What is API Security? Application programming interface (API) security is the process of protecting APIs and the information that they contain. Many organizations utilize APIs because they greatly simplify the development process for both web and mobile environments. APIs are also commonly used to integrate software services and functionality into other applications, systems, and computers. As the adoption of APIs has increased over the years, so have malicious cyberattacks involving APIs. As a ...
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Application programming interface (API) security is the process of protecting APIs and the information that they contain. Many organizations utilize APIs because they greatly simplify the development process for both web and mobile environments. APIs are also commonly used to integrate software services and functionality into other applications, systems, and computers. As the adoption of APIs has increased over the years, so have malicious cyberattacks involving APIs. As a result, API security tools have become more prevalent.
It is crucial to have an API secured from one connection endpoint to the next. API security tools scan APIs across your network to identify potential vulnerabilities for developers to fix. APIs are used to transfer data between infrastructure components within a network. It’s important to secure this data because a potential leak or breach of this data could lead to a cyberattack on the organization, or data loss.
API security occurs on both ends of an API connection. There are some tools that focus more on helping users develop secure APIs from the initial creation of the APIs. Then there are tools that focus more on the end user and helping them protect their network from APIs provided by outside sources. Additionally, some tools offer services similar to penetration testing, vulnerability management, and zero trust network solutions. These tools allow a user to test for areas of vulnerability within their network and add additional layers of security to those areas.
Most products in the API Security have the following features:
There are several factors to consider when looking for an API security tool. These factors include:
Scalability: In some cases, paid products can be scalable to enterprise level operations. Whereas open source products may not be quite as scalable. However, the trade off is that open source products will likely be the less expensive solution. Users should consider how many APIs they need to work with and how much they use those APIs when looking for an API security tool.
Depth of Security: As mentioned before, there are different kinds of protections offered and they vary from product to product. Some products offer additional functionality such as extra layers of security to your APIs while others simply scan APIs for vulnerabilities. It’s important to consider whether you want additional security protections or just a tool to scan for areas of improvement.
The Area of Security: The area of security really matters here, as some tools focus more towards API developer security while other tools focus on the API consumer security. If your organization is consuming APIs, a tool that monitors your API connections would better suit your needs. If your organization is developing and deploying APIs, a tool that scans your APIs for potential vulnerabilities before they deploy would better serve you. This comparison comes down to specific use cases of APIs, and should be considered when researching API security tools.
Pricing information varies from product to product, and is largely affected by the features offered and whether or not the product is open sourced. This means that pricing for API security tools can range from free to hundreds of thousands of dollars for enterprise level packages.
Most paid products offer a demonstration of their services, but do not offer a free trial. It is also not uncommon for the vendors to request that a user reach out to them for pricing information, which creates opportunities for custom quotes based on user usage and need.
API security tools save on time and money as they help to prevent malicious attacks on an organization's network. Furthermore, API security tools point to areas of improvement for both API developers and API consumers, which can better secure data being transferred across an API connection.
Pricing information varies from product to product, and is largely affected by the features offered and whether or not the product is open sourced. This means that pricing for API security tools can range from free to hundreds of thousands of dollars for enterprise level packages.