Secure Your Gateways 

An API gateway is a tool used to increase security, scalability and efficiency of APIs and backend microservices by providing them a single entry point. They expose the API endpoints, which are accessible by the public, push incoming requests to the desired services, transform them as needed, and package the data in the response before sending it back to the front-end client. In acting as a single entry point for a system, API gateways restrict access to microservices from outside entrants, reducing attacks.

Using API gateways ensures that only valid requests, recognized by the gateway, are allowed through, as well as being significantly easier and more efficient than implementing that logic in each and every service, which would mean replicating the access logic in several different locations. By using API gateways, that access logic all coalesces into one place, making it safer and more efficient not only to defend the system, but also to deploy new software and changes for existing applications.

Policy-as-code can be used to enforce all sorts of controls upon a system, from complex rules with several prerequisites to authorization, to rules as simple as allowing a single user. For example, a policy may state that a specific user, let’s call him Bob, may access a certain resource as it does not pertain to his job. Such a rule could be expressed through code and enforced across a system, barring Bob access to that resource.