Category: Cyber Security Best Practice

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The API Security Tightrope – Why Most Organizations Are Falling Off

APIs are at the heart of modern software. They allow different applications to share and integrate data seamlessly. APIs are a huge security blind spot, which most organizations fail to properly address. Over 60% of organizations have experienced an API data breach within the last two years. 74% had multiple breaches. This has led to revenue loss, fines for compliance, and damaged trust from customers.

Why do so many organizations fail to secure APIs? What’s interesting is that 74% of these organizations believe they have robust security programs in place. There seems to be an issue with perceptions and reality.

The Risks with API Security

Here is a look at the tightrope walks that organizations are doing:

API proliferation: APIs are multiplying per application. Many organizations use open APIs which makes securing each connection difficult.

Cloud-native apps are growing rapidly and it is difficult for security teams and their staff to monitor and control everything.

Security vs. Development Speed: Trying to integrate security into a fast-paced development cycle can be a struggle.

Legacy Tools: Security applications designed for traditional applications don’t always work well with APIs.

The threat landscape continues to worsen. In the next 12-24 month, API attacks are expected to increase.

Who Should Care?

API security is a concern for anyone responsible for digital transformation in their organization. API security is a concern for CISOs and DevOps teams as well as business leaders.

API security is still not getting the attention or resources it deserves, despite the high stakes. Only 43% have policies in place to secure and manage APIs. Budgets are unclear and there is no clear owner. Basic vulnerabilities, such as poor authentication, persist.

The Solution?

Research Towards key Issues of API Security -Security Audit Process

A successful API security strategy requires several key steps.

Inventory and Control: Take control of all your APIs. This includes identifying shadow APIs, which are APIs created outside the IT department’s control.

Research Towards key Issues of API Security – Critical API Assets

Authentication and Authorization: Implement the proper authorization. Use unpredictable IDs. Understand authentication flows. Use authorization & authorization standards to secure credential recover, reauthentication, anti-brute-force mechanisms.

API Gateways: They act as gatekeepers by controlling API access and enforcing policies.

DevSecOps: Integrate security tests throughout the entire development lifecycle. It means giving developers the power to write secure code, and making security a joint responsibility.

The Bottom Line

We live in an API driven world, whether or not most companies are aware of it. They’ll continue to be a huge security liability until they lock down their APIs.

There are solutions – from improved API discovery tools to automated checks for security in the CI/CD process. It will take a shift in mindset to make API Security a priority, rather than an afterthought.

Research Towards key Issues of API Security – API Security Framework

The API security epidemic is too big for companies to ignore. Inaction is simply not worth the risk.

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