1. API Key Authentication
- The client sends an API key (a unique identifier) in the request header or as a query parameter.
- Simple to implement but less secure without encryption; best used over HTTPS.
2. Basic Authentication
- Sends a username and password encoded in Base64 in the
Authorization header.
- Easy to use but insecure unless combined with HTTPS; credentials are sent with every request.
3. Bearer Token Authentication
- Uses a token (often a JWT) in the
Authorization header as Bearer <token>.
- Stateless and widely used for secure API access in OAuth2 or custom implementations.
4. OAuth 2.0
- An open standard for token-based authentication and authorization.
- Uses access and refresh tokens for secure user data sharing without exposing credentials.
- Flows: Authorization Code, Implicit, Password, and Client Credentials.
5. JSON Web Token (JWT) Authentication
- Encodes user information in a digitally signed token sent in the
Authorization header.
- Compact, self-contained, and stateless; ideal for single sign-on (SSO) systems.
6. Digest Authentication
- Sends a hashed version of the username, password, and a server-generated nonce.
- More secure than Basic Authentication but rarely used in modern applications.
7. HMAC (Hash-Based Message Authentication Code)
- Combines a shared secret key with request data to generate a secure hash.
- Ensures both authentication and message integrity; often used in APIs like AWS.
8. Session-Based Authentication
- Uses cookies to store a session ID after user login.
- Requires server-side session management; less popular for stateless REST APIs.
9. Mutual TLS (mTLS)
- Verifies both the client and the server using digital certificates.
- Highly secure but complex to set up; commonly used in financial or enterprise systems.
10. API Gateway Authentication
- Offloads authentication to an API gateway like AWS API Gateway or Kong.
- Can combine multiple authentication methods, such as API keys and OAuth2.
11. OpenID Connect (OIDC)
- An identity layer built on top of OAuth2.
- Used for verifying user identity with ID tokens, often in combination with OAuth2 flows.
12. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)
- XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data.
- Used in enterprise environments for single sign-on (SSO).
13. IP Whitelisting
- Limits access to API resources based on the client’s IP address.
- Often combined with other authentication methods for additional security.
14. Custom Authentication
- Involves creating a proprietary authentication mechanism based on specific needs.
- Provides flexibility but requires careful design to avoid security flaws.
15. Social Login Authentication
- Uses third-party providers (Google, Facebook, etc.) for user authentication.
- Simplifies user login but depends on external services.
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