Awesome API Security

Overview

Awesome API Security collects tools and resources for securing APIs, with preference for open-source tools and community editions that benefit everyone.

OWASP API Security Top 10

1. Broken Object Level Authorization
2. Broken Authentication
3. Broken Object Property Level Authorization
4. Unrestricted Resource Consumption
5. Broken Function Level Authorization
6. Unrestricted Access to Sensitive Business Flows
7. Server Side Request Forgery
8. Security Misconfiguration
9. Improper Inventory Management
10. Unsafe Consumption of APIs

Security Testing Tools

Open Source

• OWASP ZAP: Web application security scanner
• Postman: API testing with security checks
• Burp Suite Community: Intercept and modify requests
• Nuclei: Fast vulnerability scanner

API-Specific

• API Security Testing tools: Automated security testing
• Astra: REST API penetration testing
• REST-Attacker: Security testing framework

Authentication & Authorization

OAuth 2.0 & OpenID Connect

• Secure implementation patterns
• Common vulnerabilities
• Token management

JWT Security

• Proper signature verification
• Token expiration
• Secure secret management
• Algorithm confusion attacks

API Keys

• Rotation policies
• Secure storage
• Rate limiting
• Scope restrictions

Input Validation

• Schema validation
• Type checking
• Range validation
• Format verification
• SQL injection prevention
• NoSQL injection prevention

Rate Limiting & Throttling

• Per-user limits
• IP-based limiting
• Endpoint-specific rates
• Distributed rate limiting

Security Headers

• CORS configuration
• Content Security Policy
• X-Content-Type-Options
• Strict-Transport-Security

Monitoring & Logging

• Security event logging
• Anomaly detection
• API abuse detection
• Audit trails

Best Practices

• Always use HTTPS/TLS
• Implement proper authentication
• Validate all inputs
• Use rate limiting
• Log security events
• Keep software updated
• Follow OWASP guidelines
• Regular security audits

Security as Code

• API security in CI/CD
• Automated scanning
• Policy enforcement
• Infrastructure as code security

Compliance

• GDPR considerations
• PCI DSS for payments
• HIPAA for healthcare
• SOC 2 requirements