Glossary: Physical and Wireless Vectors, and Vulnerabilities

API key

Also written: application programming interface key, API keys

A long code that lets one program use another program's service, such as the courier service's API key. It is a secret, so it should never be hardcoded, and it should be rotated.

Where the book teaches it

Chapter 3: Ports, applications, code and the operating system
Chapter 4: Virtualization, zero-days, cryptography and credentials

Related terms

Secret Hardcoded secret Rotate Unmanaged credentials