---
layout: docs
page_title: Use JWTs to verify requests to API gateways on virtual machines
description: Learn how to use JSON web tokens (JWT) to verify requests from external clients to listeners on an API gateway.
---

# Use JWTs to verify requests to API gateways on virtual machines

This topic describes how to use JSON web tokens (JWT) to verify requests to API gateways on virtual machines (VM). If your services are deployed to Kubernetes-orchestrated containers, refer to [Use JWTs to verify requests to API gateways on Kubernetes](/consul/docs/connect/gateways/api-gateway/secure-traffic/verify-jwts-vms).

## Overview
 
You can configure API gateways to use JWTs to verify incoming requests so that you can stop unverified traffic at the gateway. You can configure JWT verification at different levels:

- Listener defaults: Define basic defaults that apply to all routes attached to a listener.
- HTTP route-specific settings: You can define JWT authentication settings for specific HTTP routes. Route-specific JWT settings override default configurations. 
- Listener overrides: Define override settings that take precedence over default and route-specific configurations. This enables you to set enforceable policies for listeners.

Complete the following steps to use JWTs to verify requests:

1. Configure default and override settings for listeners in the API gateway configuration entry. 
1. Define route-specific JWT verification settings as filters in the HTTP route configuration entries. 
1. Write the configuration entries to Consul to begin verifying requests using JWTs.

## Requirements

- Consul 1.17 or later
- JWT details, such as claims and provider

## Configure default and override settings

Define default and override settings for JWT verification in the [API gateway configuration entry](/consul/docs/connect/gateways/api-gateway/configuration/api-gateway). 

1. Add a `default.JWT` block to the listener that you want to apply JWT verification to. Consul applies these configurations to routes attached to the listener. Refer to the [`Listeners.default.JWT`](/consul/docs/connect/config-entries/api-gateway#listeners-default-jwt) configuration reference for details. 
1. Add an `override.JWT` block to the listener that you want to apply JWT verification policies to. Consul applies these configurations to all routes attached to the listener, regardless of the `default` or route-specific settings. Refer to the [`Listeners.override.JWT`](/consul/docs/connect/config-entries/api-gateway#listeners-override-jwt) configuration reference for details. 
1. Apply the settings in the API gateway configuration entry. You can use the [`/config` API endpoint](/consul/api-docs/config#apply-configuration) or the [`consul config write` command](/consul/commands/config/write). 

## Configure verification for specific HTTP routes

Define filters to enable route-specific JWT verification settings in the [HTTP route configuration entry](/consul/docs/connect/config-entries/http-route). 

1. Add a `JWT` configuration to the `rules.filter` block. Route-specific configurations that overlap the [default settings ](/consul/docs/connect/config-entries/api-gateway#listeners-default-jwt) in the API gateway configuration entry take precedence. Configurations defined in the [listener override settings](/consul/docs/connect/config-entries/api-gateway#listeners-override-jwt) take the highest precedence.
1. Apply the settings in the API gateway configuration entry. You can use the [`/config` API endpoint](/consul/api-docs/config#apply-configuration) or the [`consul config write` command](/consul/commands/config/write). 
