Does Automox API Accept Non-JSON Payloads?

Objective

To clarify payload formatting requirements for the Automox API and explain how to correctly structure PowerShell API calls using application/json.

Overview

The Automox API requires data payloads to be formatted as valid JSON strings accompanied by an explicit Content-Type: application/json HTTP header.

While certain non-JSON payloads (such as key-value pairs submitted via application/x-www-form-urlencoded) may appear to succeed under specific conditions, the Automox API automatically discards malformed or misclassified data payloads. To ensure consistent API execution, all state-changing API requests (POST, PUT, PATCH) must supply structured JSON strings.

Technical Cause

When making API calls via PowerShell:

• Invoke-WebRequest vs. Invoke-RestMethod: By default, PowerShell POST requests send a Content-Type header set to application/x-www-form-urlencoded unless explicitly overridden.

• Header Mismatch: If a raw JSON string is submitted under a form-urlencoded header, the API parser cannot interpret the data structure correctly and discards the payload.

• Expected Behavior: Explicitly setting -ContentType "application/json" informs the API gateway to parse the request body as structured JSON.

Correct Implementation (PowerShell Example)

Use Invoke-RestMethod along with an explicit application/json Content-Type header to ensure the API receives and processes the payload correctly.

# Automox API Request Example: Triggering Policy Remediation

# 1. Define API Credentials and Headers
$apiKey  = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
$headers = @{
    "Authorization" = "Bearer $apiKey"
}

# 2. Define Endpoint Parameters
$orgID    = 'YOUR_ORG_ID'
$policyID = 'YOUR_POLICY_ID'
$url      = "https://console.automox.com/api/policies/$policyID/action?o=$orgID"

# 3. Construct JSON Payload Body
$body = @"
{
    "action": "remediateAll"
}
"@

# 4. Execute API Request with Explicit JSON Content-Type
try {
    $response = Invoke-RestMethod -Method POST `
                                  -Uri $url `
                                  -Headers $headers `
                                  -ContentType "application/json" `
                                  -Body $body
    
    Write-Output "Policy action executed successfully."
    $response
}
catch {
    # Extract detailed response content from error stream
    if ($_.Exception.Response) {
        $stream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
        $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($stream)
        $reader.BaseStream.Position = 0
        $reader.DiscardBufferedData()
        $errorBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
        $statusCode = [int]$_.Exception.Response.StatusCode
        
        Write-Error "API Request Failed - Status Code $statusCode : $errorBody"
    } else {
        Write-Error "Execution error: $_"
    }
}

Key Takeaways & Best Practices