Jitsi Authentication Setup: Secure Your Video Calls Easily

If you’re trying to keep your Jitsi video calls secure, understanding how to set up Jitsi authentication is key. Whether it’s for important meetings or just to keep unexpected guests out, having a good authentication setup is like having a reliable lock on your meeting room door.

In this handy beginner’s guide, I’m going to walk you through the different ways you can set up authentication in Jitsi Meet. We’ll look into setting up Jitsi JWT authentication, configuring LDAP authentication, and other best practices to keep your video calls secure. Expect step-by-step instructions and real-life examples to help you lock down those video meetings without hassle.

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Why Jitsi Authentication Setup Matters for Secure Video Meetings

Video meetings are everywhere these days, bringing along risks like uninvited guests and possible data breaches. Jitsi Meet is a fantastic open-source tool, loved for its clean design and focus on privacy, but by default, anybody with the link can join your call. That’s not ideal if privacy is a concern.

Setting up Jitsi authentication lets you:

• Decide who gets to join the call
• Keep private conversations under wraps
• Satisfy company or legal requirements
• Ensure meetings stay confidential and trustworthy

For example, a nonprofit I worked with needed a secure way to hold board meetings on Jitsi, without complicated sign-ups. By setting up Jitsi JWT auth, we made sure only members with a valid token could enter, completely keeping random folks out.

Authentication doesn’t have to be a headache. Jitsi gives you several paths—from simple passwords to sophisticated user management via JWT or LDAP.

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Understanding the Different Authentication Methods in Jitsi

Get to know the basic authentication options Jitsi offers:

1. Jitsi Authentication Setup with Internal Prosody Authentication

This is where it starts—Prosody XMPP’s built-in user accounts. Simple logins to join meetings.

• Perfect if you control your Jitsi server
• Good for small teams or private setups
• Doesn’t require outside systems

However, it’s not your best bet for big groups or when you need to integrate with existing user bases.

2. Jitsi JWT Setup (JSON Web Tokens)

JWT involves making tokens that include user details and expire over time. Jitsi checks these tokens before allowing entry.

Benefits:

• Cloud-friendly
• Easy to scale, no need to keep user records
• Supports user roles and expiration
• Great if you use SSO solutions

A startup I consulted for uses JWT tokens generated by their backend, so employees log in once while tokens handle the rest. No need for Jitsi to manage passwords, aligning nicely with their security policies.

3. Jitsi LDAP Auth

LDAP lets Jitsi hook into directory services like Microsoft Active Directory to verify users.

Benefits:

• Matches enterprise user setups
• Users keep their usual credentials
• Centralizes authentication and security policies
• Simplifies management for bigger groups

Great for organizations wanting video calls to mesh seamlessly with their broader IT setup.

4. Anonymous or Guests Access (Least Secure)

Not truly an auth method, but worth mentioning: Jitsi allows anonymous access if you switch off authentication—common on servers like meet.jit.si.

For comfy security, skip this option unless there’s some password protection.

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How to Perform a Basic Jitsi Authentication Setup Using Internal Prosody

Running your own Jitsi server? Internal Prosody authentication is a straightforward method.

Step 1: Enable Authentication on Your Jitsi Server

1. Log into your server through SSH.
2. Open the Prosody config file, generally found at:

   sudo nano /etc/prosody/conf.d/your-domain.cfg.lua

3. Find the VirtualHost section and change it to:

   authentication = "internal_hashed"

4. Save your changes and exit.

Step 2: Create User Accounts

Set up user accounts for meeting access:

sudo prosodyctl register username your-domain password

Substitute username, your-domain, and password with your own details.

Step 3: Restart Services

To apply changes, restart Prosody and Jitsi services:

sudo systemctl restart prosody
sudo systemctl restart jicofo
sudo systemctl restart jitsi-videobridge2

Step 4: Test Authentication

Go to your Jitsi URL, where you should now need credentials before joining the meeting.

Tip: Users must create accounts on your server, which might not suit everyone’s needs.

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Setting Up Jitsi JWT Authentication: Step-by-Step Guide

JWT authentication in Jitsi is perfect for the cloud and other modern setups. Here’s the process.

