Secure cookies not being sent with API calls

Secure Cookies Not Being Sent with API Calls

When secure cookies are not being sent with API calls, especially in cross-domain scenarios, it can cause authentication and session management issues. Secure cookies, which are typically used to store session identifiers or JWT tokens, have specific security attributes like SameSite and Secure, which control when and how they are sent. In this guide, we’ll explore common reasons for secure cookies not being sent and provide steps to fix them.

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Common Causes of Secure Cookies Not Being Sent

1. Missing SameSite=None Attribute for Cross-Domain Cookies The SameSite attribute of cookies controls whether cookies are sent in cross-site requests. If you’re making API calls to a different domain (cross-site request), Safari, Chrome, and other modern browsers may block cookies that don’t have the SameSite=None attribute set. Solution: Set the SameSite=None and Secure attributes for cookies in your backend server to ensure they are sent in cross-origin requests. Example:Set-Cookie: jwtToken=your_token; SameSite=None; Secure; Path=/;
   • SameSite=None: Allows cookies to be sent in cross-origin requests (e.g., when your frontend and backend are on different domains).
   • Secure: Ensures cookies are only sent over HTTPS.
   • Path=/: Limits the scope of the cookie to the entire site.
2. Cookies Not Set as Secure The Secure attribute ensures that cookies are only sent over HTTPS connections. If you’re testing in a local environment without HTTPS or using HTTP instead of HTTPS in production, secure cookies will not be sent. Solution: Ensure that both your frontend and backend are served over HTTPS, and set the Secure attribute for cookies. This guarantees that cookies will only be sent over secure connections. Example: Set-Cookie: jwtToken=your_token; Secure; Path=/; SameSite=None;
3. Missing Credentials: true in Cross-Origin Requests For cookies to be sent with cross-origin (CORS) requests, the frontend must include the withCredentials: true flag in the HTTP request. By default, browsers don’t send cookies for cross-origin requests unless this option is explicitly set. Solution: Add withCredentials: true to your $http or fetch requests to ensure that cookies are included in API calls. Example in AngularJS: $http({ method: 'POST', url: '/api/protected', data: payload, withCredentials: true }); Example in JavaScript (fetch): fetch('https://your-api.com', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, body: JSON.stringify(data), credentials: 'include' // Include cookies in cross-origin requests });
4. CORS Configuration on the Server If your frontend and backend are hosted on different domains, you’ll need to ensure that your server is correctly configured to allow cookies to be sent and received. This is managed through CORS headers. Solution: Make sure that the server is sending the appropriate CORS headers, including Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: true, which allows the browser to send cookies with cross-origin requests. Example (Node.js with Express):const cors = require('cors'); const corsOptions = { origin: 'https://your-frontend-url', methods: ['GET', 'POST'], allowedHeaders: ['Content-Type', 'Authorization'], credentials: true // Allow credentials (cookies) to be sent }; app.use(cors(corsOptions));
   • credentials: true: Tells the browser to include cookies in cross-origin requests.
   • Access-Control-Allow-Origin: Make sure it doesn’t use *. You need to specify your frontend domain explicitly (e.g., https://your-frontend-url).
5. Browser Blocking Cookies (Privacy/Security Features) Modern browsers, especially Safari, have enhanced privacy features like Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), which can block third-party cookies. This can cause cookies to not be sent, particularly if the cookie is considered a third-party cookie. Solution: Ensure that cookies are being set as first-party cookies (i.e., both your frontend and backend should be on the same domain, or cookies should be set with SameSite=None and Secure to allow cross-site cookies). You can also check the browser settings and disable privacy features temporarily to test the behavior.
6. Cookie Expiration or Incorrect Cookie Settings If the cookie has expired or is set with an invalid expiration time, the browser won’t send it with requests. Similarly, if the domain or path attributes are misconfigured, the cookie might not be sent for the expected API calls. Solution: Ensure that the expiration date is set correctly and that the domain and path attributes are properly configured. Example: Set-Cookie: jwtToken=your_token; SameSite=None; Secure; Path=/; Expires=Wed, 21 Oct 2025 07:28:00 GMT;
7. Private Browsing Mode in Safari Safari’s private browsing mode can block cookies from being stored or sent. This means that secure cookies might not be sent in private browsing mode, which can cause authentication to fail. Solution: Test your app outside of private browsing mode in Safari to ensure cookies are working as expected. Consider informing users about this limitation if it’s impacting their experience.
8. Incorrect or Missing Cookie Domain Configuration If the cookie’s domain attribute is set incorrectly, the cookie might not be accessible to your API requests. For example, if the domain is set to a subdomain like subdomain.yourdomain.com, but your API is hosted on api.yourdomain.com, the cookie might not be sent. Solution: Ensure that the cookie domain matches your API’s domain or use a wildcard domain for subdomains. Example: Set-Cookie: jwtToken=your_token; SameSite=None; Secure; Domain=yourdomain.com; Path=/;

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Testing and Debugging Tips

1. Inspect Cookies in Developer Tools Open the developer tools in your browser (F12), navigate to the “Application” or “Storage” tab, and inspect the cookies. Ensure that:
   • The jwtToken cookie is being set with the correct SameSite, Secure, Domain, and Path attributes.
   • The cookie appears for the correct domain and path.
2. Use Network Tab to Inspect Request Headers Check the request headers for the presence of the Authorization header or the cookie in the network tab. Ensure that the cookie is being sent with the API request.
3. Test in Different Browsers Since different browsers handle cookies differently, test your authentication flow in multiple browsers to identify whether the issue is browser-specific (especially with Safari’s enhanced privacy settings).