Cyber & IT Supervisory Forum - November 2023

API Security: Protecting the Digital Backbone

• What is API Security? •

Ensuring only authorized access and use of APIs • Protecting data transmitted through APIs from unauthorized access or manipulation • Why is it Important? • APIs are central to modern applications • An insecure API can expose networks to hacker attacks • Best Practices for API Security: • Encryption: Use TLS for secure data transmission • Authentication: Verify legitimacy of API requests • OAuth & OpenID Connect: Implement token-based authentication and authorization • Monitoring: Regularly check API activities for threats • Input Validation & Output Encoding: Ensure safe data processing • Rate Limiting: Prevent API abuse by controlling request numbers • Access Control: Restrict API access to authorized users • Continuous Security Testing: Regularly test for vulnerabilities

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API Cybersecurity Controls Best Practices and Tools

Examples of Tools: 1.Wallarm API Security Platform: AI-based threat detection. 2.Imperva API Security: Covers OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities. Overview 3.Top API Security Tools 2023: Postman, Microsoft Defender, Orca Security, etc. 4.ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy): OWASP's open-source security tool. Discover Disclaimer: The tools mentioned are cited as examples and do not imply my personal endorsement. Adopting best practices along with the right tools is essential for strong API security. It is equally important to stay informed about the latest security threats and vulnerabilities.

Use of API Protection Tools: Identify vulnerabilities in PII and data leaks.

Authentication and Authorization: Verify user/device identity via tokens in API calls.

API Documentation: Focus on security aspects of API function.

Access Control: Implement fine grained access at API level.

Risk Assessment: Ensure APIs meet security policies.

Encryption: Secure data by converting it into code.

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