APIs
APIs are essential nowadays, make them secure
Last updated
Was this helpful?
APIs are essential nowadays, make them secure
Last updated
Was this helpful?
A foundational element of innovation in today’s app-driven world is the API. From banks, retail and transportation to IoT, autonomous vehicles and smart cities, APIs are a critical part of modern mobile, SaaS and web applications and can be found in customer-facing, partner-facing and internal applications. By nature, APIs expose application logic and sensitive data such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and because of this have increasingly become a target for attackers. Without secure APIs, rapid innovation would be impossible. [1]
Extracted from [2], [3] and [4].
Take a look at these cheatsheets:
Find here other resources for APIs security...
Topic
Resources
Understanding APIs and their importance
API Security Basics
Authentication and Authorization
API Security Best Practices
Rate Limiting and Throttling
Input Validation and Sanitization
Transport Security
API Security Testing
Project 1 - Building a Secure RESTful API
Project 2 - Implementing OAuth 2.0 and JWT
Project 3 - API Security Audit
: A collection of useful resources for building RESTful HTTP+JSON APIs.
: Simple website to guess API Key / OAuth Token by Muhammad Daffa.
: An API key is a unique identifier that is used to authenticate requests associated with your project. Some developers might hardcode them or leave it on public shares.
(⚠️): Go scripts for checking API key / access token validity.
: Keyhacks is a repository which shows quick ways in which API keys leaked by a bug bounty program can be checked to see if they’re valid.
: Driftwood is a tool that can enable you to lookup whether a private key is used for things like TLS or as a GitHub SSH key for a user.
: Using Burp to Enumerate a REST API.
: Scanning APIs with ZAP.
: Exploring APIs with ZAP.
: A ZAP add-on that automates API security scanning.
: Scan REST APIs with w3af.
: Fast and light-weight API proxy firewall for request and response validation by OpenAPI specs.
: Language-agnostic HTTP API Testing Tool.
: Fetch known URLs from AlienVault’s Open Threat Exchange, the Wayback Machine, and Common Crawl.
: SoapUI is a free and open-source cross-platform functional testing solution for APIs and web services.
: Open-source framework for API Quality Assurance, which tests REST, GraphQL and gRPC automated and from Open API spec.
: Pull out bits of URLs provided on stdin.
: An open-source web application firewall (WAF) that can help protect APIs.
(⚠️): GraphQL security auditing script with a focus on performing batch GraphQL queries and mutations.
: Obtain GraphQL API schema despite disabled introspection!.
: GraphQLmap is a scripting engine to interact with a graphql endpoint for pentesting purposes.
: Tool that lists the different ways of reaching a given type in a GraphQL schema.
: GraphQL IDE for better development workflows (GraphQL Subscriptions, interactive docs & collaboration).
: GraphQL threat framework used by security professionals to research security gaps in GraphQL implementations.
: graphw00f is GraphQL Server Engine Fingerprinting utility for software security professionals looking to learn more about what technology is behind a given GraphQL endpoint.
: A library for securing GraphQL APIs with fine-grained access control.
(⚠️): WSDL Parser extension for Burp.
(⚠️): WSDL Wizard is a Burp Suite plugin written in Python to detect current and discover new WSDL (Web Service Definition Language) files.
: API discovery, automated business logic testing and runtime detection.
: The DevSecOps toolset for REST APIs.
: Reconstruct Open API Specifications from real-time workload traffic seamlessly.
: Fuzz test your application using your OpenAPI or Swagger API definition without coding.
: Discovery, Scan and Audit APIs Toolkit All In One.
: HTTP parameter discovery suite.
: Automated Security Testing For REST API’s.
(⚠️): Imperva’s customizable API attack tool takes an API specification as an input, generates and runs attacks that are based on it as an output.
: CATS is a REST API Fuzzer and negative testing tool for OpenAPI endpoints.
: Stop half-done API specifications with a CLI tool that helps you avoid undefined user behaviour by validating your API specifications.
: Fast web fuzzer written in Go.
(⚠️): Fuzzapi is a tool used for REST API pentesting anTnT-Fuzzerd uses API_Fuzzer gem.
: An open-source project in Golang to test different web application firewalls (WAF) for detection logic and bypasses.
(⚠️): Contextual Content Discovery Tool.
| : to discover, inventory, test, and protect your APIs.
: Automagically reverse-engineer REST APIs via capturing traffic.
: Verify the accuracy of your OpenAPI 3.x spec using real traffic and automatically apply patches that keep it up-to-date.
: RESTler is the first stateful REST API fuzzing tool for automatically testing cloud services through their REST APIs and finding security and reliability bugs in these services.
: A tool geared towards pentesting APIs using OpenAPI definitions.
(⚠️): OpenAPI 2.0 (Swagger) fuzzer written in python. Basically TnT for your API.
: Dump all available paths and/or endpoints on WADL file.
(⚠️): A pytest-inspired, DAST framework, capable of identifying vulnerabilities in a distributed, micro-service ecosystem through chaos engineering testing and stateful, Swagger fuzzing.
