REST API authentication, security and permissions

How REST APIs protect accounts and business data through identity, authorisation, validation and abuse controls. This guide explains the practical decisions behind it and what those decisions mean for the people using and operating the product.

Authentication and authorisation differ

Authentication establishes identity; authorisation decides what that identity can do. Every protected endpoint needs the relevant permission check, not just a valid token.

Choose tokens around the clients

First-party browser sessions, mobile applications and third-party integrations have different needs. Token lifetime, refresh, revocation and storage should reflect the threat model.

Validate everything crossing the boundary

Types, ranges, formats and relationships require server-side validation. Clients improve usability, but they do not make untrusted requests safe.

Limit abuse without blocking customers

Rate limits can protect login, search and expensive generation endpoints. Limits should vary by risk and identity, and responses should tell legitimate clients when to retry.

Avoid leaking useful attack information

Errors can be helpful without exposing stack traces, database details or another customer’s record existence. Logging should retain diagnostic context privately.

Explore our Rest Apis technology page or discuss the requirement with Noviom Labs.