API Visibility and Control Challenges: Bridging the Gaps in AppSec

Application Security (AppSec) teams face significant challenges in the ever-evolving landscape of API security due to the rapid proliferation of APIs, the presence of undocumented shadow APIs, and the complexity of integrating security into CI/CD pipelines. The sheer volume of APIs being developed daily makes it difficult for these teams to maintain visibility and accountability, especially with shadow APIs that pose hidden vulnerabilities. Ensuring clear ownership and enforcing security testing by developers are crucial yet challenging tasks, often hindered by a lack of collaboration and prioritization of functionality over security. Additionally, the complexity and time-consuming nature of existing API security tools, along with issues like false positives, compound these challenges. To effectively address these issues, a collective effort across organizations is necessary, emphasizing collaboration, visibility, automation, context-awareness, and shared responsibility. By fostering a culture of security, implementing robust documentation, and integrating security checks into development processes, organizations can enhance their defenses against cyber threats.