SmallStep · Authentication Profile

Smallstep Authentication

Authentication

SmallStep secures its APIs with http and mutualTLS across 2 declared security schemes, as derived from its OpenAPI definitions.

CompanyDeveloper ToolsCertificate AuthorityPKIDevice IdentityZero TrustCertificate ManagementmTLSACMESSHSecurity
Methods: http, mutualTLS Schemes: 2 OAuth flows: API key in:

Security Schemes

JWT http
scheme: bearer
mtls mutualTLS

Source

Authentication Profile

Raw ↑ 
generated: '2026-07-21'
method: searched
source: openapi/smallstep-openapi-original.yml
docs: https://smallstep.com/docs/platform/smallstep-api/
notes: >-
  Global default is JWT bearer. Tokens are minted in the Smallstep UI (with selectable scopes and
  validity period) or via `step api token create`, which exchanges a client certificate issued by a
  configured trusted root for a short-lived (1 hour) bearer token — the mutual-TLS scheme applied to
  POST /auth.
summary:
  types:
  - http
  - mutualTLS
schemes:
- name: JWT
  type: http
  scheme: bearer
  sources:
  - openapi/smallstep-openapi-original.yml
- name: mtls
  type: mutualTLS
  description: Use a client certificate issued by a trusted root to get short-lived bearer tokens
    with the step CLI.
  sources:
  - openapi/smallstep-openapi-original.yml