Key Authentication
Overview
Key Authentication secures APIs by requiring clients to include an API key in requests. Kong validates the key to allow access.
- Simple to set up and manage.
- Clients send the API key via headers, query strings, or cookies.
Lab Environment
This lab tests a Kong API Gateway deployment using a FastAPI endpoint. To simplify, both the containerized Kong API Gateway and the FastAPI endpoint are installed locally on a Windows 10 machine. A Docker Compose file is used to deploy Kong, along with other applications like Prometheus, Zipkin, the ELK Stack, and more.
Make sure that you have installed Docker Desktop.
Simply installing Docker in WSL2 without Docker Desktop may introduce some issue when configuring the communication between the containerized Kong API Gateway and the FastAPI application that is installed on the local host.
Pre-requisites
- Postman
- Setup the Kong API Gateway
- Setup the FastAPI Endpoint
- Kong Manager OSS Access
- Create the Routes and Services
- Create the Consumer
Enable the Key Auth Plugin
To enable the plugin, go to Kong Manager > Plugins > New Plugin > Select Key Authentication.
Set this plugin as a global plugin and enable the following under Plugin Configuration.
- Key In Header
- Key In Query
Under key names, specify:
- apikey
- token
Under Advanced parameters, enter the following details. Click Save afterwards.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Instance Name | key-authentication |
Make sure to disable other global authentication methods. For more information, please see Conflicting Global Authentication Methods
Configure the Key Auth Credentials
To create a consumer, please see Create the Consumer.
Select the consumer and click Credentials > New Key Auth Credential. We can provide our own key or we can let Kong generate a key by simply clicking Save.
The new key should now appear in the credentials page. Copy the key.
Test Key Auth
To setup Postman, please see Testing with Postman
Go back to Postman and create a new request. Rename it to Testing FastAPI via Kong - Key Auth. Enter the URL below.
http://localhost:8000/kong/healthy
Click the Headers tab and add the following:
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| apikey | add the API key here |
Hit Send.
