---
title: API Gateway without SSL certificate
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > API Gateway without SSL certificate
---

# API Gateway without SSL certificate

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site.md). ().
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `b47b98ab-e481-4a82-8bb1-1ab39fd36e33`

**Cloud Provider:** AWS

**Platform:** Ansible

**Severity:** Medium

**Category:** Insecure Configurations

#### Learn More{% #learn-more %}

- [Provider Reference](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/aws/api_gateway_module.html)

### Description{% #description %}

API Gateway integrations must validate TLS/SSL certificates to ensure backend endpoints are authentic and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks that can expose credentials or sensitive data.

The `validate_certs` property in Ansible `community.aws.api_gateway` and `api_gateway` tasks must be defined and set to a truthy value (Ansible `yes` or `true`). Resources missing this property or with `validate_certs` set to `no` or `false` are flagged.

If your backend uses self-signed certificates, prefer adding the CA to a trusted store or using proper certificate management rather than disabling certificate validation.

Secure example Ansible task:

```yaml
- name: Create API Gateway with TLS validation
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    name: my-api
    state: present
    validate_certs: yes
```

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
- name: update API v2
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    api_id: abc123321cba
    state: present
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
    validate_certs: yes
- name: Setup AWS API Gateway setup on AWS and deploy API definition v2
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
    stage: production
    cache_enabled: true
    cache_size: '1.6'
    tracing_enabled: true
    endpoint_type: EDGE
    state: present
    validate_certs: yes
```

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
- name: update API
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    api_id: 'abc123321cba'
    state: present
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
    validate_certs: no
- name: update API v1
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    api_id: 'abc123321cba'
    state: present
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
- name: Setup AWS API Gateway setup on AWS and deploy API definition
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
    stage: production
    cache_enabled: true
    cache_size: '1.6'
    tracing_enabled: true
    endpoint_type: EDGE
    state: present
    validate_certs: no
- name: Setup AWS API Gateway setup on AWS and deploy API definition v1
  community.aws.api_gateway:
    swagger_file: my_api.yml
    stage: production
    cache_enabled: true
    cache_size: '1.6'
    tracing_enabled: true
    endpoint_type: EDGE
    state: present
```