How can I verify requests made through RapidAPI?

I operate a website that utilizes a sports API with request limitations for each user. Whenever a user interacts with the site, my Node/Express backend verifies their api_key for authentication. I’ve now made my API available on RapidAPI, where users must utilize the api_key provided by RapidAPI for their requests. RapidAPI performs a validity check on the api_key before forwarding the request to my API. However, I’m unsure if I should validate the api_key for requests originating from my own website. I’m looking for guidance on implementing this in my Express function, which might resemble the following example:

router.get('/v1/:sport/odds', async (req, res) => {
    // Check if the request is authenticated by RapidAPI, and allow it to proceed...

    // Otherwise, verify if an api_key exists in req.query and proceed only if it's valid
})

You can verify requests from RapidAPI by checking the headers that they set. RapidAPI includes a unique X-RapidAPI-Proxy-Secret header with each request. Here’s a simplified example of how to handle this in your Express route:

router.get('/v1/:sport/odds', async (req, res) => {
    const rapidApiSecret = req.headers['x-rapidapi-proxy-secret'];
    if (rapidApiSecret === 'your_expected_secret') {
        // Request is authenticated by RapidAPI
        // Add your logic here
        return;
    }

    const apiKey = req.query.api_key;
    if (apiKey && validateApiKey(apiKey)) {
        // Valid request from your website
        // Add your logic here
        return;
    }

    res.status(403).send('Forbidden');
});

function validateApiKey(apiKey) {
    // Validate API Key logic specific to your application
    return apiKey === 'valid_api_key';
}

Ensure to replace 'your_expected_secret' and 'valid_api_key' with the actual values you use for validation.

To ensure requests from RapidAPI are securely verified in your Node/Express application, you can build upon the existing solution by focusing on key validation steps. RapidAPI offers an additional layer of security using headers, which you can utilize as a first step.

Here’s an example of how to effectively authenticate requests using both RapidAPI’s headers and your own site’s api_key verification:

router.get('/v1/:sport/odds', async (req, res) => {
    const rapidApiSecret = req.headers['x-rapidapi-proxy-secret'];
    const expectedSecret = process.env.RAPIDAPI_SECRET; // Securely store expected secret

    if (rapidApiSecret === expectedSecret) {
        // Request authenticated by RapidAPI
        return handleRequest(res);
    }

    const apiKey = req.query.api_key;
    if (apiKey && isApiKeyValid(apiKey)) {
        // Valid request from your own website
        return handleRequest(res);
    }

    return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden' });
});

function isApiKeyValid(apiKey) {
    // Implement specific API key validation logic
    const validKeys = ['key1', 'key2']; // Example of valid keys
    return validKeys.includes(apiKey);
}

function handleRequest(res) {
    // Your code to process the request
    res.json({ success: true });
}

Key Points to Consider:

  • Environment Variables: Use environment variables to store sensitive information like your RapidAPI secret. This is crucial for maintaining security and flexibility.
  • Validation Function: Customize the isApiKeyValid() function based on your application’s specific criteria for key validity. This could involve checking against a database or a list of valid keys.
  • Centralized Logic: Create functions such as handleRequest to manage the business logic of your request, keeping your route handler clean and focused on validation.

By adopting these practices, you can effectively manage API key validation and ensure secure access through RapidAPI and your website.