: This book is a high-level introduction to the key concepts of API security and DevSecOps.
: API Security in Action teaches you how to create secure APIs for any situation.
: Black Hat GraphQL book.
: Breaking Web Application Programming Interfaces.
: Several chapters from several Manning books that give you some context for how API security works in the real world.
: A book focusing on RESTful API design principles, including security considerations, by Matthias Biehl.
: A practical guide to OAuth 2.0 and API security by Matthias Biehl.
: A book covering GraphQL API design, development, and security best practices by Samer Buna.
: A book on API architecture and development, including security considerations, for both Azure and AWS by Thurupathan Vijayakumar.
: A book by Brajesh De that includes API security aspects and best practices.
: A book by Prabath Siriwardena that focuses on OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect protocols for API security.
: Pentesting Rest API’s by Gaurang Bhatnagar.
: “How Secure are you APIs?” - Securing your APIs: OWASP API Top 10 2019, Case Study and Demo.
: API Security Testing For Hackers.
: Bad API, hAPI Hackers!
: Hidden in Plain Site: Disclosing Information via Your APIs.
: REST in Peace: Abusing GraphQL to Attack Underlying Infrastructure.
: A video collection from Katie Paxton-Fear, @InsiderPhD, and other people creating a playlist of API hacking knowledge!
: API hacking videos from @theXSSrat.
: API Blueprint Specification.
: AsyncAPI Specification.
: OpenAPI Specification.
: JSON API Specification.
: GraphQL Specification.
: RAML Specification.
: A compact, URL-safe means of representing claims to be transferred between parties.
: A widely-adopted authorization framework for securing API access.
: An identity layer built on top of OAuth 2.0 for authentication and single sign-on.
: A standard for describing RESTful APIs using hypermedia.
: A set of specifications for securing SOAP-based web services.
: HTTP Headers: a simplified and comprehensive table.
: HTTP Status codes: a simplified and comprehensive table.
: is an easy to reference database of HTTP Status Codes with their definitions and helpful code references all in one place.
: HTTP headers, media-types, methods, relations and status codes, all summarized and linking to their specification.
: Pentester Academy - attack & defense.
: APIsec University provides training courses for application security professionals.
: Banking-like REST and GraphQL API for training/learning purposes.
: GraphQL Week on The Hacker101 Capture the Flag Challenges.
: GraphQL Labs on the OWASP Security Knowledge Framework.
: Hacking APIs: workshop.
: Is a series of free interactive application security training modules that teach developers how to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in their web API endpoints.
: Learn practical Mobile and API security techniques: API Key, Static and Dynamic HMAC, Dynamic Certificate Pinning, and Mobile App Attestation.
: A wordlist of API names for web application assessments.
: HTTP requests methods wordlist by @danielmiessler.
: API Routes - Automated Wordlists provided by Assetnote.
(⚠️): Wordlist for common API endpoints.
: Potentially dangerous files.
: Fuzzing APIs chapter from “The Fuzzing Book”.
(⚠️): It’s a GraphQL list used during security assessments, collected in one place.
: Wordlists and API paths by @hapi_hacker.
(⚠️): Kiterunner Wordlists provided by Assetnote.
: A list of common API endpoints and objects designed for fuzzing.
: Swagger endpoints.
: It is a collection of web content discovery lists for APIs used during security assessments.
: Pre-Built Vulnerable Multiple API Scenarios Environments Based on Docker-Compose.
: TryHackMe room - A Beginner level box with basic web enumeration and REST API Fuzzing.
: completely ridiculous API (crAPI)
: Damn Vulnerable GraphQL Application is intentionally vulnerable implementation of Facebook’s GraphQL technology to learn and practice GraphQL Security.
(⚠️): This is a vulnerable microservice written in many languages to demonstrating OWASP API Top Security Risk (under development).
: Damn Vulnerable Web Services is a vulnerable web service/API/application that we can use to learn webservices/API vulnerabilities.
: Vulnerable API with Laravel App.
: A simple Express.JS REST API application that exposes endpoints with code that contains vulnerabilities.
(⚠️): The Pixi module is a MEAN Stack web app with wildly insecure APIs!
(⚠️): This is a “Goat” project so you can get familiar with REST API testing.
: Vulnerable REST API with OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities for APIs.
: vAPI is Vulnerable Adversely Programmed Interface which is Self-Hostable API that mimics OWASP API Top 10 scenarios through Exercises.
: Intentionaly very vulnerable API with bonus bad coding practices.
(⚠️): A very vulnerable implementation of a GraphQL API.
: Websheep is an app based on a willingly vulnerable ReSTful APIs.
(⚠️): Damn Vulnerable Node.js Application with insecure APIs.
: A deliberately insecure web app for security training.
: A modern, intentionally insecure web application
: A web application with security holes used for training.
: A vulnerable Ruby on Rails application for learning security.
: A deliberately vulnerable set of PHP scripts.
: A Node.js/Express app with security vulnerabilities.
