# Configuring Authentication

## Authentication Secrets

First of all, what are Authentication Secrets (or Auth secrets)? 

Auth secrets are a way to connect Authentication Providers to enable and add authentication on your created APIs. These secrets ensure that access to a system is granted only to those with the correct credentials. A common method involving authentication secrets in modern applications uses JSON Web Tokens (JWT) and the JSON Web Key Set (JWKS).

## Authentication with Cosmocloud

With Cosmocloud, you can integrate with any and every JWT Based Authentication provider by simply adding your JWKS URI 

A small example of how can you integrate a third-party SSO provider is given below 

***Select the Type of Secret as Authentication***

Next - You have two options to choose from in your Auth Type - The JWKS URI or Access Key Secret

<figure><img src="https://392607133-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FZCdm9aJ8vkvDIIbg04AL%2Fuploads%2Fnn6otN108J6rwHMd5g3M%2FScreenshot%202024-04-23%20at%204.41.23%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c9a4049c-b9e1-42e6-8722-8149a5ea2e3f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Auth Type - JWKS URI

<figure><img src="https://392607133-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FZCdm9aJ8vkvDIIbg04AL%2Fuploads%2FnXXQlalJhiWTaTYBBZgL%2FScreenshot%202024-04-23%20at%204.41.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=fe68429b-ba8a-4638-85bf-b4d0ecc1e2e7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Auth Type - Access Key Secret

<figure><img src="https://392607133-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FZCdm9aJ8vkvDIIbg04AL%2Fuploads%2FzGANPRB8h3oJoHXksNa2%2FScreenshot%202024-04-23%20at%204.41.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=39d091a1-b54f-4cb4-ad5b-d28679ff29f2" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

You can generate your access keys or JWKS URI on the SSO provider and then add them here!