rate-limiting-and-security

API rate limiting is implemented using sliding window counters or token buckets to control request volume. You can enforce tiered limits, such as 100 global requests per minute and stricter limits on expensive endpoints, with provided Node.js/Express and Python/FastAPI examples.

Secure webhooks by implementing request signing with HMAC-SHA256 and validate incoming API requests by sanitizing data to prevent injection attacks. This ensures data integrity and protects against malicious payloads targeting your endpoints.

The sliding window counter algorithm tracks API request volume over a rolling time period rather than fixed intervals. This approach smooths traffic spikes and provides accurate, fair usage enforcement compared to basic fixed window limits.

Yes, you can configure CORS and enforce HTTPS to align with OWASP API Security Top 10 guidelines. Addressing these vulnerabilities prevents cross-origin access issues and ensures encrypted client-server communication.

You apply different rate limits by configuring tiered restrictions based on endpoint routes. For example, you can set a global limit of 100 requests per minute while enforcing a stricter 5 requests per minute limit on a computationally expensive /exports endpoint.

Token buckets allow bursty traffic up to a maximum capacity, which may temporarily overwhelm downstream systems if not paired with strict sliding window counters. Token buckets alone do not validate input or prevent injection attacks, requiring additional security layers.