(⚠️): A modern, vulnerable e-commerce web app.
(⚠️): A vulnerable Android app with insecure APIs.
: A vulnerable Java web app for learning application security.
(⚠️): A vulnerable web app to learn and practice web application security.
: This Toolbox goal is to try and map out all of the different API specifications in use, as well as the services, tooling, extensions, and other supporting elements.
: gRPC vs REST: Understanding gRPC, OpenAPI and REST and when to use them in API design.
: API security design best practices for enterprise and public cloud.
: This design guide or style guide contains best practices suitable for most REST APIs.
: How to design a REST API? - Full guide tackling security, pagination, filtering, versioning, partial answers, CORS, etc.
: A collaborative list of great resources about RESTful API architecture, development, test, and performance. Feel free to contribute to this ongoing list.
: Collecting Requirements for your API with APIOps Cycles.
: API Audit is a method to ensure APIs are matching the API Design guidelines. It also helps check for usability, security and API management platform compatibility
: A podcast that discusses security best practices for developers, including API security topics.
: A weekly podcast covering application security news, including API security updates.
: A podcast that covers various technology topics, occasionally featuring API security discussions.
: A daily cybersecurity news podcast that occasionally discusses API security.
: A weekly podcast discussing a wide range of security topics, including API security.
: A podcast that tells true stories from the dark side of the internet, occasionally featuring episodes about API security incidents.
: A podcast that covers information security news and events, sometimes discussing API security.
: A cybersecurity podcast that occasionally discusses API security topics.
: A podcast focusing on privacy, security, and open-source intelligence topics, occasionally featuring API security discussions.
: The Hacker Mind Podcast: Hacking APIs.
: 21: Troy Hunt: Hack Your API-Security Testing.
: We Hack Purple Podcast Episode 38 API Security Best Practices.
: An OWASP project that provides resources and guidelines on API security.
: A comprehensive encyclopedia of API security terms and concepts.
: A collection of API security articles and resources by Infosec Institute.
: A collection of API security articles, tutorials, and news on DZone.
: A collection of API security articles and stories on Medium, contributed by various authors.
: A collection of API security articles on Hacker Noon, contributed by various authors.
: A collection of API security articles, tutorials, and discussions on .
: Mind map: API Pentesting - ATTACK.
: Mind map: API Pentesting - Recon.
: Mind map: GraphQL Attacking.
: Mind map: IDOR Techniques.
: Organize your API security assessment by using MindAPI.
: Mind map: XML attacks.
: Mind map: REST API defenses.
: A mind map that covers key security aspects of RESTful APIs.
: A visual representation of OAuth 2.0 concepts and components, which are crucial for API security.
: A mind map that provides an overview of API security testing concepts and techniques.
: A mind map covering various aspects of API management, including security considerations.
: A mind map that delves into security aspects of web services, including APIs.
: APIs Pentest Book.
: CSbyGB’s Pentips.
: The API Security Empire Project aims to present unique attack & defense methods in the API Security field.
: API Security Encyclopedia.
: HackTricks - Web API Pentesting.
: HackTricks - GraphQL.
: A blog and newsletter that covers various API topics, including security.
: A blog and newsletter by Kin Lane that covers various API topics, including security.
: A platform for news and analysis on various technology topics, including API security. Subscribe to their newsletter for regular updates.
: A cybersecurity publication with a dedicated section for API security articles. Subscribe to their newsletter for updates.
: A cybersecurity podcast network and newsletter that occasionally covers API security topics.
: A weekly newsletter that covers web operations and occasionally includes API security articles.
: API Security Articles - The Latest API Security News, Vulnerabilities & Best Practices.
: The world’s first conference dedicated to API threat management; bringing together breakers, defenders, and solutions in API security.
: A collective list of public JSON APIs for use in security.
: API Hacking Fundamentals, Tools, Techniques, Fails and Mindset articles.
: API Security, The Complete Guide.
: API Penetration Testing with OWASP 2017 Test Cases.
: Anonymised API Penetration Testing Report - vendor sample template.
: Simplifying API Pentesting With Swagger Files.
: Resources to help out in the API security path; diverse content from talks/webinards/videos, must read, writeups, bola/idors, oauth, jwt, rate limit, ssrf and practice entries.
: Principles of API Security Testing and how to perform a Security Test on an API.
: Finding and Exploiting Unintended Functionality in Main Web App APIs.
: How to Hack an API and Get Away with It (Part 1 of 3).
: How to Hack APIs in 2021.
: How to Hack API in 60 minutes with Open Source Tools.
: How to exploit GraphQL endpoint: introspection, query, mutations & tools.
: GraphQL Security Guide, Fixing the 13 most common GraphQL Vulnerabilities to make your API production ready.
: My Notes on Hacking APIs from Bug Bounty Bootcamp.
: SOAP Security, Top Vulnerabilities and How to Prevent Them.
: What are API and microservice security?
: Strengthening Your API Security Posture – Ford Motor Company.
[1]:
[2]:
[3]:
[4]: