Rep

Geo-Fencing

Geo-fencing creates a virtual boundary around a real-world location. It triggers actions on a device when it enters or exits this area.

Geo-Fencing

Email Verification

Email verification is the process of confirming that an email address is valid and deliverable, which helps improve campaign performance.

Email Verification

Customer Data Platform (CDP)

A Customer Data Platform (CDP) centralizes customer data from all sources to create a complete, unified profile for each individual customer.

Customer Data Platform (CDP)

Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are marketing strategies designed to reward repeat customers. They offer incentives like discounts or exclusive access to encourage retention.

Loyalty Programs

Load Balancing

Load balancing is the practice of distributing incoming network traffic across a group of backend servers, ensuring no single server is overworked.

Load Balancing

Deal Closing

Deal closing is the final step in a sales cycle. It's when a prospect signs a contract and officially converts into a paying customer.

Deal Closing

Data Mining

Data mining is the process of discovering patterns, trends, and useful information from large datasets to make better business decisions.

Data Mining

Warm Email

A warm email is a message sent to a prospect with whom you have a pre-existing connection, like a mutual contact or a prior interaction.

Warm Email

Mobile Optimization

Mobile optimization adapts your website to ensure visitors on smartphones and tablets have a seamless, user-friendly experience.

Mobile Optimization

Firewall

A firewall is a digital barrier that protects a network by monitoring and controlling traffic, blocking unauthorized access and malicious content.

Firewall

Email Cadence

An email cadence is a scheduled sequence of emails sent to prospects over a specific period to nurture leads and drive engagement.

Email Cadence

Lead Enrichment

Lead enrichment adds third-party data to your raw lead lists, creating fuller prospect profiles for more effective and personalized outreach.

Lead Enrichment

Account-Based Everything

Account-Based Everything (ABE) is a strategy aligning sales, marketing, and success teams to focus on a specific set of high-value accounts.

Account-Based Everything

MEDDICC

MEDDICC is a sales qualification framework for complex B2B deals. It helps reps identify and validate key aspects of an opportunity to close more effectively.

MEDDICC

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) is the predictable, recurring income a business expects to receive each month from all active subscriptions.

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

Warm Outreach

Warm outreach is contacting prospects with whom you have a pre-existing connection, like a mutual contact, making your message more personal and effective.

Warm Outreach