OAuth Token Revocation: Secure Logout for ChatGPT Apps 2026

When users log out of your ChatGPT app, simply clearing client-side session data isn't enough. OAuth token revocation is the critical security practice that ensures previously-issued access and refresh tokens are invalidated server-side, preventing unauthorized access even if tokens are compromised. For ChatGPT apps serving 800 million weekly users, implementing proper token revocation isn't optional—it's a security requirement.

Unlike token expiration (which happens automatically after a set time), token revocation is an explicit action triggered by user logout, account deletion, security incidents, or administrative intervention. The difference is crucial: expired tokens become invalid naturally, but revoked tokens are forcibly invalidated regardless of their expiration time. This guide shows you how to implement RFC 7009-compliant token revocation endpoints, handle cascade deletion, and build secure logout flows that protect your users.

Whether you're building fitness apps, restaurant ordering systems, or real estate assistants, understanding token revocation is essential for maintaining OAuth 2.1 security compliance and user trust.

Revocation Endpoint Implementation

The token revocation endpoint is a server-side API that accepts access or refresh tokens and invalidates them immediately. RFC 7009 defines the standard specification for OAuth 2.0 token revocation, which OpenAI expects ChatGPT apps to follow.

RFC 7009 Compliant Revocation Endpoint

Your revocation endpoint must accept POST requests with the token to revoke and its type hint (access_token or refresh_token). Here's a production-ready implementation:

// Server-side token revocation endpoint (Node.js/Express)
const express = require('express');
const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
const redis = require('redis');

const app = express();
const redisClient = redis.createClient();

// POST /oauth/revoke
app.post('/oauth/revoke', async (req, res) => {
  const { token, token_type_hint } = req.body;

  // Validate required parameters
  if (!token) {
    return res.status(400).json({
      error: 'invalid_request',
      error_description: 'Missing required parameter: token'
    });
  }

  try {
    // Decode token to extract metadata (don't verify - we're revoking it)
    const decoded = jwt.decode(token);

    if (!decoded || !decoded.jti) {
      // Invalid token format - still return 200 per RFC 7009
      return res.status(200).json({ success: true });
    }

    const tokenId = decoded.jti; // JWT ID (unique token identifier)
    const userId = decoded.sub;   // Subject (user ID)

    // Add token to blacklist (Redis for fast lookup)
    const ttl = decoded.exp - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000); // Time until expiration
    if (ttl > 0) {
      await redisClient.setEx(`blacklist:${tokenId}`, ttl, 'revoked');
    }

    // If refresh token, revoke all associated access tokens
    if (token_type_hint === 'refresh_token' || decoded.token_type === 'refresh') {
      await revokeAssociatedTokens(userId, decoded.family_id);
    }

    // Delete from database (permanent revocation)
    await db.query('DELETE FROM tokens WHERE jti = ?', [tokenId]);

    // Log revocation event for audit trail
    await logRevocationEvent(userId, tokenId, token_type_hint);

    // Return success (RFC 7009: always return 200, even for invalid tokens)
    return res.status(200).json({ success: true });

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Token revocation error:', error);
    // Still return 200 to prevent token enumeration attacks
    return res.status(200).json({ success: true });
  }
});

// Helper: Revoke all tokens in a token family (refresh token rotation)
async function revokeAssociatedTokens(userId, familyId) {
  const tokens = await db.query(
    'SELECT jti, exp FROM tokens WHERE user_id = ? AND family_id = ?',
    [userId, familyId]
  );

  for (const token of tokens) {
    const ttl = token.exp - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
    if (ttl > 0) {
      await redisClient.setEx(`blacklist:${token.jti}`, ttl, 'revoked');
    }
  }

  await db.query('DELETE FROM tokens WHERE user_id = ? AND family_id = ?', [userId, familyId]);
}

Key RFC 7009 Requirements:

1. Always return HTTP 200 - Even for invalid tokens, to prevent enumeration attacks
2. Accept token_type_hint - Optional parameter indicating whether it's an access_token or refresh_token (improves performance)
3. Idempotent operation - Revoking an already-revoked token should succeed silently
4. Cascade deletion - Revoking a refresh token should invalidate all associated access tokens

Access Token vs Refresh Token Revocation

Access tokens are short-lived (15-60 minutes) and used for API requests. Revoking an access token prevents immediate further use but doesn't affect the refresh token.

Refresh tokens are long-lived (days to months) and used to obtain new access tokens. Revoking a refresh token should cascade-delete all access tokens issued from it, ensuring complete session termination.

