API security
API Key
An API key is a static application credential used to identify or authorize calls to an API.
Definition
An API key is a fixed secret presented by a calling component to an API in order to identify the caller, gate usage, or unlock access. It is simple to operate but generally offers weaker governance, weaker contextual control, and poorer security properties than token-based, identity-driven patterns.
The Ariovis perspective
Secrets must be treated as governed assets with ownership, controlled storage, rotation and revocation. Moving a static secret into a vault is useful, but it does not solve excessive privilege or a missing lifecycle.
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