Iota-Auth is an open-source two-factor authentication library for developers who want to confirm logins with a transaction on the IOTA Tangle instead of a text message. It is written in JavaScript and TypeScript and released under the MIT license, so it is free to use, study and adapt. Many people searching for Iota-Auth for Windows want to run it on a desktop, but Windows support has not been verified, so plan your testing accordingly.
The project has had no code updates since January 2018, which makes it a reference implementation rather than a maintained product. Review the code carefully before relying on it in any production system. The sections below explain how the login flow works, how to get the files, and where Iota-Auth fits among similar tools.
What Is Iota-Auth?
Iota-Auth is a small library that lets a website or app use the IOTA Tangle as a second factor when a user logs in. Instead of asking for a one-time code by text message or email, the system asks the user to prove control of a seed by sending a transaction from it.
The library is built around the idea that a digital ledger can act as an independent witness. A transaction on a public network has a timestamp and a permanent record, so the verification leaves evidence that the developer can check. The project is deliberately narrow: it handles the authentication step and leaves account management, interface design and user support to the application around it.
Who Is Iota-Auth For?
The most natural audience is developers who already work with the IOTA ecosystem and want to experiment with transaction-based login. A research team exploring alternatives to SMS codes could use the library as a starting point, reading the code to understand the mechanics before adapting them.
It is less suited to a small business looking for a plug-and-play login solution. Because the project has not been updated since 2018, anyone building for real customers will need to take responsibility for maintenance, security review and compatibility testing. Hobbyists who want a clear example of seed-based verification will likely find the source the most useful part.
Why Transaction-Based Verification Differs From Text Codes
Most two-factor systems rely on a secret that the server sends to the user, such as a text message or an authenticator app code. Transaction-based verification reverses that flow. The user proves possession of a seed by producing something only that seed can create, and the proof is recorded on a public network.
This approach has trade-offs. It depends on the availability and timing of the underlying network, and it requires users to understand seeds, which many people do not. Address reuse is also a key concept: a fresh address for every check prevents a single old proof from being replayed as a new one.
Key features
Seed creation or import
Seed backup at setup
Seed storage by the site
Login-triggered verification
Zero-value proof transaction
Configurable time window and codes
Supported coins
Iota-Auth is built on the IOTA Tangle, and its verification flow is based on IOTA addresses and transactions. The project lists Ledger among its supported hardware wallets, so users who keep their seeds on that device may find it a natural fit for the signing step.
How to install Iota-Auth on Windows
- 1
Get the source code
Open the project's GitHub repository at github.com/thedewpoint/iotauth and use the Releases page or the repository files. Download only from the official website or GitHub, never from mirror sites or third-party download portals that repackage the code.
- 2
Check the files
Compare the SHA-256 checksum or signature of your download with any values the project publishes. Because the repository has seen no updates since 2018, read the source before trusting it, paying particular attention to how seeds are generated and stored.
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Add it to your JavaScript project
Place the library in a Node.js project and load it with the require statement shown in the project's code sample. Run the full login flow on Windows before any real use, because Windows compatibility has not been verified.
How to use Iota-Auth
Iota-Auth is used by developers who integrate it into a website or application. The steps below describe the flow the library is designed to support, from the user's first visit to a completed login.
- Load the library in your project with the require statement, for example const IotAuth = require('iota-auth').IotAuth;.
- Decide whether new users receive a generated seed or provide their own, and make the choice visible in your sign-up screen.
- Prompt each user to back up the seed at setup, and explain clearly that losing it means losing access.
- Store the seed only as your security policy allows, since the design permits the site to keep a copy.
- When a user attempts to log in, set the time window for the verification transaction. The default is unlimited, so most applications should choose a shorter period.
- Ask the user to attach a new address derived from their seed, sending a zero-value transaction to their own public address.
- Optionally, add a validation code in JSON form, such as {code: 'verificationcode'}, and confirm it as part of the check.
- Confirm the transaction within the allowed window and complete the login only when the check succeeds.
Test each step with a non-production seed before going live, and record any failures so you can adjust the timing and messages.
Pros & cons
- Free to use under the MIT license, with the source code publicly available
- Uses a fresh address for each verification, which discourages address reuse
- Zero-value transactions prove seed control without moving funds
- Time window for verification is configurable, with unlimited as the default
- Optional validation code adds an extra check for applications that want one
- Lists Ledger among supported hardware wallets
- No code updates since January 2018
- Windows support is unverified
- Requires developers to handle seeds responsibly, which adds security burden
- Depends on the IOTA network for every verification
- Not a finished consumer product, so it needs integration work
Is Iota-Auth safe?
Iota-Auth handles seeds, which makes security the most important part of using it. The project has not been updated since 2018, so its code has not received recent review, and any dependency it relies on may also be outdated. Download only from the official GitHub repository, and verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature when the project provides one. Never enter a seed phrase on a third-party website, and never share a seed with anyone claiming to be support staff. If you are running a production service, perform your own security audit and keep a copy of the latest version from the official website for comparison.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/thedewpoint/iotauth. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Iota-Auth differs from most tools in this catalog because its job is narrow: it provides a login verification method, not a wallet or a transaction builder. The related IOHK Address Lib may be useful if you need reference logic for address handling, while PSBT Commander focuses on building Bitcoin partially signed transactions for a different workflow. Subzero concentrates on offline storage of Bitcoin reserves, which addresses a separate security problem. Dumplings is a CoinJoin analysis project and has no direct overlap with two-factor login. If your goal is authentication rather than asset management, Iota-Auth is the closest match, but you should weigh its inactivity against any more actively maintained option.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- MIT
- Latest version
- —
- Last update
- 28 Jan 2018
- Windows support
- Unverified (Windows mentioned in docs)
- Source code
- github.com/thedewpoint/iotauth
Frequently asked questions
Iota-Auth is an MIT-licensed open-source library, and its safety depends on how you obtain and use it. Its code has not been updated since 2018, so review it carefully and verify any published checksum before integrating it. Never enter a seed phrase on a third-party website.
Windows is mentioned in the project documentation, but compatibility has not been verified. Developers who want to use it on Windows should test the complete login flow on their own machines before relying on it, paying attention to Node.js-based tooling and network access to the IOTA Tangle.
No. The project has had no code updates since January 2018, so it should be treated as a reference implementation rather than a maintained product. Expect to handle security fixes and compatibility work yourself if you choose to use it.
SMS codes are sent by the server to the user's phone, while Iota-Auth asks the user to prove control of a seed by sending a transaction. The proof is recorded on the IOTA Tangle, so the verification relies on a public network rather than a phone carrier.
A zero-value transaction sends an amount of zero to an address. In Iota-Auth, the user sends it to their own public address, using a fresh address derived from their seed. Because no value moves, it serves as proof of control rather than a payment.
The project lists Ledger among its supported hardware wallets. Keeping the seed on a hardware device can reduce exposure to malware on your computer. Confirm how the integration works in your own setup, since the project is no longer actively updated.
If the user does not send the transaction within the window set by the application, the verification does not succeed and the login should not be completed. Applications can choose a short or unlimited window, with unlimited as the default.
Verdict
Iota-Auth suits developers who are curious about seed-based, transaction-verified login and want a short, readable MIT-licensed codebase to study or adapt. It is not a turnkey product for businesses, and its lack of updates since 2018 means it needs careful review before any production use. Windows support has not been verified, so test thoroughly on your own environment. If you need a maintained authentication option, look at more recently updated tools before committing.