API Security Best Practices
APIs face various security threats; however, these threats can be managed by implementing the following API security best practices.
#1. Implement authentication and authorization
APIs enable users to run certain functions on an organization’s endpoints. Even if these functions don’t provide access to sensitive data or restricted functionality, they still consume CPU, network bandwidth, and other resources.
Implementing authentication and authorization enables an organization to manage access to its APIs. Ideally, authentication will be performed using multi-factor authentication (MFA), and authorization will be aligned with zero trust principles.
#2. Use SSL/TLS encryption
API requests and responses may contain sensitive information like user data or financial information. Someone eavesdropping on the network traffic could gain access to this data.
The SSL/TLS protocol authenticates a web server and offers encryption for API traffic. This can help to protect against social engineering attacks and prevent eavesdropping on the network traffic.
#3. Implement zero trust access control
Access management for APIs is essential for their security and efficiency. Allowing inappropriate access to certain API functions could expose sensitive data to an unauthorized party or enable denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
Ideally, access management will be implemented in line with zero-trust principles. This includes defining least privilege access controls — which allow users only the access required by their role — and validating each request on a case-by-case basis.
#4. Conduct regular security tests and risk assessments
APIs are a growing target for cyberattacks. As companies deploy more APIs and they become a more vital component of business operations, attacks against them pose a significant threat to the business and can represent a major opportunity for attackers.
Regular security tests and risk assessments can provide visibility into vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and other security concerns in an organization’s APIs. Based on this information, a security team can prioritize, design, and implement security controls to manage an organization’s API security risks.
#5. Update regularly and patch vulnerabilities quickly
APIs may contain vulnerabilities from both internal and external sources. An organization’s developers may make errors that expose an API to attack, or it could inherit these vulnerabilities from third-party dependencies.
Vulnerabilities in an API’s codebase could enable data breaches, unauthorized access, or other attacks. Performing regular updates helps to close these security gaps before they can be exploited by an attacker.
#6. Monitor and alert on anomalous activity
APIs are ideal targets for automated attacks such as credential stuffing or DoS attacks. They are often publicly accessible and are designed to enable easy communication between two programs.
Continuous monitoring enables an organization to identify and respond to anomalous activity that could be indicative of an attack. For example, a rise in access attempts to an API could indicate a credential stuffing attack, especially if these include a high number of failed requests.
#7. Use API gateways
APIs are often designed to be publicly accessible, exposing various functions to an organization’s customers. As a result, scanning an organization’s API endpoints can reveal a great deal of information about an organization’s network infrastructure.
API gateways act as an intermediary between APIs and their users. API gateways can protect an API against abuse by implementing request filtering, rate limiting, and management of API keys.
#8. Use a WAAP solution
APIs can face a wide variety of potential threats and attacks. These attacks range from exploiting vulnerabilities to abusing the API’s functionality.
A web application and API protection (WAAP) solution is designed to identify and block attacks from reaching a vulnerable API. In addition to threat detection and prevention, a WAAP may also offer other important security functions, such as encryption and access management.
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