What do Trello, GitHub, Dell, Microsoft, and Dropbox have in common? They all suffered substantial API security breaches in 2024 — and they weren’t alone.
Experts estimate API attacks in the US alone will cost $506 billion in damages this decade. Prioritizing API security best practices is vital to protect your business from escalating threats. These practices protect your organization’s reputation, minimize downtime risks, and keep your essential applications running without interruption. They also help your team release new applications with greater confidence, driving growth and better performance for your business.
The importance of APIs
Developers use APIs to connect to existing services instead of spending time and effort building every feature from scratch. Built-in APIs integrate tools you already rely on, like email platforms, messaging apps, and social media services, without switching between apps.
These integrations improve collaboration by breaking down information silos and allowing teams, and sometimes vendors and third parties, access to shared data. For instance, APIs can link your CRM system with email for unified communication and sync messaging tools with project management apps in real time. These connections improve functionality and efficiency for end users. But they also elevate security risks.
API security best practices
APIs drive collaboration, boost efficiency, and keep businesses connected. However, they can also introduce risks. Weak authentication, poor encryption, or monitored activity create opportunities for attackers to exploit sensitive systems. If unaddressed, these gaps could lead to data leaks, service downtime, or unexpected financial setbacks.
Protect your organization by adopting these 10 API security best practices.
1. Implement strong authentication and authorization
Verify who interacts with your APIs, and manage access using different methods. Basic HTTP authentication relies on usernames and passwords. API tokens provide added security by verifying access requests, while API keys assign unique identifiers for APIs.
Consider a zero-trust approach for endpoint security by treating every new device as untrusted until it’s verified as safe. This proactive method verifies and authorizes every user and device trying to access your network, ensuring security, regardless of whether the request comes from inside or outside your organization. You can protect your network and ensure that the devices accessing it meet your security standards.
2. Use encryption
Secure data in transit to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption transforms data into an unreadable format, accessible only with proper decryption keys. For example, a TLS (Transport Layer Security) encrypts data between your server and users, keeping it from prying eyes. Implementing strong encryption practices helps you build a secure framework that protects your business’s digital interactions and reinforces trust with your users.
3. Validate input data
Prevent injection attacks and data corruption by examining every input against predefined criteria. For instance, verifying that an email address includes “@” and a domain name ensures the format is correct. Similarly, setting accepting ranges for numbers prevents harmful values from slipping through. These steps protect your API environment while preserving service reliability.
4. Monitor and log API activity
Tracking API interactions gives you insight into usage patterns and helps uncover unusual activity that could signal a potential security issue. If you spot an unexpected spike in traffic, it could signal an attempted DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack. Keeping records of failed login attempts highlights unauthorized access efforts, allowing you to act before issues escalate.
5. Utilize rate limiting and throttling
Rate limiting and throttling control how often users can send requests within a specific timeframe, protecting your system from being overwhelmed. Rate limiting can restrict excessive activity from one client, offering protection against potential overloads like DDoS attacks, while throttling slows access temporarily if a user exceeds their allowed limit, keeping their connection intact while balancing the load.
Comprehensive monitoring and alerting features ensure fair access to resources without risking overuse. You can set limits on API calls, ensuring fair access to your resources while preventing system overload.
6. Employ API gateways and firewalls
Gateways ensure that only authorized and legitimate traffic reaches your APIs, preventing malicious attempts to breach your system. For example, deploying rules like blocking known malicious IP addresses or applying strict access policies to control data exchanges helps keep your systems protected. With these tools in place, you create a safe environment for your data and processes.
7. Eliminate zombie APIs
Outdated and forgotten interfaces lingering within your systems — zombie APIs — are easy entry points for attackers looking to expose sensitive data, disrupt operations, or cause more extensive breaches. Zombie APIs are their greatest concern regarding API security, according to 54% of security leaders.
APIs are constantly created, modified, or retired. However, retiring them isn’t always thorough, leaving these forgotten pieces behind. Regular audits ensure outdated APIs are properly retired and protected from potential risks.
8. Apply proper error handling
Avoid exposing sensitive technical details in error responses. For example, returning a generic error message instead of a stack trace protects your system details from unauthorized users. Logging errors internally allows you to track issues without exposing your environments to unnecessary risks.
9. Enforce least-privilege access
Grant users only the access required for their roles to reduce risks. Role-based access controls let you define who can access specific API functions, ensuring only those with a legitimate need can use them. When roles change, promptly adjusting permissions maintains a strong layer of protection. These measures limit unnecessary access points and keep users working within clearly defined boundaries tailored to their responsibilities.
10. Conduct regular security testing
Test your system’s defenses to uncover weaknesses and fix them before they’re exploited. Run penetration tests to simulate real-world attacks and gauge how effective your protections are. Schedule routine scans as part of your vulnerability management.
Improve your API security standards with Syncro
Your users depend on a secure, reliable environment. Implementing API security best practices like robust authentication, active monitoring, and regular security testing ensures you’re prepared to meet their needs.
Discover how you can secure your API and protect your data and business by starting your free trial with Syncro.
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