When implementing secure ChatGPT app authentication, always revoke both token types during logout to guarantee no residual access.

Client-Side Logout Implementation

The client-side logout flow must coordinate local state cleanup with server-side token revocation. Simply clearing localStorage is insufficient—you must explicitly revoke tokens before discarding them.

Complete Client-Side Logout Flow

// Client-side logout implementation (React/JavaScript)
async function handleLogout() {
  try {
    // Step 1: Retrieve tokens from storage
    const accessToken = localStorage.getItem('access_token');
    const refreshToken = localStorage.getItem('refresh_token');

    // Step 2: Revoke refresh token (cascades to access tokens)
    if (refreshToken) {
      await fetch('https://api.yourapp.com/oauth/revoke', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'
        },
        body: new URLSearchParams({
          token: refreshToken,
          token_type_hint: 'refresh_token'
        })
      });
    }

    // Step 3: Revoke access token (if refresh token revocation failed)
    if (accessToken) {
      await fetch('https://api.yourapp.com/oauth/revoke', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'
        },
        body: new URLSearchParams({
          token: accessToken,
          token_type_hint: 'access_token'
        })
      });
    }

    // Step 4: Clear all local storage
    localStorage.removeItem('access_token');
    localStorage.removeItem('refresh_token');
    localStorage.removeItem('user_profile');
    sessionStorage.clear();

    // Step 5: Clear cookies (if using httpOnly cookies)
    document.cookie.split(';').forEach(cookie => {
      const [name] = cookie.split('=');
      document.cookie = `${name}=; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC; path=/;`;
    });

    // Step 6: Redirect to login page
    window.location.href = '/login?logout=success';

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Logout error:', error);
    // Still clear local state even if revocation fails
    localStorage.clear();
    sessionStorage.clear();
    window.location.href = '/login?logout=error';
  }
}

Global Logout (All Devices)

For enhanced security, implement global logout that revokes all active sessions across all devices. This is critical for ChatGPT app security when users suspect account compromise.

// Server-side: Global logout endpoint
app.post('/oauth/revoke-all', async (req, res) => {
  const { userId } = req.user; // From authenticated request

  try {
    // Fetch all active tokens for user
    const tokens = await db.query(
      'SELECT jti, exp FROM tokens WHERE user_id = ?',
      [userId]
    );

    // Add all to blacklist
    for (const token of tokens) {
      const ttl = token.exp - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
      if (ttl > 0) {
        await redisClient.setEx(`blacklist:${token.jti}`, ttl, 'revoked');
      }
    }

    // Delete all tokens from database
    await db.query('DELETE FROM tokens WHERE user_id = ?', [userId]);

    // Notify user via email
    await sendSecurityEmail(userId, 'All sessions have been logged out');

    return res.status(200).json({
      success: true,
      message: 'All sessions revoked successfully'
    });

  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Global logout error:', error);
    return res.status(500).json({ error: 'internal_error' });
  }
});

Server-Side Token Blacklist with Redis

A token blacklist is the most efficient way to check if a token has been revoked. Using Redis (in-memory key-value store) provides millisecond-fast lookups without database overhead.

Redis Blacklist Implementation

// Redis-based token blacklist
const redis = require('redis');
const redisClient = redis.createClient({
  host: process.env.REDIS_HOST || 'localhost',
  port: process.env.REDIS_PORT || 6379,
  password: process.env.REDIS_PASSWORD
});

// Add token to blacklist with TTL (time-to-live)
async function blacklistToken(tokenId, expiresAt) {
  const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
  const ttl = expiresAt - now;

  if (ttl > 0) {
    // Set key with automatic expiration
    await redisClient.setEx(`blacklist:${tokenId}`, ttl, 'revoked');
  }
}

// Check if token is blacklisted (called on every authenticated request)
async function isTokenBlacklisted(tokenId) {
  const result = await redisClient.get(`blacklist:${tokenId}`);
  return result !== null; // null = not blacklisted, 'revoked' = blacklisted
}

// Middleware to validate tokens against blacklist
async function validateToken(req, res, next) {
  try {
    const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
    if (!authHeader || !authHeader.startsWith('Bearer ')) {
      return res.status(401).json({ error: 'missing_token' });
    }

    const token = authHeader.substring(7);
    const decoded = jwt.verify(token, process.env.JWT_SECRET);

    // Check blacklist BEFORE processing request
    const blacklisted = await isTokenBlacklisted(decoded.jti);
    if (blacklisted) {
      return res.status(401).json({
        error: 'token_revoked',
        error_description: 'This token has been revoked'
      });
    }

    req.user = decoded;
    next();

  } catch (error) {
    return res.status(401).json({ error: 'invalid_token' });
  }
}

Why Redis over Database:

• Speed: ~0.1ms lookup vs ~50ms database query
• Automatic expiration: Redis TTL matches token expiration
• Scalability: Handles millions of tokens with minimal memory
• No cleanup needed: Expired entries auto-delete

For production ChatGPT apps, Redis blacklist is non-negotiable for performance. Learn more about OAuth implementation best practices.

