This SNOW-CAD practice question tests your understanding of platform features and integration. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are valid methods to authenticate a REST API call to ServiceNow?
SAML assertion authentication.
Why wrong: SAML is for SSO, not direct REST API authentication.
LDAP authentication.
Why wrong: LDAP is for user authentication, not API calls.
Basic Authentication with username and password.
Basic Authentication is supported.
API Key authentication.
Why wrong: ServiceNow does not use API keys for REST API authentication.
OAuth 2.0 authentication.
OAuth 2.0 is supported for REST API.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Basic Authentication with username and password.
Option C is correct because ServiceNow supports Basic Authentication, where the REST API call includes an HTTP Authorization header with a Base64-encoded string of 'username:password'. This is a straightforward method for authenticating API requests, though it requires HTTPS to avoid exposing credentials in plaintext.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
SAML assertion authentication.
Why it's wrong here
SAML is for SSO, not direct REST API authentication.
LDAP authentication.
Why it's wrong here
LDAP is for user authentication, not API calls.
Basic Authentication with username and password.
Why this is correct
Basic Authentication is supported.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
API Key authentication.
Why it's wrong here
ServiceNow does not use API keys for REST API authentication.
OAuth 2.0 authentication.
Why this is correct
OAuth 2.0 is supported for REST API.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse authentication methods supported for the UI (like SAML or LDAP) with those valid for REST API calls, or mistakenly think ServiceNow supports API keys when it does not.
Detailed technical explanation
ServiceNow's REST API authentication relies on the Authorization header per RFC 7617 for Basic Auth, where the client sends 'Authorization: Basic base64(username:password)'. OAuth 2.0 (Option E) is also valid, using a bearer token obtained via a client credentials grant or password grant, which is more secure for production environments. A real-world scenario: using Basic Auth in scripts for quick testing is common, but OAuth 2.0 is preferred for production to avoid storing passwords and to enable token revocation.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
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FAQ
Platform Features and Integration — This question tests Platform Features and Integration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Basic Authentication with username and password. — Option C is correct because ServiceNow supports Basic Authentication, where the REST API call includes an HTTP Authorization header with a Base64-encoded string of 'username:password'. This is a straightforward method for authenticating API requests, though it requires HTTPS to avoid exposing credentials in plaintext.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SNOW-CAD practice question is part of Courseiva's free ServiceNow certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SNOW-CAD exam.
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