Configuring Back-end Authentication for Azure API Management | Exam AZ-204

Configuring Back-end Authentication for Azure API Management

Question

Note: The question is included in a number of questions that depicts the identical set-up.

However, every question has a distinctive result.

Establish if the solution satisfies the requirements.

You are developing a solution for a public facing API.

The API back end is hosted in an Azure App Service instance.

You have implemented a RESTful service for the API back end.

You must configure back-end authentication for the API Management service instance.

Solution: You configure Basic gateway credentials for the HTTP(s) endpoint.

Does the solution meet the goal?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B.

B.

API Management allows to secure access to the back-end service of an API using client certificates.

Furthermore, the API back end is hosted in an Azure App Service instance.

It is an Azure resource and not an HTTP(s) endpoint.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/apimanagement/apimanagementrest/azure-api-management-rest-api-backend-entity

The given solution to configure Basic gateway credentials for the HTTP(s) endpoint to provide back-end authentication for the API Management service instance is not sufficient to meet the goal.

Basic authentication sends the user name and password in clear text over the network, which can make them vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access. Moreover, Basic authentication is not a recommended authentication method for production environments because it lacks advanced security features and is easy to crack.

To secure a public-facing API, it is important to use a more secure and robust authentication mechanism. Azure API Management provides various authentication options such as OAuth 2.0, Azure Active Directory, and client certificates.

OAuth 2.0 is a widely adopted and recommended authentication standard for securing APIs. It provides a secure and flexible way to authenticate and authorize API clients without exposing their credentials. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is another popular authentication and authorization solution that integrates well with Azure services and provides advanced security features such as multifactor authentication and conditional access.

Client certificates are another authentication method that can be used to secure APIs. In this approach, a client certificate is issued to the API client, and the client uses this certificate to authenticate itself to the API. This method provides strong security and is recommended for high-security scenarios.

Therefore, the given solution to configure Basic gateway credentials for the HTTP(s) endpoint is not sufficient to meet the goal of providing secure back-end authentication for the API Management service instance. Instead, a more secure and robust authentication mechanism such as OAuth 2.0, Azure AD, or client certificates should be used.