Edge Cases and Error Handling

Real-world token revocation must handle numerous edge cases to maintain security and reliability.

Already-Expired Tokens

If a token is already expired, revocation is unnecessary but should still succeed per RFC 7009:

// Handle expired tokens gracefully
const decoded = jwt.decode(token, { complete: true });
const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);

if (decoded.payload.exp < now) {
  // Token already expired - no need to blacklist, but return success
  await logRevocationEvent(decoded.payload.sub, decoded.payload.jti, 'already_expired');
  return res.status(200).json({ success: true });
}

Invalid Token Format

Malformed tokens (not JWTs, missing claims) should return 200 to prevent enumeration:

try {
  const decoded = jwt.decode(token);
  if (!decoded || !decoded.jti) {
    // Invalid format - return success without action
    return res.status(200).json({ success: true });
  }
} catch (error) {
  // Decode error - still return 200
  return res.status(200).json({ success: true });
}

Partial Revocation Failures

If Redis fails but database deletion succeeds (or vice versa), prioritize database deletion as the source of truth:

try {
  // Try blacklist first (fast)
  await redisClient.setEx(`blacklist:${tokenId}`, ttl, 'revoked');
} catch (redisError) {
  console.error('Redis blacklist failed:', redisError);
  // Continue to database deletion - it's more critical
}

// Always attempt database deletion
await db.query('DELETE FROM tokens WHERE jti = ?', [tokenId]);

Audit Logging for Compliance

Maintain detailed revocation logs for security audits, compliance (GDPR, SOC 2), and debugging:

async function logRevocationEvent(userId, tokenId, reason) {
  await db.query(
    `INSERT INTO audit_logs (user_id, event_type, token_id, reason, ip_address, timestamp)
     VALUES (?, 'token_revoked', ?, ?, ?, NOW())`,
    [userId, tokenId, reason, req.ip]
  );

  // Send webhook for security monitoring
  await fetch(process.env.SECURITY_WEBHOOK_URL, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      event: 'token_revoked',
      user_id: userId,
      token_id: tokenId,
      timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
    })
  });
}

Best Practices Checklist

• ✅ Implement RFC 7009 compliant revocation endpoint (always return 200)
• ✅ Use Redis blacklist for fast token validation (< 1ms lookups)
• ✅ Cascade-revoke refresh token families (all associated access tokens)
• ✅ Client-side: Revoke tokens BEFORE clearing localStorage
• ✅ Provide global logout for security incidents (revoke all user sessions)
• ✅ Log all revocation events for audit trails (GDPR/SOC 2 compliance)
• ✅ Handle edge cases gracefully (expired tokens, invalid formats, partial failures)
• ✅ Set Redis TTL to match token expiration (automatic cleanup)

Conclusion

OAuth token revocation is the final guardian of your ChatGPT app's security. While properly implemented OAuth 2.1 authentication prevents unauthorized initial access, revocation ensures that compromised tokens can't be exploited after logout, account deletion, or security incidents.

By implementing RFC 7009-compliant revocation endpoints, maintaining Redis token blacklists, and handling edge cases gracefully, you build ChatGPT apps that users trust with their data. This isn't just a technical requirement—it's a commitment to security that differentiates professional apps from amateur projects.

Ready to implement the complete OAuth flow? Explore our complete guide to OAuth 2.1 for ChatGPT apps or learn how to secure your ChatGPT app end-to-end.

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Related Resources

• OAuth 2.1 for ChatGPT Apps: Complete Implementation Guide
• ChatGPT App Security: Complete Authentication Guide
• PKCE Implementation for ChatGPT Apps
• JWT Best Practices for Secure ChatGPT Apps
• Refresh Token Rotation: Security Pattern for ChatGPT Apps

External References

• RFC 7009: OAuth 2.0 Token Revocation - Official specification
• OAuth 2.0 Security Best Practices - IETF security recommendations
• OWASP Token Revocation Patterns - Implementation best practices