Challenges in API Security: Managing Access, Authentication, and Encryption

It’s easy to trust an API. When you’re given the option to save your password in your browser, or sign in to an account with Google, it’s convenient. Using APIs to access and store information usually seems functional and secure enough. However, as users become increasingly dependent on APIs, the need for strong API security measures also increases. API Endpoint Security is important for keeping legitimate users and customers safe while preventing attacks by unauthorized users. However, securing APIs is often more easily said than done, and the cost of failure is steep. 

The Importance of API Security

Given the way the web and online services are set up, you likely interact with several APIs every day. When you use Google or Facebook to sign in to an unrelated account, you use an API. You use APIs to check the weather on your phone and to use PayPal at online checkout. Team communication apps rely on APIs. APIs clearly underpin many modern services, and companies rely on growing numbers of public and private APIs to function effectively.

All of this means that effective security measures are paramount. Each of these APIs has varying degrees of access to your personal data, and if one of them is compromised, you could be risking the security of a considerable number of your other accounts. An API that does not receive frequent, regular updates is especially vulnerable to attack, and because APIs are so complex, this is a reality for many. Without effective security, you risk data leaks, compromised credentials, and injection attacks that can be financially devastating and disastrous for your organization’s operations. 

Although a disaster involving just your personal or organizational data would pose an enormous problem, there is more to consider. If customer data is involved, the stakes are higher. Data leaks can result in a higher risk of identity theft for customers and a higher risk of litigation against your company. They also put your company at risk of fines due to compliance law violations, and you’re likely to lose sales or customers following the incident. On top of all of this, there is the cost of disaster recovery to consider.

Three Main Challenges in API Security

The importance of good API security cannot be overstated. However, there are three aspects of it that may prove challenging as you work to strengthen your security posture:

• Access Control. Many organizations have taken advantage of the remote work options made possible by cloud-based data storage, and application access to APIs has become highly streamlined and convenient. Both of these factors sometimes result in poorly controlled access to APIs and their data. Users who access an organization’s data do not always use best practices for security, and they may use poorly secured password storage or neglect to create strong credentials.
• Authentication. To maximize security, APIs need to be able to accurately authenticate user identities. However, depending on how strong a user’s credentials are, attackers may be able to compromise them. Misuse of multifactor authentication is also an issue, and it can lead to unauthorized access. Some APIs are not designed to effectively manage user sessions, and when these sessions do not time out within a reasonable period of inactivity, an attacker can leverage the session to find credential information or access sensitive data. 
• Encryption. Weak encryption can expose data to attack, whether that data is in transit between endpoints or in storage. Attackers looking for vulnerabilities will have a much easier time if encryption in the environment is weak or nonexistent. 

Enhancing API Security

To mitigate access control issues, organizations should invest in automated monitoring solutions and establish a zero-trust environment to monitor data access, alert security teams to improper or unusual data access, and reduce the number of people who can access sensitive data. Data discovery solutions are also helpful as they will create a complete picture of all of your organization’s data, which will make tracking who accesses what much simpler. If you’re keeping a close eye on the data, API attacks are much less likely to go undetected, and you can respond swiftly, which minimizes your organization’s downtime. 

Authentication attacks often occur due to compromised credentials or poorly managed user sessions. However, implementing automated threat classification can help you find code vulnerabilities and flaws that might cause these issues. Encryption flaws can come from the API’s code, or there might be issues with data storage that cause some files to be saved outside of correct safety measures. Whatever the cause, data discovery and classification tools are also useful here. By implementing them, you can ensure that all sensitive data is accounted for and stored correctly. 

It’s highly likely that your organization depends on APIs, whether they’re public-facing and exposed to the web or private to your company. Although addressing the potential vulnerabilities of all of the APIs you use can be daunting, it’s essential for organizations to apply automated API monitoring and security tools that can help mitigate risk. Without a good risk management strategy, the financial impact of a security incident could cripple your business and profoundly impact your customers. For the good of both your organization and your customers, use all of the tools at your disposal to secure your APIs.