---
title: Require authorization for API requests
description: Use the glide.basicauth.required.api property to enhance security for basic authorization for incoming REST requests.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security/instance-security-hardening-settings/sc-api-request-authorization.html
release: australia
product: Instance Security Hardening Settings
classification: instance-security-hardening-settings
topic_type: reference
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [API and web service, Hardening settings, Platform Security]
---

# Require authorization for API requests

Use the **glide.basicauth.required.api** property to enhance security for basic authorization for incoming REST requests.

If **glide.basicauth.required.api** isn't set to the recommended value of **true**, then Basic Authentication on API requests are disabled which leads to unauthenticated access to instance data.

Ensure the property **glide.basicauth.required.api** exists in the System Properties \[sys\_properties\] table and is set to **true**.

**Warning:** This is a safe harbor property, meaning the value can't be altered once it's changed. It is non-revertible.

## More information

<table id="table_ajc_b43_3kb"><thead><tr><th>

Attribute

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Configuration name

</td><td>

**glide.basicauth.required.api**

</td></tr><tr><td>

Configuration type

</td><td>

System Properties \(/sys\_properties\_list.do\)

</td></tr><tr><td>

Data type

</td><td>

Boolean

</td></tr><tr><td>

Recommended value

</td><td>

true

</td></tr><tr><td>

Default value

</td><td>

&lt;none&gt;

</td></tr><tr><td>

Fallback value

</td><td>

false

</td></tr><tr><td>

Category

</td><td>

[API and web service](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/instance-security-hardening-settings/sc-api-web-service.md)

</td></tr><tr><td>

Security risk

</td><td>

-   Severity score: 8.6
-   CVSS rating: High
-   Security risk details: Unauthenticated access to API data, when combined with misconfigured guest user role, poses a significant risk of unauthorized data exposure.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Functional impact

</td><td>

None

</td></tr><tr><td>

Dependencies and prerequisites

</td><td>

None

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>**Parent Topic:**[API and web service](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/instance-security-hardening-settings/sc-api-web-service.md)