Rest API: Providing an "x-api-key" is mutually exclusive with signing the request

[BearHanded]

Before opening, please confirm:

• I have searched for duplicate or closed issues and discussions.
• I have read the guide for submitting bug reports.
• I have done my best to include a minimal, self-contained set of instructions for consistently reproducing the issue.

JavaScript Framework

React

Amplify APIs

Authentication, REST API

Amplify Version

v6

Amplify Categories

auth, api

Backend

None

Environment information

# Put output below this line
  System:
    OS: macOS 14.4
    CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M1 Pro
    Memory: 1.35 GB / 32.00 GB
    Shell: 5.9 - /bin/zsh
  Binaries:
    Node: 18.17.0 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v18.17.0/bin/node
    Yarn: 1.22.17 - /opt/homebrew/bin/yarn
    npm: 9.6.7 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v18.17.0/bin/npm
  Browsers:
    Chrome: 124.0.6367.91
    Edge: 124.0.2478.67
    Safari: 17.4
  npmPackages:
    .... Removed in-house libs
    @types/flat: ^5.0.2 => 5.0.5 
    @types/node: ^18.17.0 => 18.19.31 (20.12.7)
    @types/yargs: ^15.0.10 => 15.0.19 
    @typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin: 5.18.0 => 5.18.0 (4.33.0)
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    dotenv: ^16.4.5 => 16.4.5 (8.6.0, 10.0.0)
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    prettier: ^2.4.1 => 2.8.8 
    serverless: ^3.35.2 => 3.38.0 
    serverless-api-client-certificate: ^1.0.2 => 1.0.2 
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    serverless-dotenv-plugin: ^3.0.0 => 3.12.2 
    serverless-google-hello-world:  0.1.0 
    serverless-offline: ^12.0.4 => 12.0.4 
    serverless-offline-ssm: ^6.2.0 => 6.2.0 
    serverless-openwhisk-hello-world:  0.1.0 
    serverless-plugin-scripts: ^1.0.2 => 1.0.2 
    serverless-s3-sync: 2.0.0 => 2.0.0 
    serverless-stack-termination-protection: ^2.0.0 => 2.0.2 
    typescript: ^4.6.3 => 4.9.5 
    yargs: ^16.1.1 => 16.2.0 (15.4.1)
  npmGlobalPackages:
    corepack: 0.18.0
    npm: 9.6.7

Describe the bug

I'm currently migrating amplify versions to v6. I have a use case where my API gateway looks for the Authentication header provided by default and lambdas (REST API) assess other headers on the request. Providing a modified header with x-api-key like so now removes the default signed Authorization headers from the request:

await post({
  apiName: "my-api",
  path: "/somewhere",
  options: {
    headers: {"x-api-key": "fake-key"}
  }
}).response;

Looking through the amplify package to see where this is signed, I see in @aws-amplify/api-rest/dist/esm/apis/common/handler.mjs:

const iamAuthApplicable = ({ headers }, signingServiceInfo) => !headers.authorization && !headers['x-api-key'] && !!signingServiceInfo;

This appears to be a change from past versions. We were previously able to have an api key and the Authorization header passed through via amplify.

Some of this may be an anti-pattern of the system I am attempting to upgrade, however I don't see anything saying these two headers should be mutually exclusive. I'm attempting to upgrade the package without rearchitecting the application's auth.

Am I missing some configuration option or do I need to roll my own header signing pattern here? Alternatively is there a Signer object in the lib that isn't deprecated? I don't see one in the docs.

Expected behavior

Amplify provides an option to still sign a request given custom headers, or removes the mutual exclusiveness of the headers.

Reproduction steps

1. Configure Amplify for Auth and API > REST

2. Setup API Gateway with IAM Auth expecting the Authorization Header

3. Lambdas as API handlers expect x-api-token

4. API post with "x-api-key" is missing Authorization
   

5. API post without "x-api-key" header has Authorization
   

Code Snippet

// Put your code below this line.
await post({
  apiName: "my-api",
  path: "/somewhere",
  options: {
    headers: {"x-api-key": "fake-key"}
  }
}).response;

// Vs 
await post({
  apiName: "my-api",
  path: "/somewhere",
  options: {
    // headers: {"x-api-key": "fake-key"}
  }
}).response;

Log output

// Put your logs below this line

aws-exports.js

No response

Manual configuration

No response

Additional configuration

No response

Mobile Device

No response

Mobile Operating System

No response

Mobile Browser

No response

Mobile Browser Version

No response

Additional information and screenshots

No response

[cwomack]

@BearHanded, can you help us understand what you're looking for here and more context on why you'd want both api-key and Authorization header? This does appear to be a version-parity issue between v5 and v6, and we are digging into it on our side as well.

[BearHanded]

Our lambdas are using a JWT in the x-api-key field to parse user details and permissions out, whereas the default headers are just getting the user in the door with the API Gateway using aws_iam as an authorizer.

[chrisbonifacio]

Hi @BearHanded we've discussed this internally and will look into allowing headers such as x-api-key for signed requests

[ashika112]

Hi, we are looking into this now and trying to work on fix without breaking different customer use cases. I will keep the ticket updated when we have a PR for this.

[ashika112]

HI @BearHanded, the fix is now available in aws-amplify@latest [version 6.5.3]. Closing this issue, please let us know if you have any further concerns.