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Concepts

OpenID Connect (OIDC) Query-Level Approval

Andrios Robert

• 1 min read

The request hit the server. The identity provider paused. This time, the application needed more than a simple login — it demanded query-level approval.

OpenID Connect (OIDC) Query-Level Approval is the point where authentication meets precise authorization. Instead of granting broad access after identity verification, query-level approval forces the user or service to explicitly confirm each specific action, dataset, or API call. That means no blanket permissions. Every sensitive request faces a deliberate check.

In a standard OIDC flow, the client redirects to the identity provider, authenticates the user, and gets an ID token and optionally an access token. Query-level approval extends this with additional consent screens or policy enforcement triggered mid-flow. It can happen before the resource server executes a query, or as part of the OIDC authorization_code exchange, using fine-grained scopes.

To implement query-level approval in OpenID Connect:

  1. Define granular scopes that map to each query type or resource.
  2. Configure the identity provider to require consent per scope.
  3. Integrate your application to request scopes dynamically based on the query context.
  4. Use a policy engine or middleware to intercept requests and verify the approved scopes before execution.

Security benefits are direct. When every high-privilege query requires a fresh OIDC approval, stolen tokens or over-permissioned roles lose their power. Attackers can’t just bypass consent. Audit logs become clearer because each query has a distinct approval event.

This pattern fits zero-trust principles. OIDC query-level approval turns identity from a one-off gate into a continuous decision point. It blends with JWT-based access control, resource servers, and modern API design without breaking existing OIDC flows.

If you want to see OIDC query-level approval in action without spending weeks on configuration, hoop.dev can get you there. Deploy, configure fine-grained scopes, and watch approvals happen live — all in minutes.