Why token is generated when pull the pulp container image where token auth is in disabled?

Version
pulpcore: 3.80.1
container: 2.25.1
pulp-rpm: 3.29.0

Describe the bug
Strangely, we faced an 403 authentication issue when try pull the container image using SHA digest and not when using tag value.

Why token is generated when token authentication is disabled in settings.py?
What is the role REDIS Cache TTL in the Pulp container image pull?
Why 403 Authentication issue occurs only when we try to pull the container image using the SHA digests and why not when we pull an image using the tag value?
How the data flow is when we pull a container image? When the container is image publicly made available is only the pulp-content task is supply the docker container image layers or pulp-api is also involved in that request? Likely what is flow when container image pull based on authentication? If pulp-api handles the authentication, after validation of the user how it passes the authorization message to pulp-content to supply the private container image.

To Reproduce

Expected behavior

Additional context

Start with settings.py and trace the pulp-api and pulp-content paths for pulls by tag versus SHA digest. Check how REDIS Cache TTL and token authentication relate to the reported 403, then document a reproducible cause and the expected data flow.