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API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

API Gateway Security Patterns

The API Gateway as Security Perimeter

An API gateway acts as the single entry point for all client-to-service communication in a microservices architecture. It is uniquely positioned to enforce security policies centrally, reducing complexity in individual services and providing a consistent security layer.

Core Security Functions

Authentication and Authorization

The gateway validates tokens before requests reach backend services, offloading this responsibility from individual services.

Kong Gateway authentication configuration

services:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- name: user-service

url: http://user-svc.internal:8080

routes:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- name: user-routes

paths:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- /api/users

plugins:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- name: jwt

config:

key_claim_name: iss

secret_is_base64: false

claims_to_verify:

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- exp

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\- nbf

run_on_preflight: true

// Custom auth middleware in Express Gateway

const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');

async function gatewayAuth(req, res, next) {

const token = req.headers.authorization?.replace('Bearer ', '');

try {

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