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Architecture: Cookie Management Fix - Summary

Date: 2026-01-30

Solution Implemented​

  • Checks session cookie size on mount
  • Auto-clears if > 4096 bytes
  • Redirects to login automatically
// Check for oversized cookies
const sessionCookie = cookies.split(';')
  .find(c => c.trim().startsWith('next-auth.session-token='));

if (sessionCookie && sessionCookie.length > 4096) {
  clearAllCookiesAndStorage();
  window.location.href = '/login?session_reset=auto';
}

2. Progressive Timeouts (auth-guard.tsx)​

  • 5 seconds: Show "Clear Session & Retry" button
  • 15 seconds: Automatic session reset and redirect
// Show reset button after 5s
setTimeout(() => setLoadingTimeout(true), 5000);

// Auto-reset after 15s
setTimeout(() => {
  if (!authChecked && !autoResetInitiated) {
    clearAllCookiesAndStorage();
    window.location.href = '/login?session_reset=auto';
  }
}, 15000);

3. Emergency Reset Button (loading-screen.tsx)​

  • Prominent button with clear messaging
  • Clears localStorage, sessionStorage, and all cookies
  • Forces redirect (bypasses NextAuth state)
<button onClick={handleReset}>
  Clear Session & Retry
</button>

4. Reduced JWT Size (auth-config.ts)​

  • Only store essential profile data in JWT
  • Reduced from ~10KB to ~200-500 bytes
  • Prevents cookie overflow
// Before: Store entire profile
token.profile = profileData; // ❌ 10KB+

// After: Store only essentials
token.profile = {
  sub: profileData.sub,
  email: profileData.email,
  name: profileData.name,
}; // ✅ ~200 bytes
  • Added explicit cookie settings
  • 24-hour maxAge
  • Secure in production
cookies: {
  sessionToken: {
    name: `next-auth.session-token`,
    options: {
      httpOnly: true,
      sameSite: 'lax',
      path: '/',
      secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
      maxAge: 24 * 60 * 60,
    },
  },
}

Files Modified​

  1. ui/src/components/auth-guard.tsx

    • Added oversized cookie detection on mount
    • Progressive timeouts (5s button, 15s auto-reset)
    • Force window.location.href redirect (bypasses stuck state)
    • Clear all cookies helper function

  2. ui/src/components/loading-screen.tsx

    • Added onCancel and showCancel props
    • Emergency reset button with clear messaging
    • Improved UX with explanatory text

  3. ui/src/lib/auth-config.ts

    • Reduced JWT profile payload size
    • Added cookie configuration
    • Only store essential profile data

  4. ui/SESSION_RESET_GUIDE.md (New)

    • Comprehensive troubleshooting guide
    • Manual reset instructions
    • Debugging tools
    • Configuration options

Monitoring​

  • Target: < 2048 bytes (safe)
  • Warning: 2048-4096 bytes
  • Critical: > 4096 bytes (auto-reset)

Current Implementation​

  • Minimal JWT: ~200-500 bytes
  • Total cookie: ~800-1500 bytes ✅

User Instructions​

If you get stuck again (very unlikely):

  1. Wait 5 seconds for the "Clear Session & Retry" button
  2. Click the button - it will clear everything and restart
  3. If still stuck - auto-reset happens at 15 seconds

No more manual cookie deletion needed!

Commit Message:

fix(ui): resolve infinite authorization loop with automatic session recovery

- Add oversized cookie detection (>4096 bytes) with auto-clear
- Implement progressive timeouts: 5s reset button, 15s auto-reset
- Reduce JWT payload size by storing only essential profile data
- Force window.location.href redirect to bypass stuck NextAuth state
- Add emergency "Clear Session & Retry" button to loading screen
- Configure explicit cookie settings for better management

Fixes: User stuck on "Verifying authorization..." requiring manual cookie deletion
Impact: Automatic recovery, no more manual intervention needed

Signed-off-by: Sri Aradhyula <sraradhy@cisco.com>