Bad actors are tenacious and are continuing to find new and unexpected ways to attack. In the past, organizations believed that proper authentication to interact with an API was enough of a deterrent to send attackers elsewhere. Salt Labs data shows that 78% of attacks come from seemingly legitimate users who have maliciously achieved the proper authentication.<\/em><\/p>\n This blog explores the API attack surface and introduces steps to ensure API security.<\/p>\n Hackers may target APIs as a profitable target to break into otherwise protected systems and take advantage of flaws. Due to the automated nature of their users, APIs are more vulnerable to resource consumption and rate-limiting problems than web applications. They frequently suffer from the same vulnerabilities as web applications, such as broken access controls, injections, security misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities inherited from other dependent code libraries. Legacy problems from earlier APIs are frequently carried through due to a lack of market expertise.<\/p>\n The API attack surface<\/a> is the total number of potential points of entry that attackers may use to breach an API or the system that supports it. Understanding the scope of each API’s attack surface is the first step in developing a solid security plan. Endpoints, parameters, authentication techniques, and data transmission methods are typical elements of an API attack surface.<\/p>\n Finding all the APIs your application or system utilises is the first step in determining your API attack surface. Make a thorough list of all these internal and external APIs. The list should contain the API’s name, function, version, and any related documentation or code samples. This material will be an essential resource as you move on with the security assessment. In addition to listing the organisational APIs already in use, it is critical to recognise and comprehend the most typical API security issues. Fortunately, an API Security Top 10<\/a> list has been created by the OWASP community, which is always beneficial. This includes broken object and user authentication, data leakage, and no rate limits.<\/p>\n Threat modelling is a proactive method of security that aids in spotting prospective threats and vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Gather your development and security teams for each API to perform a threat modelling exercise. This activity examines the API’s design, implementation, and usage scenarios to identify potential attack vectors. Consider the following crucial factors as you work through the threat modelling process:<\/p>\n After using threat modelling to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities, conduct security audit and testing. There are various methods for security testing, such as:<\/p>\n API security is an ongoing activity requiring constant monitoring and timely response to potential threats. By adopting proactive measures, businesses may ensure their APIs are safe and secure for their users and customers. API Scanning makes it simple to improve your API security. Identify and address vulnerabilities such that no potential entry points are left open. Protect your applications with confidence. Understanding your API attack surface is critical for guaranteeing application security and protecting sensitive data. Businesses can decrease the risk of API-related security breaches by detecting potential threats, undertaking security testing, and following best practices. To keep your applications safe, stay watchful, regularly monitor your APIs, and update your security procedures when new threats emerge.<\/p>\n Her other interests are law, volunteering and women\u2019s rights. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the beach, watching movies or burying herself in a book.<\/p>\n Connect with her on LinkedIn<\/a> and Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mo Amao Microservices, mobile devices, and cloud computing are all part of our daily lives….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWhat is an API Attack Surface?<\/h2>\n
How to Assess Your API Attack Surface Identify and Document Your APIs<\/h2>\n
Perform Threat Modelling Exercise<\/h2>\n
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Conduct security audits<\/h2>\n
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Implement Security Best Practices<\/h2>\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n
![\"Mosopefoluwa\"](\"https:\/\/aikdesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Mosopefoluwa-300x195.jpg\")
Mosopefoluwa is a certified Cybersecurity Analyst and Technical writer. She worked as a Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst, creating relevant cybersecurity content for organizations and spreading security awareness. Volunteering as an Opportunities and Resources Writer with a Nigerian based NGO she curated weekly opportunities for women. She is also a regular writer at Bora<\/a>.<\/p>\n