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API Request Signing

This project demonstrates a secure API authentication mechanism using Request Signatures implemented in C#. Instead of sending API keys directly in the request, this approach uses cryptographic signatures to verify request authenticity.

Why is this important?

Request signing provides several security advantages over simple API keys:

  1. Non-repudiation: The server can prove that a request was made by a specific client.
  2. Request Integrity: The server can verify that the request has not been tampered with in transit.
  3. No Secret Transmission: The client does not need to send the secret key in the request.
  4. Replay Protection: Time-bound requests prevent replay attacks.

Request Flow

sequenceDiagram
    participant C as Client
    participant S as Server
    Note over Client: Constructs request with:<br/>- HTTP Method<br/>- Endpoint<br/>- Timestamp<br/>- Request Body
    Note over Client: Signs request using<br/>secret key
    C->>S: Send request with headers:<br/>X-Client-Id<br/>X-Timestamp<br/>X-Signature
    Note over Server: Validates timestamp<br/>freshness
    Note over Server: Retrieves client's<br/>secret key
    Note over Server: Recomputes signature<br/>and compares
    S->>C: 401 Unauthorized
    C->>S: Authorization Header
    S->>C: 200 OK
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Project Structure

├── RequestSigning.Server/      # API server implementation
├── RequestSigning.Client/      # Demo client implementation
└── RequestSigning.Common/      # Shared models and utilities

Running the Demo

  1. Clone the repository
  2. Start the server: cd RequestSigning.Server && dotnet run
  3. In a new terminal, start the client: cd RequestSigning.Client && dotnet run

Good Luck!