Kerberos Secure API Access Proxy

The service was live, but the API was exposed. Attackers were already scanning. You needed a shield that would not fail.

Kerberos Secure API Access Proxy is that shield. It binds API access to a trusted identity system, using Kerberos for authentication and authorization. Requests pass through a proxy that validates tickets before reaching your backend. No valid ticket, no data.

At its core, Kerberos uses symmetric key cryptography and a central Key Distribution Center (KDC). The Secure API Access Proxy integrates directly with this flow. When a client calls your API, it presents a Kerberos ticket. The proxy checks the ticket with the KDC, confirms the user’s identity, and applies policy rules. If the ticket is expired or corrupted, the request is rejected instantly.

This design stops credential replay attacks and scales across large systems. The proxy handles the negotiation and validation, so your API only sees clean, authenticated traffic. That means fewer attack vectors, predictable load, and clear logs for auditing.

For services behind the proxy, access control becomes simple. Map Kerberos principals to API roles, store those rules in configuration, and let the proxy enforce them. No need to embed Kerberos logic inside every service. Updates to authentication policy are centralized, reducing operational risk.

Kerberos Secure API Access Proxy also simplifies cross-domain authentication. It supports multiple realms, so trusted partners can use their own identity infrastructure while still gaining controlled access to your APIs. Ticket forwarding and delegation can be enabled for workflows that require service-to-service calls without user re-login.

Performance remains strong. The proxy caches validated tickets for short bursts while respecting Kerberos lifetimes. This minimizes trips to the KDC without weakening security. High-availability setups replicate ticket caches across nodes, avoiding downtime during maintenance or failover.

Deploying Kerberos Secure API Access Proxy takes minutes on modern platforms. Configure your KDC details, define route maps, set access policies, and point your clients to the proxy endpoint. With TLS in place and Kerberos verification active, your APIs gain a hardened front line with minimal code changes.

Secure your APIs now. See Kerberos Secure API Access Proxy live in minutes at hoop.dev.