What Is the API Keys Option for REST API Authentication?

What is the API keys option for REST API authentication?

  1. a predetermined string that is passed from client to server Source Reference Answer
  2. a one-time encrypted token
  3. a credential that is transmitted unencrypted
  4. a username that is stored in the local router database

Community Votes

A
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Community Insight

The exam tests whether candidates understand that an API key is a static, predetermined credential string — not a one-time token, plaintext password, or local username.

API key authentication uses a predetermined string passed from client to server to identify and authorize API requests. The Cisco community unanimously confirms option A as the correct answer for the 350-401 ENCOR exam.

Some candidates choose C, mistakenly believing API keys are transmitted unencrypted; however, the defining characteristic of an API key is that it is a predetermined string used for identification, regardless of transport encryption.

Community Discussion (3 comments)

slacker_at_work 👍 6 Selected: A
An API key is a string of characters used to identify and authenticate an application or user who requests the service of an API.
chiacche 👍 1 Selected: A
When a client sends a request to the server, this string acts as a credential to verify the identity and authorization of the requester. The server validates the key to ensure the request is from an authorized application or user.
teems5uk 👍 3 Selected: A
Correct

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Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

An API key is fundamentally a predetermined string of characters that a client passes to a server to authenticate and authorize an API request. Cisco's REST API documentation describes API keys as static credentials assigned to an application, which the server validates against a known list. This matches option A precisely: a predetermined string passed from client to server.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option B describes a one-time encrypted token, which aligns more closely with OAuth 2.0 bearer tokens or JWTs rather than static API keys. Option C refers to a credential transmitted unencrypted, which is a transport-layer concern, not a definition of API key authentication. Option D describes a local router username database entry, which pertains to device CLI authentication (AAA), not REST API key authentication.

Community Comment Notes

All community voters selected A, and comment [1] correctly defines an API key as a string used to identify and authenticate an application. Comment [2] elaborates that the string acts as a credential the server validates for authorization. Comment [3] briefly marks C as correct, but this is likely a typo since the answer letter shown is A; no substantive support exists for option C in the discussion.

Official Reference

https://developer.cisco.com/docs/ios-xe/#!rest-api-authentication

Exam Strategy

When the question asks about the definition of an API key, focus on its core trait: a static, predetermined string used for identification. Eliminate options that describe dynamic tokens, transport-layer behavior, or local AAA databases.

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