API Security: Best Practices to Protect Your Systems

APIs are the core of any application. As users log in to various social networks, make online purchases or use online wallets, they let different platforms interact, exchange information, and join in creating a single ecosystem. They are the reason why you can use an application on multiple devices, or link to services like Google, PayPal or Facebook in one click.

Due to their relevance, API protection is an urgent need. If APIs are left open to abuse and exposed to the outside world, hackers can easily compromise personal details, manipulate or steal data, or truncate services – resulting in loss of customer trust and business losses. Given that businesses count on APIs as the force behind many products and services, securing them must be a priority.

Why API Security is Crucial

One vulnerability in an API can expose an application to cyberthreats such as cyberattacks, data breaches or unauthorized access. In many systems such as cloud and microservices, APIs serve as a door into the system and into the applications. If not secured, the above-mentioned vulnerabilities may be exploitable by attackers, thus causing extensive damage.

And this is because while enterprises adopt microservices and multi-cloud settings, API networks get more complicated. Such complex architecture increases the chances of vulnerabilities such as misconfigurations or even discrepancy in their application's security. To avoid these risks, firms require strong practice of proper documentation, monitoring and protection of APIs.

Common API Security Vulnerabilities

Needless to say, the idea that APIs are insecure by design doesn't really apply. However, the increasing number of APIs being used or being developed within an organization, combined by their trickiness, make it difficult to secure them. It is therefore important to address all these guidelines if APIs are to be protected from threats such as unauthorized access, data leakage, and even denial of service attacks. Below are the most well-known threats, according to OWASP:

API Security Best Practices

By using a combination of active and passive approaches, you can ensure that your API is heavily fortified against threats. Here we've detailed some strategies on how to go about API security.

API Discovery and Inventory: What APIs is your organization using? It is important to track every internal, external, as well as third party APIs. With an incomplete inventory, you become susceptible.

Zero Trust Philosophy: A Zero Trust approach means that no one and nothing is trustworthy, ever – not even the users, the devices and the API calls. Each request must be authenticated whether it comes from outside or inside.

Authentication and Authorization: Using APIs securely is critical, but so is making sure the right users get the right amount of the right information. There is a huge difference between authentication and authorization – one confirms the identity of users, and the other one regulates the operations a user can perform.

Rate Limiting: This strategy helps to prevent your APIs from being saturated, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Here, you are able to regulate the flow of traffic, thereby minimizing the chance of your system being overwhelmed while at the same time making sure that users have a great experience on your website. Read more about rate limiting here.

Data Exposure: Data may be leaked due to unsuitable settings or erroneous permissions granted within APIs. The principle of least privilege reduces risk.

API Logging and Monitoring: Real-time logging and monitoring is your strongest line of protection against malicious activity. API calls and actions should be recorded, monitored, and checked for abnormalities.

Secure Development Practices: Security cannot be an add on, it must be integral from the very start. Effective security methods used when designing and testing phase make sure that these abnormalities are identified, which makes APIs more flexible.

Incident Response Planning: Even the best defenses can be breached. A contingency plan makes it possible for your team to respond adequately at any one time. By having a strategic approach, the incidents cause minimum interference for both your users and your business.

All in All

It’s possible for APIs to be threatened by unauthorized access, data breach, and service degradations. As APIs are becoming vital for businesses, they rely on them to drive innovation, meaning that APIs need to be very secure. Complex ecosystems like cloud environments and microservices have their own levels of risks which otherwise if not managed would lead to security issues.