API penetration testing

Secure your API backbone with our comprehensive API penetration testing service.

What is API penetration testing?

API penetration testing, or API pen testing, involves a security assessment that evaluates the strength of an application’s APIs. APIs are commonly the foundation of modern applications, enabling data exchange between various software components. However, their accessibility to external users and systems makes them susceptible to different types of attacks. API pen testing aims to pinpoint and exploit vulnerabilities that permit unauthorised access, data theft, or service disruption.

Why is API penetration testing important?

Protect sensitive data

APIs handle sensitive data such as personal information, financial records, and proprietary business data. Securing these data channels prevents data breaches and maintains user trust.

Compliance requirements

Many industries must comply with regulations such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA, which require regular security assessments. API pen testing helps organisations meet these compliance mandates.

Identify hidden vulnerabilities

Regular security measures might not uncover deeper issues within APIs. Penetration testing exposes authentication, authorisation, input validation, and business logic flaws that threat actors could exploit.

Prevent financial loss

Data breaches and service disruptions can lead to significant financial losses due to regulatory fines, legal fees, and damage to reputation. Regular API testing mitigates these risks by identifying vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

Detecting security misconfigurations

APIs can have misconfigurations that expose them to threats, such as improper error handling, verbose error messages, or unnecessary endpoints. Penetration testing helps detect these misconfigurations, allowing organisations to implement best practices and secure their API infrastructure.

Safeguard business reputation

Proactively identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities helps protect your reputation by preventing security incidents that could lead to loss of customer trust and business opportunities.

SmartView takes care of your reporting

Cognisys’ SmartView Portal is a comprehensive, centralised solution for managing projects and vulnerabilities effectively. This powerful platform allows clients to seamlessly track the status of identified security issues, assign tasks to appropriate team members, and oversee the progress of remediation efforts. By providing real-time insights and a structured workflow, the SmartView Portal ensures that vulnerabilities are prioritised and resolved promptly, minimising potential risks.

Additionally, the portal’s user-friendly interface enhances collaboration and communication among team members, leading to a more coordinated and proactive approach to security. Ultimately, this results in a strengthened security posture for web applications and an improved overall risk management strategy.

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Cognisys SmartView portal

Why choose Cognisys’ API penetration testing?

With the rise in API usage, the need for robust security measures has never been more critical. Our API penetration testing services stand out because of our expertise, thoroughness, and, most importantly, our commitment to your security. We don’t just identify vulnerabilities; we partner with you to understand your specific risks and guide you through the remediation process. By choosing us, you ensure that your APIs are secure and optimised for performance and compliance.

FAQs

API penetration testing is a security assessment that involves simulating attacks on an API to identify vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. It helps ensure that the API is secure against threats.

While both involve security assessments, API penetration testing focuses on communication between systems through API calls. This includes testing for issues like improper authentication, lack of rate limiting, and exposure of sensitive data, which are often more critical in APIs.

We test various APIs, including REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and WebSockets. Our approach is tailored to each API’s specific architecture and security needs.

Authorisation testing ensures that users can only access resources and perform actions they are permitted to. Flaws in authorisation can lead to privilege escalation or unauthorised data access, making it a critical aspect of API security.

We adhere to strict confidentiality protocols and ensure that any sensitive data accessed during testing is dealt with securely and in compliance with data protection regulations.

The duration depends on the complexity of the API, the number of endpoints, and the scope of testing. A thorough assessment may take a few days to a few weeks.

Comprehensive API documentation should include endpoints, authentication methods, expected inputs and outputs, and any relevant workflows or business logic. Detailed documentation ensures effective and efficient testing.

We can test APIs in a development, staging, or production environment. However, we recommend testing in an environment that closely mirrors production to ensure the findings are relevant.

Yes, we offer remediation support to help you understand the vulnerabilities identified and implement effective fixes. We also offer retesting services to verify that the issues have been resolved.

It should be conducted regularly, especially after significant updates or changes to the API. We recommend at least annual testing, with more frequent assessments for high-risk APIs.

Let’s make things happen

Fill in the form and one of our team will be in touch for a no-obligation discussion or quote regarding your requirements.

info@cognisys.co.uk
Leeds office

5 Park Place
Leeds
LS1 2RU

info@cognisys.co.uk
London office

131 Finsbury Pavement
London
EC2A 1NT

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