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What steps do you take to debug authentication errors in REST API calls?

General/Othereasy0.3 min readPremium

**Systematic debug:** (1) Verify credentials—token expiry, rotation, scope. (2) Headers—Authorization format (Bearer vs Basic). (3) Logging—request IDs, status, error payloads. (4) Isolate—curl/Postman to separate client vs server. (5) CORS—preflight can masquerade as auth....

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Frequency
Low
Asked at 1 company
Category
243
questions in General/Other
Difficulty Split
151E|43M|49H
in this category
Total Bank
1,863
across 7 categories
Asked at these companies
Virtusa

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This easy-level General/Other question appears frequently in data engineering interviews at companies like Virtusa. While less common, it tests deeper understanding that distinguishes strong candidates.

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Expert Answer
56 words

Systematic debug: (1) Verify credentials—token expiry, rotation, scope. (2) Headers—Authorization format (Bearer vs Basic). (3) Logging—request IDs, status, error payloads. (4) Isolate—curl/Postman to separate client vs server. (5) CORS—preflight can masquerade as auth. Production: Structured logging, correlation IDs; retry with backoff for 401/403; circuit breaker for repeated failures. Why: Auth failures are high-signal—fix root cause fast.

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According to DataEngPrep.tech, this is one of the most frequently asked General/Other interview questions, reported at 1 company. DataEngPrep.tech maintains a curated database of 1,863+ real data engineering interview questions across 7 categories, verified by industry professionals.

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