API security from concepts to components

According to Gartner, APIs are rapidly becoming the most common attack vector. Unfortunately, we’re already seeing the leading edge of that as the sheer volume of business-critical capabilities are provided by under-protected APIs. Therefore, without a deliberate, focused effort on protecting your systems now, that timeline may be optimistic.

The best way to secure your APIs is to combine an API gateway with an API access management solution that provides a centralized point of control with closely monitored policies and context-aware access management. Today’s trusted partner may be tomorrow’s compromised system letting attackers mimic legitimate users. We need the flexibility to adjust, respond, and protect our systems based on the full context of the user and their goals.

This whitepaper describes the modern API security landscape, how to effectively leverage OAuth 2.0 and API gateways for authorization from both the infrastructure and software development mindset, and what to look for in an API access management solution.