Instead of each developer writing their own authorization check on every endpoint, implement a centralized authorization layer — a single piece of code or policy that all requests pass through before reaching the data.

This can be an API gateway policy, a middleware function, or a dedicated authorization service. The key is: one place enforces the rule, not hundreds of individual endpoints.

Imagine a hotel. Instead of each room having its own security system that every staff member has to remember to set — there's one central front desk that controls access to every room. Miss the front desk and you don't get in, period.

Centralized authorization is the front desk. A developer adding a new endpoint doesn't need to remember to add a check — the check happens automatically before they even get to the endpoint.

A centralized layer is only as good as its rules. If the policy itself has gaps — or if some endpoints bypass the layer entirely — protection fails. The policy needs to be tested (MIT 04) just like everything else.