API Security: Protecting Your Digital Infrastructure

The API Attack Surface

Modern organizations expose hundreds or thousands of internal and external APIs. Each endpoint represents a potential attack vector. The OWASP API Security Top 10 identifies the most critical risks, from broken object-level authorization to security misconfiguration.

Authentication and Authorization

Strong authentication is the foundation of API security. OAuth 2.0 with short-lived tokens, mTLS for service-to-service communication, and robust API key management are essential starting points. But authentication alone is insufficient without proper authorization controls.

Rate Limiting and Throttling

Without rate limiting, APIs are vulnerable to abuse, enumeration, and denial-of-service attacks. Implement per-client rate limits at both the API gateway and application layer, with anomaly detection to identify unusual consumption patterns.

API Discovery and Inventory

You cannot secure what you don't know exists. Shadow APIs—undocumented endpoints created by development teams without security review—are a major risk. Automated API discovery tools continuously scan your environment to maintain a complete, accurate API inventory.