WEBVTT 1 00:00.000 --> 00:06.000 Using application programming interfaces or APIs allow us to be able to manage 2 00:06.000 --> 00:12.290 in detail how we maintain and secure our software as a service platform within 3 00:12.290 --> 00:13.000 Cisco. 4 00:13.000 --> 00:18.470 Now we use APIs to help us reduce the amount of human errors and run automated 5 00:18.470 --> 00:22.040 tasks to kind of help us with the workflow of being an administrator, 6 00:22.040 --> 00:25.000 especially when dealing with people and data. 7 00:25.000 --> 00:30.140 And what I have up on the screen right now is an example from Cisco DevNet of WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 7 00:25.000 --> 00:30.140 And what I have up on the screen right now is an example from Cisco DevNet of 8 00:30.140 --> 00:35.310 an API script that is used to be able to create new users inside of Cisco Sec 9 00:35.310 --> 00:37.000 ure Network Analytics. 10 00:37.000 --> 00:41.000 So I'm trying to keep with the theme of what's going on through our skill here. 11 00:41.000 --> 00:46.690 Now there's a lot in this particular API that has not been modified for a 12 00:46.690 --> 00:49.000 specific organization. 13 00:49.000 --> 00:53.380 This is one of those scripts that's demonstrated as an example. And I'm going 14 00:53.380 --> 00:55.000 to be putting the link for this right below as well. 15 00:55.000 --> 00:59.280 But you can kind of get the idea of going through here when you're dealing with 16 00:59.280 --> 01:03.640 your own API and some of the ideas of how to actually go through and automate WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 16 00:59.280 --> 01:03.640 your own API and some of the ideas of how to actually go through and automate 17 01:03.640 --> 01:05.000 some of these tasks. 18 01:05.000 --> 01:10.570 Now I also do want to point out that we want to make sure that the username and 19 01:10.570 --> 01:15.000 password is encrypted and dealt with in a secure manner. 20 01:15.000 --> 01:21.040 And the reason I bring this up is because within Cisco we use OAuth 2.0 in 21 01:21.040 --> 01:26.620 order to be able to access those APIs and pass credentials back and forth in 22 01:26.620 --> 01:29.000 tokens or keys. 23 01:29.000 --> 01:33.100 See we don't really use username and password to be sent over the wire and open WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 23 01:29.000 --> 01:33.100 See we don't really use username and password to be sent over the wire and open 24 01:33.100 --> 01:37.000 ourselves up to the possibility of those credentials being popped. 25 01:37.000 --> 01:43.090 Now in the easiest way possible for me, it's thinking of logging into social 26 01:43.090 --> 01:47.000 media or another site using your Gmail login. 27 01:47.000 --> 01:53.300 Let's say you go to Twitter and it says you want to click on your login as your 28 01:53.300 --> 01:55.000 Google account. 29 01:55.000 --> 01:58.900 It's not going to send the whole credential over the username password and all 30 01:58.900 --> 02:00.000 that other stuff. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 31 02:00.000 --> 02:05.290 It's going to create a key or a token to be sent from point A to point B saying 32 02:05.290 --> 02:11.010 that this particular user is using or going to use these credentials in order 33 02:11.010 --> 02:14.000 to be able to log into this site or service. 34 02:14.000 --> 02:18.610 And that better protects not only the user but also the organization that's 35 02:18.610 --> 02:23.270 storing those credentials and the data that's authenticated to be able to go 36 02:23.270 --> 02:24.000 view. 37 02:24.000 --> 02:30.230 And the same thing works within Cisco API as well where OAuth 2 token is sent WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 37 02:24.000 --> 02:30.230 And the same thing works within Cisco API as well where OAuth 2 token is sent 38 02:30.230 --> 02:36.910 back and forth between the actual authentication server or services and to the 39 02:36.910 --> 02:42.720 actual API interface that's being used to develop whatever scripts that we're 40 02:42.720 --> 02:47.000 deemed to do inside of our platform for automation or security task. 41 02:47.000 --> 02:52.170 Based on our organization's setup and our policies and also best practices, we 42 02:52.170 --> 02:57.330 should probably be making sure that all that is wrapped inside of SSL or TLS as 43 02:57.330 --> 03:01.000 well because again we don't want everything being sent out in plaintext. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000 43 02:57.330 --> 03:01.000 well because again we don't want everything being sent out in plaintext. 44 03:01.000 --> 03:04.330 And a lot of this information that we're passing back and forth is going to be 45 03:04.330 --> 03:07.000 critical to the organization that we're working for.