Web API Security: Risks, Threats, and Effective Solutions

According to Gartner, there will be more than 30.9 billion IoT devices in use worldwide by 2025 and this number continues to grow every year. The proliferation of IoT devices poses an API security risk. Let's learn about Web API Security through this article.

Status of Web API Security

In today's digital economy, the application programming interface (API) management market has become an important driver of revenue and business collaboration.

As a result, more and more businesses are building APIs for web and mobile applications, allowing developers to quickly and easily build and deploy data and integrated functionality without any hassle. Any trouble about changing the core structure of the application.

Large organizations from banking to retail to transportation... all use APIs as an essential part of modern web, SaaS, and mobile applications. But basically, APIs expose application logic and important data such as: Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Therefore, the APIs are the target of hackers.

Businesses cannot thrive in the digital age without secure APIs. Therefore, building web API security strategy needs to focus on solutions that minimize API vulnerabilities and security risks.

Different types of APIs

APIs have evolved into one of the key components of an operating enterprise Internet system. Some of the applications of the API can be mentioned as follows:

Web-based API system: This type of API is now very popular, large websites provide an API system that allows connecting, retrieving data or updating data to the system.

API system on the operating system: Provides functions, methods, function calls, and connection protocols for programmers to help programmers create application software that can continue to interact directly. continue with the operating system.

Software library or API framework: Describes and specifies the desired behavior provided by the library, the API can have many different implementations and it can also help with written programs in the same language. This language can use libraries written in other languages. APIs can also depend on the framework, as frameworks are built on top of many libraries and implement many different APIs.

3 Big risk in Web API Security

Some of the risks about Web API Security can be mentioned as follows:

Poorly designed and configured API: There are many options for transmitting data to a web server in a single HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) request. In web pages, the most common ways are through query strings, JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), and multiple POST requests. In an API, data is usually passed through XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON instead of a form. When these HTTP headers are misconfigured, it creates a dangerous security hole that is an opportunity for attackers to exploit.

Malware Attacks: Attackers steal sensitive information or alter transaction data through MITM (Man-in-the-Middle) attacks, denial-of-service attacks distributed services (DDoS) and SQL attack (https://www.vnis.vn/en-US/news/owasp-api-injection/) (Structured Query Language).

Not updating the software fully, often: Older, less secure API versions make them more vulnerable to attacks and data theft. Research shows that 60% of data breach victims are hit by a known vulnerability that can be patched with a software update. Cybersecurity breaches are the most serious risk and require users to regularly update their software. When a new security vulnerability is discovered, the developer will release a software update to fix it. Recently, remote working conditions have also significantly increased cybersecurity risks.

Effective Web API Security Solutions

With the explosion of APIs, we need a solution to protect APIs from cyber attacks.

1. Apply Zero Trust for Security API:

In the Zero Trust security solution model, all access requests are strictly authenticated, authorized within policy constraints, and exceptions are checked before granting access. Everything from user identities to application hosting environments is used to prevent attacks. This will make it harder for hackers to compromise online assets.

2. Identify API security risks and find ways to prevent them:

To improve an organization's API security, it's important to address existing problems and develop solutions together. The best solution to ensure that no risk is missed. Security risks often arise in anomalous behavior. Users can identify and address these threats before they compromise their API or anyone using the platform.

3. Authentication and Authorization:

In general, API developers should implement the principle of decentralization, establishing permissions that allow users to access only the specific resources and content required for their role. They are in the app. Additionally, an API monitoring solution is an essential part of API implementations, creating a robust and comprehensive API security workflow, and supporting growth and adaptability, scalability, and change. as the number of APIs increases.

Summary

The root of every API-related security problem is data. Web API Security requires a mindset shift to focus on categorizing data and understanding how each API is accessing it. As organizations and businesses continue to expand their use of APIs to drive business growth, it's important to research security risks so they can develop strategies and defenses that are right for them. suit them.

To ensure the safety of your APIs, call the hotline: (028) 7306 8789, our experts will assist you in finding API security solutions is appropriate.