Application Programming Interface(API) is a platform which opened doors for applications and web integration. With the growing technology, the API has benefited customers, clients and the employees of a company. They have got the ease of access to the company’s applications and the company’s data. But due to this accessibility chances of cyber security have increased and this has given rise to API security challenges.
Identifying top 10 API Security Challenges
Although technology has benefited us in many ways and there are also some drawbacks. Application and web integration has given rise to API but the threats of security also came along with them.
Here are the top API Security Challenges:
Authentication Challenges
API authentication is always a top priority. If our login authentication is not properly secured with an encrypted link we can encounter serious security issues. Access of system details will be transferred to malicious hacking hands. These hands will intrude in our system and create peepholes so that he/she can always collect important information as per their desire.
Coding Challenges
As architects are the building blocks of a building, Coders are the building blocks of an API Interface. Often Company’s choose coders which charge less and are less experienced and inefficient. This decision of the company leads them to have a less secure interface. So, the company often faces this challenge of getting a data leak or a security attack which tampers the overall performance.
Third Person Intervention Challenges
When data is sent from the sender to the recipient there is always the possibility of a third person between a data transfer. This happens because of a weak API and absence of SSL wall. In this attack, the hacker can modify or delete the contents which are very useful and this can be a great problem.
DOS Challenges
Dos stands for Denial of Services. This can prove to be a great API security challenge if you do not have a secured interface. Dos attacks appear in the form of request or query by the user. These attacks create traffic and overload the server which leads to denial of services. This results in unsatisfied consumer and loss of the company’s information and goodwill.
Sensitive Data Leak
These types of attacks are injected into the company’s security systems. Such types of attacks appear in the form of a spam mail which takes away all your sensitive data in just one click. These types of attacks can modify, delete or update sensitive security data information. Hence giving the hacker a good amount of information to take advantage.
XML Threat
API Interface can also serve as a challenge because if a third person namely hacker gets access to an XML(extensive markup language) information it can be a problem. XML has all the secured information which is used to serve multiple purposes.
Absence of Input Parameters
Hackers requests information in the form of a link. Absence of Input Parameters is a great reason for data loss. They take away all the data because there are no input parameters build for the desired information. If some length of keywords along with some categorization will be implemented then the chances of intrusion by a hacker will be reduced.
Security is at risk
API is an attractive service base interface but there will always be a threat to the security of the user’s data and the company’s data. If we need to overcome this risk we surely need to bring up or buy a technology which solves all our problems.
Neglecting Interface
Company’s having API sometimes leave the API unattended which provides hackers opportunities. Hackers take this advantage and create loopholes into the information system. By creating this loophole their malicious activity of infecting the company’s system starts.
Coders Fault
Improper coding and faulty coding is an open gate for hackers to hack. So, faulty coding is a challenge to the proper functioning of a good API Interface.
Conclusion:
Hackers are always looking for a chance to intrude into your security systems. If you will take proper security measures keeping in mind the top API security challenges then you can save yourself from them