Require that every API defines and enforces authorization explicitly, so I want each operation to declare what scopes, roles, or permissions it demands and to check them on every request, not just at the front door. I separate this hard from authentication, because knowing who a caller is tells you nothing about what they are allowed to do, and broken object-level and function-level authorization are consistently among the most damaging API vulnerabilities out there. Default to deny, grant the least privilege that gets the job done, and make sure a user can never reach data or actions that belong to someone else. Define the authorization model in the contract and enforce it consistently so access control is deliberate rather than assumed.
Authorization (Security)
Strategies
API Authorization Is Properly Defined and Enforced
All APIs must have clearly defined authorization models that control what authenticated consumers can access and perform, using role-based or attribute-based access control to ensure that permissio...
Experiences
Security
API security is a top priority for any enterprise, with even higher standards for externally available APIs. However, security doesn’t end with the APIs an enterprise produces—it also applies to co...
Access
Gaining the necessary access to effectively use an API is often more challenging than it appears. Intentional and unintentional barriers can create friction in discovering and onboarding with an AP...
Trust
Establish trust with API consumers will evolve and build over time, and is something that can be lost in a very short period of time. Trust will depend on other experiences like quality and reliabi...
Lifecycle
security Security Production
Security runs through every stop on this lifecycle, but it also deserves its own attention. OWASP alignment, vulnerability scanning, and defense in depth protect both the provider and the consumer....
balance Governance Production
Governance is how everything on this lifecycle stays aligned as an operation scales. Policies, rules, and standards applied consistently across teams are what keep APIs coherent without slowing eve...
