---
title: "Elevate access for an already signed in user using FIDO2 Webauthn"
method: POST
path: "/elevate/webauthn"
tags: ["security"]
---

# Elevate access for an already signed in user using FIDO2 Webauthn

`POST /elevate/webauthn`

Generate a Webauthn challenge for elevating user permissions

## Response `200`

Challenge sent for elevation

- PublicKeyCredentialRequestOptions
  - `challenge` string, byte, required — Base64url-encoded binary data
  - `timeout` integer — A time, in milliseconds, that the caller is willing to wait for the call to complete
  - `rpId` string — The RP ID the credential should be scoped to
  - `allowCredentials` PublicKeyCredentialDescriptor[] — A list of CredentialDescriptor objects representing public key credentials acceptable to the caller
    - `type` 'public-key', required — The valid credential types
    - `id` string, byte, required — Base64url-encoded binary data
    - `transports` AuthenticatorTransport[] — The authenticator transports that can be used
  - `userVerification` 'required' | 'preferred' | 'discouraged' — A requirement for user verification for the operation
  - `hints` PublicKeyCredentialHints[] — Hints to help guide the user through the experience
  - `extensions` AuthenticationExtensions — Additional parameters requesting additional processing by the client and authenticator

## Other responses

- `default` — An error occurred while processing the request

## Changes

- **2026-06-24** `0fc5fd589dbf` — 1 warning
  - added the new `otp-too-many-attempts` enum value to the `error` response property for the response status `default`
- **2026-04-20** `b39086c84b43` — 1 warning, 1 info
  - added the new `user-already-exists` enum value to the `error` response property for the response status `default`
  - removed the `email-already-in-use` enum value from the `error` response property for the response status `default`
- **2025-11-11** `484d9f1a422a` — 1 warning
  - added the new `provider-account-already-linked` enum value to the `error` response property for the response status `default`
- **2025-10-09** `2bb5c4e40463` — 1 warning, 3 info
  - added the new `email-already-in-use` enum value to the `error` response property for the response status `default`
  - removed the `otp-too-many-attempts` enum value from the `error` response property for the response status `default`
  - removed the `provider-account-already-linked` enum value from the `error` response property for the response status `default`
  - removed the `user-already-exists` enum value from the `error` response property for the response status `default`

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/nhost/apis/nhost-authentication-api/changes/elevate/webauthn/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/nhost/apis/nhost-authentication-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/nhost/apis/nhost-authentication-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/nhost/nhost-authentication-api/revisions/a5c0d88b55c4/schema)