diff --git a/samcli/local/apigw/authorizers/lambda_authorizer.py b/samcli/local/apigw/authorizers/lambda_authorizer.py
index 21450ec2a4a..dc09522e46f 100644
--- a/samcli/local/apigw/authorizers/lambda_authorizer.py
+++ b/samcli/local/apigw/authorizers/lambda_authorizer.py
@@ -387,8 +387,10 @@ def _is_resource_authorized(self, response: dict, method_arn: str) -> bool:
             resource_list = resource if isinstance(resource, list) else [resource]
 
             for resource_arn in resource_list:
-                # form a regular expression from the possible wildcard resource ARN
-                regex_method_arn = resource_arn.replace("*", ".*").replace("?", ".")
+                # form a regular expression from the possible wildcard resource ARN;
+                # escape it first so that regex syntax in the ARN itself (such as the
+                # "$" in the HTTP API "$default" stage) is matched literally
+                regex_method_arn = re.escape(resource_arn).replace(r"\*", ".*").replace(r"\?", ".")
                 regex_method_arn += "$"
 
                 if re.match(regex_method_arn, method_arn):
diff --git a/tests/unit/local/apigw/test_lambda_authorizer.py b/tests/unit/local/apigw/test_lambda_authorizer.py
index d38934ea215..f5e9af08de6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/local/apigw/test_lambda_authorizer.py
+++ b/tests/unit/local/apigw/test_lambda_authorizer.py
@@ -455,6 +455,66 @@ def test_validate_is_resource_authorized(
 
         self.assertEqual(result, expected_result)
 
+    @parameterized.expand(
+        [
+            (  # HTTP API "$default" stage, wildcard resource
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/$default/*",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/$default/GET/hello",
+                True,
+            ),
+            (  # authorizer echoes the method ARN it was given back verbatim
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/$default/GET/hello",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/$default/GET/hello",
+                True,
+            ),
+            (  # a "[" in the path must not be read as a character set
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/a[b",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/a[b",
+                True,
+            ),
+            (  # a "(" in the path must not be read as a group
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/x(y",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/x(y",
+                True,
+            ),
+            (  # "." is a literal, not a wildcard
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/a.c",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/abc",
+                False,
+            ),
+            (  # a different stage is still denied
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/$default/*",
+                "arn:aws:execute-api:us-east-1:123456789012:1234567890/prod/GET/hello",
+                False,
+            ),
+        ]
+    )
+    def test_is_resource_authorized_treats_arn_as_literal(self, resource_arn, method_arn, expected_result):
+        auth = LambdaAuthorizer(
+            "my auth",
+            Mock(),
+            Mock(),
+            [],
+            Mock(),
+            Mock(),
+            Mock(),
+        )
+        response = {
+            "policyDocument": {
+                "Statement": [
+                    {
+                        "Action": ["execute-api:Invoke"],
+                        "Effect": "Allow",
+                        "Resource": resource_arn,
+                    }
+                ]
+            },
+        }
+
+        result = auth._is_resource_authorized(response, method_arn)
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, expected_result)
+
 
 class TestLambdaAuthorizerIamPolicyValidator(TestCase):
     @parameterized.expand(