API security is critical for any modern application. Today, I'll share our comprehensive
approach to securing APIs in production, covering everything from authentication to monitoring.
Authentication & Authorization
We use a multi-layered approach:
• JWT tokens with short expiration times
• Refresh token rotation
• OAuth 2.0 with PKCE for third-party integrations
• Role-based access control (RBAC) with fine-grained permissions
Rate Limiting & DDoS Protection
Our rate limiting strategy includes:
• Redis-based distributed rate limiting
• Different limits for authenticated vs anonymous users
• Cloudflare for DDoS protection and WAF rules
• Circuit breakers to protect downstream services
Monitoring & Alerting
We monitor all API endpoints with:
• Request/response logging with structured data
• Real-time alerting for unusual patterns
• Security scanning with OWASP ZAP integration
• Regular penetration testing
Input Validation
Every API endpoint includes:
• Schema validation using JSON Schema
• SQL injection prevention
• XSS protection
• File upload security scanning
Security is an ongoing process, not a destination. We continuously review and improve our practices.
Keep your APIs safe, and remember sanitation.
Alex, Chief Executive Officer