Application programming interfaces (APIs) serve as an important link between businesses and their customers, as well as enhancing workflow efficiency.
However, without proper security measures in place, APIs can become gateways exposing organisations to significant risks and vulnerabilities.
Gartner research predicted that APIs would become the most targeted method for attacks in 2022. Incidents, such as the Twitter breach affecting 5.5 million users due to a single API vulnerability, and the more recent T-Mobile breach impacting 37 million people, have demonstrated the increasing prevalence of these types of attacks.
Prevention is key for API security. Business owners and IT professionals should understand the risks that come with their APIs. Taking preventative measures is essential to avoid system cyber-attacks that can have detrimental and long-lasting effects on business operations.
Secure your APIs
Securing your network against attacks is a complex and ongoing process, but there are measures that businesses should implement to reduce the risk of a successful API attack.
To secure your organisation, you have to figure out where your APIs are, who’s using them and how they are being accessed. This information is important as API deployment increases your organisation’s attack surface making it more vulnerable to threats. The more exposed they are, the greater the chance a sneaky attacker might find a vulnerable spot in your system. Once you’ve pinpointed your APIs and have full visibility of potential points of access, you can start to include them in your vulnerability management processes. By proactively identifying vulnerabilities, you can take immediate action against potential threats. Skipping this step is like leaving the front door wide open.
APIs give businesses the power to automate the process and boost operational efficiency. But here’s the thing: with great convenience comes potential vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. If your APIs are internet-facing, then it’s important to put in place rate-limiting to control requests and enforce authentication for every API interaction. This helps take the guesswork out of who gets access to what data through your APIs. Another key measure is using the cryptographic signing of requests. It’s like having a VIP list for trusted users or systems with private keys.
Another tactic businesses should adopt, is the principle of ‘layering’. Layering employs multiple security measures in order to mitigate risks associated with APIs, rather than relying on just one security measure, for example, linting (examination of source code to spot errors, bugs and stylistic inconsistencies), static analysis, dependency checks and active scanning in the DevOps pipeline. By implementing this layered approach, businesses can effectively identify errors and vulnerabilities, ultimately mitigating potential threats to their systems.
Also, active scanning is a vital part of any API security stack and should be viewed by businesses as a cornerstone protection pillar. It helps detect vulnerabilities in real-time and provides a full picture of your entire system including the API structure, operating system, server software and network security.
Cutting costs with API scanning tools
One of the major difficulties that companies encounter in securing their networks is the lack of comprehensive visibility across all of their DevOps teams which makes it challenging to detect inactive systems and resources that can accumulate vulnerabilities over time, leading to hefty expenses.
However, some API scanning tools offer cloud account syncing capabilities that improve the ability to identify unnecessary, inactive systems. This will help save money and strengthen a company’s ability to defend against cyber-attacks, increasing its organisational resilience.
With today’s ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats and attacks, it’s a straightforward yet powerful strategy: make smart investments in API scanning tools, stay ahead of the curve, and continue to uphold your reputation in a competitive marketplace.
Collective security
In many small tech companies, it’s common not to have a dedicated security team or role. Instead, network security becomes the responsibility of whoever is available at the time. This collective involvement eventually fosters a democratic approach to security, where every member of the organisation is aware and understands how security issues can impact the business, and what steps they can take to prevent any incidents. However, it’s important to remember the saying that if everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. So, while the entire business plays a role in security, the ultimate responsibility should still sit with the senior stakeholders.
In smaller companies, API security is led by CTOs. However, DevOps teams and engineers should also actively contribute to the management of the company’s infrastructure and adopt a DevSecOps approach. This entails integrating security at every stage of the software development life cycle.
Also, effective communication is key in any business when it comes to security. By using tools like Slack and Teams, businesses can greatly improve their awareness of security issues via alerts and instant team messaging.
What’s next?
Ensuring API security should be a top priority for businesses operating in the digital sphere. Cybercriminals can target anyone, regardless of size or industry, and the consequence of a breach can be severe. Businesses must not underestimate the risk of even the smallest security breach and take proactive measures to protect their APIs.
Although there are several effective steps that businesses can take to enhance their API security, implementing these necessary measures can help establish a strong foundation for security defences and give peace of mind knowing systems are well-protected.
About the Author
Andy Hornegold, VP Product at Intruder. Intruder is a proactive security monitoring platform for internet-facing systems. Cyber threats are ever-changing and require dedicated oversight. Existing services are inadequate, overly complex to configure and operate, and the jargon produced is often confusing, requiring specialist interpretation.
