According to a recent report by Gartner, by 2026, over 80% of Australian businesses are likely to incorporate Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) into their operations. Just like every other facet of software development, APIs come with security risks that can expose your business to vulnerabilities if left unchecked.
API security is the process of protecting APIs from cyber criminals and attacks. It protects sensitive data transmitted by APIs and boosts the integrity of communications between services for mobile and web applications. The following guide introduces the concepts of API security and what’s needed to protect APIs.
What is API security?
API security is the process of protecting exposed APIs from malicious attacks. An exposed API has accessible objects, allowing users to create, read, update, or delete them. If improperly managed, APIs can inadvertently expand your application’s attack surface. Security measures ensure that only authorised users and applications can access and manipulate your APIs.
APIs’ inherent nature of exposing endpoints leads to specific security challenges that need targeted strategies. API security mitigates risks associated with broken authentication, excessive data exposure, and other vulnerabilities. The focus is on strategies that address these risks.
API Security vs. AppSec
While API security is a subset of application security (AppSec), it’s important to understand that they are not the same thing. Traditional AppSec focuses on the security of the entire application, including its code, configurations, and user interactions. In contrast, API security will explicitly address the unique vulnerabilities that APIs introduce.
APIs are susceptible to attacks such as broken object-level authorisation and excessive data exposure. Securing APIs demands specialised tools and practices that go beyond general application security measures.
Types of API security
There are several types of API security measures that developers need to be aware of:
REST API security
REST (Representational State Transfer) relies on HTTP methods and identifies resources using URLs. When securing REST APIs, use keys, OAuth tokens, or JSON Web Tokens (JWT) to secure clients’ identities. It’s also a good idea to implement HTTPS encryption to secure data transmitted between the client and server.
SOAP API security
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) exchanges web service information and uses web protocols such as XML, HTTP, SMTP and TCP. When securing SOAP APIs, implement XML validation to prevent XML injection. SOAP also uses the WS-Security standard to secure messages.
GraphQL security
GraphQL uses just one endpoint for all queries, which reduces its exposure to threats. Still, it can be targeted. Methods for Protecting GraphQL from threats include authentication, input validation, and limiting query depths.
Common API security threats
APIs are susceptible to various threats compromising data security and application integrity. Some of the top threats include:
- Broken Object Level Authorisation (BOLA): Attackers exploit API endpoints to access objects to which they should not have access to.
- Broken User Authentication: Allows attackers to compromise user accounts via inadequate authentication mechanisms.
- Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS): These attacks render an API unusable by flooding it with requests and causing service disruptions.
- Lack of Resources and Rate Limiting: Failure to enforce rate limits can lead to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks.
- Third-party APIs: APIs might use third-party services to enhance functionality. These become vulnerabilities when they are not scrutinised from a security lens.
We shared more information on the top threats in our last blog on API security.
Mitigating API security threats
Mitigating API security risks involves implementing a combination of strategies and best practices. These include:
- Heuristics to understand existing behaviour: Apply heuristics to identify and analyse potential security issues. By understanding API behaviour, you can pinpoint vulnerabilities and make informed security decisions.
- Use contract and schema validation: Through schema validation, ensure incoming requests conform to expected formats, block malicious requests, and maintain API integrity.
- Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing: Regular assessments and tests help identify and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, maintaining a strong security posture.
- Central OAuth server: A central manager for tokens to ensure secure and standardised authentication processes.
- JSON Web Tokens (JWTs): JWTs are a compact and self-contained way to securely transmit internal communication as a JSON object.
- Continuous monitoring and logging: Early detection and response to potential security incidents prevent them from spiralling into larger issues.
These strategies help reduce the risk of unauthorised access and data breaches, ensuring your APIs remain secure.
Conclusion
By understanding the specific threats to APIs and implementing strong security measures, you can secure your applications and sensitive data. Regularly updating security practices and conducting thorough assessments will help maintain a secure API environment.
Galah Cyber can handle API Security for your business
Battening down the hatches on your security posture is not just about implementing the latest practices in the software development lifecycle; it’s about adopting a comprehensive strategy tailored to your requirements. At Galah Cyber, we offer insights into application security, expert consultancy services, and cost-effective API security solutions to help protect your applications, business and customers.
Whether you’re a startup or a large enterprise, our team can take the wheel and navigate the complex terrain of API security, ensuring your systems are resilient against evolving threats. Visit our Assurance Services page to learn more about what we offer.
