🪶API Authentication

Introduction to API Authentication: Importance and Overview

Introduction to API Authentication

• API authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a client or user attempting to access an Application Programming Interface (API).

• The fundamental aspect of API security, ensuring that only authorized entities can interact with the API and access its resources.

Purpose of API Authentication

• Security

  • Prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data and functionalities exposed through the API.

• Data Protection

  • Safeguards against data breaches, leaks, and malicious attacks.

• Access Control

  • Enables API providers to manage and control who can access specific resources and functionalities based on their identity and permissions.

• Auditing and Monitoring

  • Allows tracking of API usage, identifying who is accessing what resources and when.

• Rate Limiting and Throttling

  • Facilitates the application of usage limits to prevent abuse or overwhelming the API.

API Authentication: JWT, OAuth2, and More

• Rate Limiting - we can apply rate limiting to restrict the calls

• Throttle access -

HTTP Basic Authentication -Username & Password in HTTP Header

• Simplest form of authentication

• Client sends user name and password in the http header encoded in base64.

• Credentials are sent with every request and these credentials are not hashed or encrypted by default.

• The traffic can be intercepted and insecure authentication method unless its used with https.

API Key Authentication: Unique Keys for API Requests

• Client sends the unique key that acts as their identifier when making API request.

• Key provided by API Provider to client enabling them to monitor the usage and control access.

• Due to Simple implementation API keys offer limited control over who can use the API.

• The function is similarly to password if any API key compromised its challenging to restrict or revoke access for specific users.

• Key must accompany for every request either as part of query string in the request header or within a cookie.

• Safeguard the key from interception use https to ensure a secure transmission.

JWT Authentication: Stateless and Scalable Token System

• JWT sands for Json Web Token.

• Its a compact stateless mechanism for API authentication.

• When user logs into application the API server creates a digitally signed and encrypted JWT that includes the user's identity. The client then includes the JWT in every subsequent request which the server deserializes and validate.

• The users data will not be stored on the server side which improves scalability.

• JWT Authentication is popular it allows the server to issue tokens that clients can use to authenticate themselves in future request.

• Token contains information about the users and is signed means that its cant be tampered with its stateless so the server doesn't need to store the session data

• JWT authentication has becomes a go-to solution for securing APIs in scalable stateless environments.

OAuth Authentication: Secure Third-Party Access with Tokens

• Its a most widely used Authentication for APIs.

• Its more secure than basic authentication or API keys.

• OAuth allows users to authenticate via third party service like google or Facebook without having to share their credentials with API itself.

• OAuth 2.0 introduces the concept of access tokens which can expired and revoked.

• OAuth 2.0 can be provided more granular control.

• OAuth 2.0 provides greater flexibility and scalability than OAuth 1.0 has become a gold standard API authentication.

• Supports extensive API Integration without putting users data at risk

Authentication vs Authorization: Key Differences

• API authentication - Who are you? - Ask the Question

  • It is about verifying the identity of the client or user trying to access the API.

• API Authorization - What are you allowed to do? - Answers the Question

  • It about determining what permissions the authenticated users has

Note : Authentication verifies your identity and authorization verifies what you are allowed to do once you are authenticated.

• Example : 1. when you login to website its called authentication

• You may have different access levels based on you roles.

• As a regular user you might only be able to view your profile.

• As admin you might be allowed to edit users or modify the data.

• API authentication is critical for securing your api's and ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

• Authentication verifies identity and authorization determine access to the resources.

Mutual TLS (mTLS) : Mutual Transport Layer Security

• mTLS is a security protocol where both client and server mutually authenticate each other before establishing a connection builds om the standard TLS protocol.

• Its used to secure the internet communciations.

Authentication Explained: When to Use Basic, Bearer, OAuth2, JWT & SSO