API Security Best Practices
Security cannot be an afterthought. An insecure API is a direct gateway to your database for attackers. In this section, we cover the non-negotiable best practices for securing your API through its lifecycle.1. Authentication vs. Authorization#
Authentication (Who are you?): verifying the user's identity. Use standard protocols like OAuth 2.0 or OpenID Connect. Avoid rolling your own crypto.
Authorization (What can you do?): verifying permission. Just because a user is logged in doesn't mean they can delete the database. Implement RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) or ABAC (Attribute-Based Access Control).
2. Encryption Everywhere#
In Transit: Always use HTTPS (TLS). Never expose an API over plain HTTP.
At Rest: Encrypt sensitive data (passwords, PI) in your database.
3. Rate Limiting and Throttling#
Prevent abuse (DDoS attacks or buggy loops) by limiting how many requests a client can make.Rate Limit: "1000 requests per hour."
Throttle: "10 requests per second."
Return a 429 Too Many Requests status code when the limit is hit.
Injection Attacks: SQL Injection, Command Injection.
Validation: Strict schema validation (using your OpenAPI definition!) to reject malformed data before it reaches your logic.
5. Shadow APIs (The Hidden Threat)#
A "Shadow API" is an API endpoint that exists in production but is not documented or managed. These are often forgotten dev endpoints.Solution: Strict governance and automated scanning to ensure every running service is accounted for in your Developer Portal.
Key Takeaways#
Zero Trust: Validate every input, verify every identity.
Standards: Use OAuth 2.0 and TLS; don't invent your own security protocols.
Defense in Depth: Combine Authentication, Rate Limiting, and Validation layers.
Visibility: You can't secure what you don't know exists. Catalog all your APIs.
Modified atΒ 2025-12-29 10:42:25
