David Moss, Director, UK and Southern Africa.

APIs serve as the front door to digital businesses and are increasingly recognised as high-value, business critical assets. As organisations intensify their digital transformation efforts to offer more innovative products and services, this entry point becomes susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors. It stands as the primary target for cyber attacks, yet many organisations lack the necessary tools to ensure adequate security and protection. If APIs are left vulnerable, not only is your enterprise data at risk, but also the data of your customers and suppliers.

Peter Rix, Co-Founder of Vaxowave and David Moss, Director, UK and Southern Africa at NoName Security, underscore the significance of implementing effective API security measures. “With digitisation unlocking new avenues for every organisation, APIs have emerged as essential tools for end-users to interact seamlessly,” says Rix. “However, APIs also serve as potential entry points that can be exploited. Organisations often underestimate the exposure posed by their APIs. Moreover, API ecosystems may involve connections with third-party apps and services, further complicating the security landscape.”

According to the 2023 API Security Disconnect report by NoName Security, 78% of respondents reported experiencing an API security incident in the past year. These risks are escalating, mandating that every organisation establishes a robust API security strategy. Says Moss: “The front door stands as the most significant vulnerability for organisations. Without adequate tools, organisations remain unaware of their exposure and inability to detect or defend against attacks. It’s imperative for organisations to regain control over this crucial access point and ensure secure API usage.”

Unintentional gaps in this access point can easily arise. APIs within an organisation’s software may lack centralised control, making them prone to exposure when integrating new software. Developers may spend up to 50% of their time rectifying issues with misconfigured APIs, highlighting the importance of proactive measures. Failure to implement proper security testing from the outset can lead to costly and time-consuming remediation processes, resulting in delays in innovation and service rollout.

“As the saying goes in security, you can only protect what you know about,” Moss points out. “While API security is relatively new, security frameworks and governance are rapidly evolving. There’s a growing recognition of its criticality. At NoName, we provide robust, consistent, and automated API security throughout the lifespan of these business-critical assets.”

Peter Rix, Co-Founder, Vaxowave.

The first step in effective API security is API Taxonomy - understand what you have. API discovery automates building a realtime, accurate inventory of all APIs with full documentation. With this in place, you can understand how many APIs you have, how they are configured and what weaknesses and vulnerabilities they have, typically measuring and reporting based upon OWASP’s API top 10. Then you can see how many are internet-accessible, which APIs handle critical data, and ensure you can detect a change and spot an attack and block it. The next step is to embed automated security testing of APIs in the development process so that they are secure by design and you can be confident that no new vulnerabilities are being introduced to production.

While the process may seem daunting, it can be effectively managed with the right tools and expertise. Amid a growing array of threats, it’s crucial to prioritise key security aspects. Because APIs serve as the front door to your organisation, they must remain open, but be correctly governed. Continuous monitoring and comprehensive, automated API security testing are essential throughout an API’s lifecycle.

“Through our partnership with NoName, a leading API security provider, Vaxowave supports clients in securing existing APIs and integrating preventive measures into new software,” says Rix. “This service, backed by our cloud security expertise, ensures that no entry point remains vulnerable.”

For more information contact us on info@vaxowave.com