Application Programming Interface (API) gateways are frequently chosen for deployment by enterprises pursuing more strategic approaches to its implementation and management. API gateways can deliver great benefits with growing usage, since it gives customers a straightforward and consistent user experience even with constantly evolving back-end application infrastructure and micro services.
API gateways also contribute significantly to their quality assurance process by offering essential scalability features like load balancing and rate limitation. However, alongside their advantages for operations, the gateways carry out a number of crucial security tasks. However, it’s crucial for security professionals to comprehend where its gateways add value in terms of security and where critical holes need to be filled with additional security technologies.
Some features offer a robust framework for the API security strategy. However, they are insufficient on their own. Here are a few reasons why.
Insufficient integrated detection and alerting
Application Programming Interface (API) gateways come with a variety of integrated security measures, but the majority of them are rules for things like rate limiting and built-in authentication modules. Although these security features can be helpful, they are unable to identify and thwart attackers. For instance, abuse of Application Programming Interfaces that meld smoothly with legitimate usage over protracted periods of time is one of the main concerns that many businesses face.
“The best way to guard against the whole spectrum of API threats and dangers is to combine the fundamental capabilities of the Application Programming Interface gateway with a specialized API behavioral analytics solution.”
Also read: Top 4 Strategies to Prevent the Active Directory (AD) from Cyber Threats and Risks
What API gateways can view varies
It is not a given that this advice will always be followed just because an organization requires the use of an Application Programming Interface gateway for every creation and usage. In businesses that use the gateway, rogue or shadow APIs are nevertheless likely to exist, whether as a result of developer error or other circumstances like Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As). Similar to forgotten zombie Application Programming Interface, there can be undiscovered attack vectors that existed before the gateway was implemented.
The utility of automated answers is constrained by the possibility of false positives
Taking automatic action to throttle or prohibit threat actors from attacking or abusing APIs is one of the most important tasks Application Programming Interface gateways can play. However, a lot of companies are afraid to go beyond their guiding principles while using this power. After all, false-positive results run the risk of interfering with authorized API usage and having detrimental business effects. Situational reactions based on threat detection are, therefore, only appropriate when the security team is very confident in the precision of their detection.
Also read: 7 Ways to Minimize Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) Security Threats
How does an API gateway’s behavioral analytics add value?
The best way to guard against the whole spectrum of API threats and dangers is to combine the fundamental capabilities of the Application Programming Interface gateway with a specialized API behavioral analytics solution. It resolves the security issues with the gateways mentioned above while also facilitating improved Application Programming Interface discovery, threat detection, and response.
Identify the complete spectrum of potential risks
API behavioral analytics features add anomaly identification based on a contextual understanding of the people and business entities represented in Application Programming Interface activity to classic signature-based detection. This enables the detection of a far larger range of threats, such as Application Programming Interface abuse, that would typically be concealed within normal activity.
Active threat response using automation
Security teams are better able to design automated response playbooks with confidence because Application Programming Interface behavioral analytics can assess potential threats and misuse with far greater precision than traditional monitoring methodologies. This involves the Application Programming Interface gateway starting automated reactions to restrict or block threat actors’ access to APIs.
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