> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.cakewalk.security/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.cakewalk.security/docs/human-access/open-api-and-mcp/authentication.md).

# Authentication

Authenticate requests with X-API-KEY and X-API-SECRET headers and choose between read only and read and write API keys.

Use API keys to authenticate requests. All endpoints are protected and require an API key and API secret for authentication. Include it as a `X-API-KEY` and `X-API-SECRET` in the `Authorization` header.

Example header:

```http
X-API-KEY: api key
X-API-SECRET: api secret
```

***

### Access Levels

Each API key has an access level that you set when you generate it:

* **Read and write**: the key can call every endpoint, including ones that create, update or delete data. This is the default.
* **Read only**: the key can call endpoints that read data. It cannot call endpoints that modify data.

Use a read only key for integrations that only need to pull data out of Cakewalk, such as reporting, monitoring or syncing into another system. A read only key limits what an exposed credential can do.

The keys table in your developer settings shows a **Read only** label next to each read only key.

{% hint style="info" %}
A key's access level is fixed when you generate it. To switch a key between read only and read and write, generate a new key with the access level you want and delete the old one.
{% endhint %}

If a read only key calls an endpoint that modifies data, the request fails with `403 Forbidden`:

```json
{
  "title": "Forbidden operation",
  "status": 403,
  "detail": "This API key is read-only and cannot perform write operations."
}
```


---

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