API Security
Security guidelines and best practices for API integration
Secure Key Management
Protect API keys and rotate regularly
- Store keys in environment variables or secure vaults
- Never commit keys to version control
- Rotate keys every 90 days
- Use separate keys per environment
- Revoke compromised keys immediately
Transport Security
Encrypt all API communications
- Always use HTTPS/TLS 1.3
- Validate SSL certificates
- Use certificate pinning for mobile apps
- Implement HSTS headers
- Never transmit keys in URL parameters
Request Validation
Validate and sanitize all inputs
- Validate request schemas
- Sanitize user input
- Implement rate limiting
- Check content-type headers
- Reject malformed requests
Data Protection
Protect sensitive data at rest and in transit
- Encrypt sensitive data fields
- Use tokenization for PCI data
- Implement field-level encryption
- Minimize data exposure in responses
- Log without sensitive data
Rate Limits
Development
100/hour
Sustained
10/minute
Burst
Testing and development
Production
10,000/hour
Sustained
100/minute
Burst
Standard production traffic
Enterprise
Custom
Sustained
Custom
Burst
High-volume integrations
Note: Rate limits are per API key. Implement exponential backoff when receiving 429 responses.
Required Security Headers
| Header | Example Value | Required | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authorization | Bearer {api_key} | Required | API authentication key |
| Content-Type | application/json | Required | Request body format |
| X-Request-ID | unique-id | Optional | Trace requests for debugging |
| X-Idempotency-Key | unique-key | Optional | Prevent duplicate transactions |
Error Handling
401Unauthorized
Check API key validity
403Forbidden
Verify API key permissions
429Rate Limit Exceeded
Implement exponential backoff
500Server Error
Retry with backoff, contact support if persists
Secure API Request Example
// Secure API request with all best practices
import crypto from 'crypto';
const makeSecureRequest = async (endpoint, data) => {
// 1. Get key from secure storage
const apiKey = process.env.DAILY_EVENT_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error('API key not configured');
// 2. Generate request ID for tracing
const requestId = crypto.randomUUID();
// 3. Generate idempotency key for critical operations
const idempotencyKey = crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('hex');
try {
const response = await fetch(`https://api.dailyevent.com/v1/${endpoint}`, {
method: 'POST',
timeout: 30000, // 30 second timeout
headers: {
'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'X-Request-ID': requestId,
'X-Idempotency-Key': idempotencyKey,
},
body: JSON.stringify(data)
});
// 4. Handle response
if (!response.ok) {
if (response.status === 429) {
// Implement exponential backoff
await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, Math.pow(2, retries) * 1000));
return makeSecureRequest(endpoint, data);
}
throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status}`);
}
return await response.json();
} catch (error) {
// 5. Log error (without sensitive data)
console.error('API request failed', {
requestId,
endpoint,
error: error.message
});
throw error;
}
};API Security Checklist
Implement exponential backoff for failed requests
Use idempotency keys for critical operations
Validate webhook signatures
Implement request timeouts (30 seconds recommended)
Log API requests for audit trail (sanitize sensitive data)
Monitor API usage and set up alerts
Test error scenarios and edge cases
Keep API client libraries up to date
Report API Security Issues Immediately
If you discover a security vulnerability in our API or suspect your API key has been compromised, contact our security team immediately at security@dailyeventinsurance.com