What is an API Key ?

Today we’re going to Discuss about What is an API Key and Are they Secure ?

What is an API Key ?
API keys are used to control and track who is using the API and how they are using it. The term “API key” can mean different things for different systems. Some systems have one code but others may have multiple codes for a single “API Key”.

As such, an “API Key” is a unique code or set of unique codes used to authenticate and authorize a calling user or application through an API. Some codes are used for authentication and some are used to generate cryptographic signatures to prove the legitimacy of the request.

These authentication codes are commonly referred to collectively as an “API key”, while the codes used for cryptographic signatures go by various names, such as “secret key”, “public key”, or “private key”. Authentication entails identifying the entities involved and confirming they are who they say they are.

Are API Keys Secure? 
The API key is the responsibility of the user. API keys are similar to passwords and require the same care. Sharing API keys is similar to sharing passwords and as such, should not be done as doing so puts user accounts at risk.

API keys are commonly targeted in cyberattacks because they can be used to perform powerful operations on systems, such as requesting personal information or executing financial transactions. In fact, there are cases where crawlers successfully attack online code databases to steal API keys.

The consequences of API key theft can be severe and lead to significant financial losses.

Furthermore, since some API keys do not expire, once stolen they can be used indefinitely by attackers, until the keys themselves are revoked.