Azure API Key Management and Security Essentials

Managing API keys securely is a top priority for any Azure developer. Azure API Management provides a robust key management system to safeguard your API keys.

API keys are used to authenticate and authorize API calls, but they can be a vulnerability if not handled properly. Azure Key Vault can be used to securely store and manage API keys, certificates, and passwords.

Azure API Management allows you to set up a key management system with features like key rotation, revocation, and expiration. This ensures that your API keys are always up-to-date and secure.

An Azure API key is a unique string of characters used to authenticate and authorize access to Azure services and resources.

It's a crucial component for accessing Azure services, and without it, you won't be able to use many of the features and tools Azure has to offer.

API keys are used to verify the identity of clients and ensure that only authorized requests are made to Azure services.

They can be thought of as a digital key that unlocks access to specific resources and services within the Azure platform.

API keys are not passwords, and they should be kept confidential to prevent unauthorized access to your Azure account.

If your API key is compromised, it's essential to regenerate it as soon as possible to maintain the security of your account.

API keys can be managed and configured through the Azure portal, making it easy to create, view, and delete keys as needed.

This allows you to have full control over who has access to your Azure resources and services, and when.

Creating and managing Azure API keys is a straightforward process. You can create subscriptions directly in the Azure portal.

To create a subscription, you'll need to fill in the required fields such as Subscription, Resource group, Region, Name, and Pricing tier. The pricing tier you select determines how much you'll be billed each month.

You can choose to use the "Free F0" pricing tier to use the resource without a fee. To manage your billing, go to Cost Management + Billing.

Once you've created a subscription, you can use an API Management subscription key in one of two ways: by adding the Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key HTTP header to the request or by including the subscription-key query parameter in the URL.

API Management doesn't provide built-in features to manage the lifecycle of subscription keys, such as setting expiration dates or automatically rotating keys. You can develop workflows to automate these processes using tools such as Azure PowerShell or the Azure SDKs.

Here's a summary of how API Management handles API requests with and without a subscription key:

API publishers can create subscriptions directly in the Azure portal, and when created in the portal, a subscription is in the Active state, meaning a subscriber can call an associated API using a valid subscription key.

To use an Azure API key, you can add it to your request as an HTTP header or include it as a query parameter in the URL. The default name for the header is Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key, and the default name for the query parameter is subscription-key, although you can modify these names if needed.

You can include the subscription key in a request header or query parameter, but be aware that it may be exposed in backend monitoring logs or other systems. If this is a concern, you can configure a policy to remove the subscription key header or query parameter.

To implement rate limiting and quotas, Azure API Management allows administrators to set limits on API usage, ensuring fair usage and system stability. This can be particularly useful for APIs with usage limits, such as the free plan of the OpenWeatherMap API, which limits the number of calls per minute.

API Management receives an API request from a client with a subscription key, it checks if it's a valid key associated with an active subscription. If a valid key for an active subscription at an appropriate scope is provided, access is allowed, and policies are applied depending on the configuration of the policy definition at that scope.

The subscription key can be passed in one of two ways: as an HTTP header or as a query parameter. If the header isn't present, the query parameter is checked instead. The default names for the header and query parameter are Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key and subscription-key, respectively, but these can be modified in the settings for each API.

API Management handles requests with a subscription key by checking for a valid key associated with an active subscription, then applying policies depending on the configuration. This process ensures that only authorized requests are granted access to the API.

API Management also handles requests without a subscription key by checking for the existence of an open product. An open product is a product that includes the API but doesn't require a subscription. If an open product exists, the request is handled in the context of the APIs, policies, and access rules configured for the open product.

If no open product is found, API Management checks whether the API requires a subscription. If a subscription isn't required, the request is handled in the context of that API and operation. If no configured product or API is found, access is denied with a 401 Access denied error.

Here's a summary of how API Management handles requests with and without a subscription key:

Rate limiting and quotas are essential features to prevent abuse or overuse of APIs. This ensures fair usage and helps maintain system stability. To implement rate limiting, administrators can set limits on the number of calls allowed within a certain time frame. For example, the free plan of the OpenWeatherMap API only allows 60 calls per minute.

APIs must also have code to enforce these limits, otherwise, they can be easily exploited. The Azure API Management Service provides a solution for this by allowing administrators to implement rate limiting and quotas. This feature is crucial for maintaining system stability and preventing abuse.

The OpenWeatherMap API, for instance, has a $40 plan that allows up to 600 calls per minute and 10 million calls per month. This is a significant increase from the free plan, which has strict limits on the number of calls allowed. To give you a better idea, here are some key rate limiting features:

By implementing rate limiting and quotas, administrators can ensure that APIs are used fairly and within their intended limits. This helps maintain system stability and prevents abuse, making it a crucial feature of any API management solution.

Azure offers robust features for securing APIs, including authentication mechanisms like API keys, OAuth, and client certificates. This ensures that your API is protected from unauthorized access.

Access control policies can be implemented to restrict or allow access based on specific criteria, giving you fine-grained control over who can interact with your API.

When creating an API or product, you have the option to require a subscription key for access. By default, a subscription key is required, but you can disable this requirement if needed.

Configuring a product or API without a subscription requirement can be overly permissive, making it more vulnerable to certain API security threats. Use care when disabling this requirement.

You can disable the subscription requirement at the time you create an API or product, or at a later date. To do this, access the Settings page of the product or API.

To disable the subscription requirement using the portal, follow these steps:

After disabling the subscription requirement, the selected API or APIs can be accessed without a subscription key. Open products have the Requires subscription setting disabled, which means that users don't need to subscribe to them.

Azure API Management offers robust security features to protect your APIs.

API keys are one way to authenticate users, but they can be passed to the backend and exposed in monitoring logs or other systems if not configured properly. You can configure a policy to remove the subscription key header or query parameter to keep this data secure.

Azure API Management supports multiple authentication mechanisms, including API keys, OAuth, and client certificates. This allows you to choose the best method for your specific use case.

To restrict or allow access to your APIs, you can implement access control policies based on specific criteria. For example, you can use the Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key header to authenticate users and then restrict access based on the value of this header.

API gateways are a component within a larger API management solution, whereas Azure API Management is a comprehensive platform that offers a broader spectrum of capabilities, including analytics and developer collaboration tools.

By using Azure API Management, you can ensure that your APIs are secure and accessible only to authorized users.