Designing Secure Public Sector APIs

Introduction

Public sector APIs act as bridges linking citizen applications with government record databases. Because these endpoints are exposed to public networks, they represent primary vectors for cyber attacks. Securing these APIs demands a multi-layered verification strategy.

1. Mutual TLS (mTLS) & Client Certs

For B2B/B2G server-to-server exchanges, standard API keys are insufficient. We implement Mutual TLS (mTLS) protocols, requiring the client server to supply an authorized SSL certificate before a handshake is established, preventing connection spoofing.

2. IP Rate-Limiting & Gateway Rules

To avoid Denial of Service (DoS) attacks on registry databases, we deploy rate-limiting guidelines directly at the API Gateway layer. Endpoints are limited based on caller categories (e.g. 60 requests/min for standard consumers, 1000 requests/min for certified banking partners).

3. Validation Schemas & SQL Defenses

Every incoming payload is validated against strict JSON schemas before being processed by database query adapters. String parameters are sanitized and parameterized, completely eliminating SQL injection vectors and keeping backend data archives safe.

For additional information regarding our API auditing and security packages, contact our digital compliance team.