---
title: Preparing PingAuthorize for Kong Gateway integration
description: Prepare PingAuthorize to receive authorization requests from Kong Gateway.
component: pingauthorize
version: 11.0
page_id: pingauthorize:pingauthorize_integrations:paz_kong_prepare_paz
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/11.0/pingauthorize_integrations/paz_kong_prepare_paz.html
revdate: December 2, 2025
section_ids:
  before-you-begin: Before you begin
  steps: Steps
---

# Preparing PingAuthorize for Kong Gateway integration

For Kong Gateway to use PingAuthorize as an external authorization policy runtime service, you must prepare PingAuthorize to receive authorization requests from Kong Gateway.

## Before you begin

* Install and start Kong Gateway. Learn more in the [Kong Gateway](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/) documentation.

* Install and start PingAuthorize. Learn more in [Installing PingAuthorize](../installing_and_uninstalling_pingauthorize/paz_install_pingauthorize.html).

## Steps

1. In the PingAuthorize admin console, go to **Configuration > Web Services and Applications > HTTP Servlet Extensions**.

2. Click **Sideband API**.

3. In the **Request Context Method** list, select **State**.

   ![Screen capture of the Sideband API HTTP Servlet Extension window with settings configured as previously specified for Kong Gateway](_images/paz_sideband_api_servlet_config.png)

4. In the **Shared Secret Header Name** field, enter `CLIENT-TOKEN`.

5. To create a new shared secret, in the **Shared Secret Header Name** list, select **New Sideband API Shared Secret**.

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
   | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | The shared secret authenticates the `ping-auth` plugin to PingAuthorize. Version 1.2.0 of the plugin supports referenceable secrets. For security reasons, store the shared secret in a vault supported by Kong. Learn more in [Secrets Management](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/kong-enterprise/secrets-management/) and [Environment Variables Vault](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/kong-enterprise/secrets-management/backends/env/) in the Kong documentation. |

6. In the **New Sideband API Shared Secret** modal, create a suitably long shared secret value, and then click **Save**.

7. Click **Save**.