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The Cloud Playbook
The Cloud Playbook
TCP #50: Designing Secure API Architectures on AWS

TCP #50: Designing Secure API Architectures on AWS

How to secure APIs using Amazon API Gateway, WAF, Cognito, and Lambda Authorizers?

Amrut Patil's avatar
Amrut Patil
Mar 25, 2025
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The Cloud Playbook
The Cloud Playbook
TCP #50: Designing Secure API Architectures on AWS
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APIs are critical connectors between applications, services, and systems in today's interconnected digital landscape.

However, with this connectivity comes risk. Insecure APIs have become the most common vectors for data breaches and system compromises.

In today’s newsletter issue, I'll explore a comprehensive approach to building secure API architectures on AWS, leveraging services like API Gateway, WAF, and various authorization mechanisms.

Source: Unsplash

The Foundation

Before diving into specific AWS services, it's essential to understand that API security requires a multi-layered approach.

No single security control is sufficient.

We need to implement security at every level:

  1. Network layer (traffic filtering, encryption)

  2. Application layer (input validation, output encoding)

  3. Authentication (verifying identity)

  4. Authorization (controlling access)

  5. Monitoring and response (detecting and reacting to threats)

Let's explore how AWS services can help us implement these layers effectively.

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