While API keys can be a simple way to grant access to the API, they pose significant security risks, especially in production environments. API keys can be easily exposed in client-side code, log files, or other insecure storage, making them susceptible to unauthorized access and abuse. If an API key is compromised, malicious actors could gain unrestricted access to the API, leading to potential data breaches, resource exhaustion, and service disruptions.
A developer accidentally includes an API key in public-facing client-side code. An attacker extracts the key and uses it to:
