> 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/open-api-and-mcp/authentication.md).

# Authentication

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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