JSON Web Encryption
lastmod 2026-11-10created 2026-09-103 edits
JSON Web Encryption (JWE) is a specification (RFC 7516) for encrypting data and representing it in a JSON-based structure. It uses a two-step structure in which the payload is encrypted with a content encryption key and that key is in turn wrapped with, for example, the recipient's public key. The compact serialization, which joins the protected header, encrypted key, initialization vector, ciphertext, and authentication tag with dots, is commonly used. Unlike JWS, which only signs, it hides the content itself, and an encrypted JWT follows the JWE format.