Harden frontend auth token handling in runtime memory

doc/frontend-design-foundation.md

@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ Do not hardcode new palette or spacing values in component styles when a token a
 ## Authenticated Media Delivery
 
 - Document previews and thumbnails must load through authenticated fetch flows in `frontend/src/lib/api.ts`, then render via temporary object URLs.
-- Runtime auth uses server-issued per-user session tokens persisted with `setRuntimeApiToken` and read by `getRuntimeApiToken`.
+- Runtime auth keeps server-issued per-user session tokens only in active-tab memory via `setRuntimeApiToken` and `getRuntimeApiToken`.
+- Users must sign in again after a full browser reload, new tab launch, or browser restart because tokens are not persisted in browser storage.
 - Static build-time token distribution is not supported.
 - Direct `window.open` calls for protected media endpoints are not allowed because browser navigation requests do not include the API token header.
 - Download actions for original files and markdown exports must use authenticated blob fetches plus controlled browser download triggers.

doc/operations-and-configuration.md

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ docker compose logs -f
   - `AUTH_LOGIN_FAILURE_WINDOW_SECONDS`
   - `AUTH_LOGIN_LOCKOUT_BASE_SECONDS`
   - `AUTH_LOGIN_LOCKOUT_MAX_SECONDS`
-- Frontend signs in through `/api/v1/auth/login` and stores issued session token in browser session storage.
+- Frontend signs in through `/api/v1/auth/login` and keeps issued session token only in active runtime memory.
 
 ## DEV And LIVE Configuration Matrix
 
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ Recommended LIVE pattern:
 ## Frontend Runtime
 
 - Frontend no longer consumes `VITE_API_TOKEN`.
-- Session token storage key is `dcm.access_token` in browser session storage.
+- Session tokens are not persisted to browser storage.
+- Users must sign in again after full page reload, opening a new tab, or browser restart.
 - Protected media and file download flows still use authenticated fetch plus blob/object URL handling.
 
 ## Validation Checklist

frontend/src/lib/api.test.ts

@@ -48,46 +48,13 @@ function toRequestUrl(input: RequestInfo | URL): string {
   return input.url;
 }
 
-/**
- * Creates a minimal session storage implementation for Node-based tests.
- */
-function createMemorySessionStorage(): Storage {
-  const values = new Map<string, string>();
-  return {
-    get length(): number {
-      return values.size;
-    },
-    clear(): void {
-      values.clear();
-    },
-    getItem(key: string): string | null {
-      return values.has(key) ? values.get(key) ?? null : null;
-    },
-    key(index: number): string | null {
-      return Array.from(values.keys())[index] ?? null;
-    },
-    removeItem(key: string): void {
-      values.delete(key);
-    },
-    setItem(key: string, value: string): void {
-      values.set(key, String(value));
-    },
-  };
-}
-
 /**
  * Runs API helper tests for authenticated media and auth session workflows.
  */
 async function runApiTests(): Promise<void> {
   const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
-  const sessionStorageDescriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(globalThis, 'sessionStorage');
 
   try {
-    Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'sessionStorage', {
-      configurable: true,
-      writable: true,
-      value: createMemorySessionStorage(),
-    });
     setRuntimeApiToken(null);
 
     const requestUrls: string[] = [];
@@ -115,7 +82,7 @@ async function runApiTests(): Promise<void> {
     assert(requestAuthHeaders[1] === null, `Expected no auth header for preview request, got "${requestAuthHeaders[1]}"`);
 
     setRuntimeApiToken('session-user-token');
-    assert(getRuntimeApiToken() === 'session-user-token', 'Expected session token readback to match persisted token');
+    assert(getRuntimeApiToken() === 'session-user-token', 'Expected runtime token readback to match active token');
     globalThis.fetch = (async (_input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit): Promise<Response> => {
       const authHeader = new Headers(init?.headers).get('Authorization');
       assert(authHeader === 'Bearer session-user-token', `Expected session token auth header, got "${authHeader}"`);
@@ -203,11 +170,6 @@ async function runApiTests(): Promise<void> {
     await assertRejects(async () => downloadDocumentContentMarkdown('doc-4'), 'Failed to download document markdown');
   } finally {
     setRuntimeApiToken(null);
-    if (sessionStorageDescriptor) {
-      Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'sessionStorage', sessionStorageDescriptor);
-    } else {
-      delete (globalThis as { sessionStorage?: Storage }).sessionStorage;
-    }
     globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
   }
 }

frontend/src/lib/api.ts

@@ -36,9 +36,11 @@ function resolveApiBase(): string {
 const API_BASE = resolveApiBase();
 
 /**
- * Session storage key used for per-user runtime token persistence.
+ * In-memory bearer token scoped to the active frontend runtime.
+ *
+ * This value is intentionally not persisted to browser storage.
  */
-export const API_TOKEN_RUNTIME_STORAGE_KEY = 'dcm.access_token';
+let runtimeApiToken: string | undefined;
 
 type ApiRequestInit = Omit<RequestInit, 'headers'> & { headers?: HeadersInit };
 
@@ -56,45 +58,26 @@ function normalizeBearerToken(candidate: unknown): string | undefined {
 }
 
 /**
- * Resolves bearer token persisted for current browser session.
+ * Resolves bearer token for the active browser runtime.
  */
 export function getRuntimeApiToken(): string | undefined {
-  if (typeof globalThis.sessionStorage === 'undefined') {
+  return runtimeApiToken;
-    return undefined;
-  }
-  try {
-    return normalizeBearerToken(globalThis.sessionStorage.getItem(API_TOKEN_RUNTIME_STORAGE_KEY));
-  } catch {
-    return undefined;
-  }
 }
 
 /**
- * Resolves bearer token from authenticated browser-session storage.
+ * Resolves bearer token from active runtime memory.
  */
 function resolveApiToken(): string | undefined {
   return getRuntimeApiToken();
 }
 
 /**
- * Stores or clears the per-user runtime API token in session storage.
+ * Stores or clears the per-user runtime API token in memory.
  *
- * @param token Token value to persist for this browser session; clears persisted token when empty.
+ * @param token Token value for the active runtime; clears token when empty.
  */
 export function setRuntimeApiToken(token: string | null | undefined): void {
-  if (typeof globalThis.sessionStorage === 'undefined') {
+  runtimeApiToken = normalizeBearerToken(token);
-    return;
-  }
-  try {
-    const normalized = normalizeBearerToken(token);
-    if (normalized) {
-      globalThis.sessionStorage.setItem(API_TOKEN_RUNTIME_STORAGE_KEY, normalized);
-      return;
-    }
-    globalThis.sessionStorage.removeItem(API_TOKEN_RUNTIME_STORAGE_KEY);
-  } catch {
-    return;
-  }
 }
 
 /**