API security and
API protection are two terms
often used interchangeably in cybersecurity. However, these terms refer to
distinct yet overlapping concepts. You can secure your APIs all day along but
clever hackers will always find a way to business logic launch attacks on
perfectly coded APIs. This is why organizations need to protect APIs in addition
to securing them.
API Security focuses on the principles and methods used to
secure an
Application Programming Interface (API) from
malicious exploits, unauthorized access, and other potential cyber threats. It
involves a broad range of practices such as authentication, authorization,
encryption, and input validation to safeguard the API. The goal is to ensure
that only authorized entities can interact with the API and that they can only
perform actions that align with their granted permissions. API security is about
managing the risks associated with exposing APIs, which are the critical
interfaces that connect systems, services, and data.
On the other hand, API
Protection encompasses API Security but also extends beyond it. While API
Security is more focused on preventing unauthorized access and malicious
attacks, API Protection involves a more holistic view of maintaining the
integrity, availability, and performance of APIs. In addition to API Security it
includes two other key components:
-
Discovery – Detecting all APIs using both inside out and
outside in methods to know exactly where we need to apply API Security tools
-
Threat Protection – Once threats are detected, stop them in
their tracks natively without relying on a third-party solution such as a
WAF. It includes measures to protect against threats such as Denial of
Service (DoS) attacks, rate limiting to manage the number of requests an API
can handle, and continuous monitoring to detect any unusual activities or
anomalies.
Furthermore, API Protection includes managing the API lifecycle, versioning, and
deprecation to ensure that the APIs continue to serve their intended purpose
without disruption. It also deals with the quality of the APIs, ensuring that
they are robust, reliable, and efficient. API Protection takes into account not
just security but also the overall health and performance of APIs.
In summary, while API Security is an integral component of Unified API
Protection, the latter takes a more comprehensive approach. Unified API
Protection considers all aspects that could affect the usability, reliability,
and performance of APIs. It is essential for organizations to focus on both API
Security and API Protection when developing and managing APIs to ensure they
deliver their intended functionality securely, reliably, and efficiently.
It is vital to remember that a well-protected API is not just about being
secure. It also means the API is robust, reliable, and capable of serving its
intended purpose effectively and efficiently. This is why, for a business to
thrive in today’s interconnected digital world, a holistic approach that
encapsulates both API Security and API Protection is critical.