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Meta and accounts

What is a webhook signature?

A webhook signature is a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) sent in a header with each webhook request. The sender computes it from the request body and a shared secret; the receiver recomputes it and rejects the request if the two differ, proving the payload is authentic and unmodified.

Updated 29 Aug 2026 · 1 min read

On this page
  1. Why it matters
  2. In VGraple CRM
  3. Related terms

META AND ACCOUNTS

Webhook signature (HMAC)

A webhook signature is a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) sent in a header with each webhook request. The sender computes it from the request body and a shared secret; the receiver recomputes it and rejects the request if the two differ, proving the payload is authentic and unmodified.

webhookapp secretverify webhook signaturesapi keys

Webhook signature (HMAC) in one line

Why it matters

A webhook URL is effectively public: anyone who guesses it can POST fake events. Without signature verification, a fake "payment received" or "new lead" event would be trusted. Meta signs inbound WhatsApp webhooks with your app secret (header X-Hub-Signature-256); every serious integration signs its outbound events the same way.

In VGraple CRM

Inbound Meta webhooks are verified against your app secret before any processing, and unsigned or mismatched requests are dropped and logged. Outbound webhooks carry an HMAC-SHA256 signature computed with the per-endpoint secret shown once at creation; the verify signatures guide has code samples in Node, Python and PHP.

Webhook, App secret, API keys.

Frequently asked questions

Which algorithm is used?
HMAC-SHA256 over the raw request body, hex-encoded, compared with a constant-time function to avoid timing attacks.
What if I lose the endpoint secret?
Rotate it from the webhook's settings; the new secret is shown once and old signatures stop validating immediately.
Do Zapier and Make verify signatures?
Their generic webhook triggers do not verify by default; the guide shows how to add a verification step, or you can rely on an unguessable URL for low-risk events.

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