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Authentication

All Guardian Layer API endpoints require your CustodianAI API key in the X-API-Key request header.

Header format​

X-API-Key: cai_your_key_here

Where to find your key​

Your API key is generated automatically after you subscribe. Go to API Keys in the dashboard to view it.

Keys follow the format cai_ followed by a 32-character string.

Example​

curl -X POST https://api.custodianai.com/api/v1/deidentify/text \
  -H "X-API-Key: cai_your_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "Jane Smith", "compliance_mode": "MASKED"}'

Authentication errors​

StatusMeaningResolution
401 UnauthorizedKey missing or not recognisedCheck the header name is X-API-Key and the value is correct
403 ForbiddenKey valid but expired or out of creditsRenew your subscription or upgrade your plan

Storing your key safely​

Always load your API key from an environment variable. Never hard-code it in source files or commit it to version control.

# .env
CUSTODIAN_API_KEY=cai_your_key_here
import os, requests

headers = {"X-API-Key": os.environ["CUSTODIAN_API_KEY"]}