7. Utilize Common API Authentication Mechanisms: Basic, Custom Token, and API Keys 200-901 Practice Questions (Page 4)

Questions 16–20

1. 16application · medium

   A network automation engineer is building a script that calls a vendor API. The vendor requires a custom token that expires every 30 minutes. The script currently obtains a token at the start of each run, but some runs take longer than 30 minutes and fail mid-run with 401 errors. What is the best way to handle token expiration in the script?

   • AUse a longer-lived token by requesting a different scope.
   • BCheck the token's expiry time and refresh it before it expires.
   • CSwitch to an API key because API keys do not expire.
   • DObtain a new token before each API call.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
2. 17expert · hard

   A network engineer is migrating a set of scripts from a legacy API that uses HTTP Basic Authentication to a new API that uses custom token authentication. The scripts are run by multiple users with different permissions. The engineer wants to minimize the changes to the scripts while ensuring that each user's permissions are respected. Which approach is the most appropriate?

   • AContinue using Basic Authentication with the new API.
   • BModify the scripts to obtain a token using each user's credentials and then use the token for API calls.
   • CUse a single service account for all users and share the token.
   • DUse an API key that is shared among all users.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
4. 18expert · hard

   A company is building a public API for partners. The API will be accessed by partner applications and by a web portal for human users. The security team requires that partner applications be identified by a unique key and that human users authenticate with a username and password. The API must support both types of clients. Which combination of authentication mechanisms should the API implement?

   • AAPI keys for both partner applications and human users.
   • BBasic authentication for both partner applications and human users.
   • CAPI keys for partner applications and Basic authentication for human users.
   • DCustom tokens for partner applications and API keys for human users.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
5. 19application · medium

   A network engineer is writing a script to query a network device's REST API. The device only supports HTTP Basic authentication and the script will run on a shared jump host where other users can read files. The engineer must minimize the risk of credential exposure. Which approach should the engineer take?

   • AUse an API key instead of Basic authentication because API keys are inherently more secure.
   • BPrompt for the password at runtime and pass it to the API over HTTPS.
   • CStore the username and password in the script and rely on HTTPS to encrypt the credentials in transit.
   • DBase64-encode the username and password and hard-code the encoded string in the script.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
6. 20expert · hard

   A network team is designing an API gateway for internal tools. The gateway will proxy requests to backend services that use different authentication mechanisms. The team wants to centralize authentication so that clients only need to authenticate once to the gateway. Which authentication mechanism should the gateway use with clients to best support this design?

   • AHTTP Basic authentication, because it is simple and supported everywhere.
   • BAPI keys, because they are easy to generate and revoke.
   • CNo authentication at the gateway, and let each backend handle authentication.
   • DCustom token authentication, where the gateway issues a token after client login and uses it for subsequent requests.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first