Step 1: Understand JWT Mechanics

Tokens are pieces of signed data (usually via HS256 or RS256) that hold user info like name and email.

Jitsi checks the token before permitting someone to join a meeting.

Step 2: Choose a Token Provider or Build One

You’ll need a way to generate those JWTs for your users.

Consider using Node.js, Python, or other backend setups that fit your app’s login process.

Step 3: Configure Jitsi to Accept JWT Tokens

Edit /etc/prosody/conf.d/your-domain.cfg.lua to say:

VirtualHost "your-domain"
    authentication = "token"
    app_id = "yourAppID"
    app_secret = "yourAppSecret"

Insert your app ID and secret.

Also, activate token authentication for the focus component:

Component "focus.your-domain"
    authentication = "token"
    app_id = "yourAppID"
    app_secret = "yourAppSecret"

Step 4: Update Jitsi Web Config

Head to /etc/jitsi/meet/your-domain-config.js and alter the file:

config.tokenAuthUrl = 'https://your-auth-server.com/token';

Or turn off anonymous access:

anonymousdomain: 'guest.your-domain',

Step 5: Generate a Token Example (using Node.js)

const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');

const payload = {
  context: {
    user: {
      name: "John Doe",
      email: "john.doe@example.com",
    }
  },
  aud: "jitsi",
  iss: "yourAppID",
  sub: "your-domain",
  room: "*",
  exp: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + (60 * 60)
};

const token = jwt.sign(payload, "yourAppSecret");

console.log(token);

Employ this token on the frontend to join meetings securely.

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Integrating Jitsi LDAP Auth for Enterprises

LDAP is your friend if you need centralized user management within big organizations.

Step 1: Install the LDAP Plugin for Prosody

sudo apt install prosody-modules

Update Prosody with LDAP authentication:

authentication = "ldap"
ldap = {
    hostname = "ldap.yourdomain.com",
    user = "uid=%u,ou=users,dc=yourdomain,dc=com",
    password = "yourLDAPPassword",
    use_tls = true,
}

Step 2: Restart Relevant Services

Restart Prosody and Jicofo services:

sudo systemctl restart prosody
sudo systemctl restart jicofo

Step 3: Test Login

Try logging in with your LDAP credentials to access Jitsi meetings. If you succeed, it’s working!

You might need to tweak LDAP filters or settings based on your directory structure.

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Best Practices for Securing Your Jitsi Video Meetings

Take these extra measures to enhance your call security:

• Use encryption: Turn on end-to-end encryption when it’s available.
• Force meeting passwords: For wider group meetings, add passwords for extra safety.
• Keep software updated: Regularly update Jitsi and its components to block vulnerabilities.
• Limit moderator roles: Be cautious in giving out moderator rights to avoid hijacking.
• Monitor logs: Check logs for any unauthorized access attempts.

Real-world tip: A university I assisted uses Jitsi with LDAP authentication, enforcing passwords and rotating meeting IDs. This strategy safeguards online exams and private meetings, ensuring compliance with data protection guidelines.

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Troubleshooting Common Jitsi Authentication Issues

• Users can’t login or join: Review your authentication settings, restart services, and check Prosody logs for errors.
• Tokens invalid in JWT setup: Ensure token details match your Jitsi config and expiring tokens are valid.
• LDAP auth not working: Verify LDAP server connectivity and test user lookups externally.
• Anonymous access still allowed: Confirm that anonymous domain use is shut off or segregated.
• Browser caching issues: Clear cache or try incognito mode for client-side problem solving.

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Conclusion

If you want your Jitsi Meet server to host secure video meetings, setting up authentication is essential. Choose from simple internal auth, LDAP for larger infrastructures, or JWT for cloud solutions. Getting users verified is key for keeping unwanted intruders at bay and ensuring privacy during your video conferences.

By applying the instructions here, beginners can confidently get their Jitsi setup with secure authentication.

Want to make your video calls safer with Jitsi? Pick the method best suited to your needs, follow the provided steps, and start securing your calls today. For any challenges or bespoke setup advice, reach out to Jitsi experts or consult IT professionals specializing in video conferencing security. Your calls—and your peace of mind—mean everything.