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Beyond Traditional Security: Addressing the API Security Gap

Eric Schwake
Nov 27, 2024

Let’s be honest: APIs are the unsung heroes of the modern business world. They work silently behind the scenes, connecting applications, driving innovations, and ensuring your digital transformation stays on track. However, there’s a crucial downside: APIs can pose a significant security risk. They can be likened to unlocked doors leading to your sensitive data and essential business functions—an ideal target for hackers.

Traditional Security Tools: Not Cutting It for APIs

The issue is that the security tools we've relied on for years are not designed for the fast-paced and constantly evolving world of APIs. While they may effectively block traditional attacks, they often struggle to address threats specific to APIs. As a result, this leaves your business vulnerable to significant risks.

API Gateways: Good, But Not Good Enough

API gateways function like bouncers in the API world—they manage traffic and verify access. However, even the most vigilant bouncer can't detect every threat. Gateways often struggle to identify sneaky attacks, may overlook internal API vulnerabilities, and can't always determine when something is genuinely amiss.

AST Vendors: Catching Bugs, But Missing the Bigger Picture

Application Security Testing (AST) tools are excellent at identifying weaknesses in your code. However, it's similar to inspecting a boat for leaks while still on dry land. AST often fails to address issues in third-party code and external APIs, and it cannot provide real-time protection for your APIs when they are being used in a live environment.

WAFs/CDNs: The Old Guard Struggles with New Tricks

Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) are established players in the security landscape. They excel at defending against known external threats. However, they often need help comprehending the intricate nature of APIs. As a result, they may overlook API-specific attacks, exposing and vulnerable your internal APIs.

API Ecosystem Tools: Functionality First, Security Second

These tools are designed to help you manage and develop APIs, which is beneficial. However, security often takes a backseat. They may not have visibility into all your APIs, lack the necessary control, and provide limited security oversight.

Other Security Tools: Jack of All Trades, Master of None

Traditional tools such as SIEMs and endpoint security solutions attempt to provide comprehensive coverage. However, they lack the focus and specialized skills required for effective API security.

Get the latest API Security report and see how you compare

Salt Security: The API Guardian Angel

Enter Salt Security, a comprehensive API security platform that surpasses the limitations of traditional tools. Here's how it ensures the safety of your APIs:

  • Unmatched Visibility: Think of it as having a security camera that monitors every corner of your API landscape, even the hidden areas.
  • Deep Contextual Analysis: Salt understands how your APIs function, the data they manage, and how users interact with them. This insight allows it to identify anomalies and prioritize genuine threats.
  • Automated Posture Governance: Consider it your API security command center, making it simple to define and enforce policies across all your APIs.
  • Robust Data Protection: Salt acts as a protector for your sensitive data, preventing breaches and safeguarding your information.
  • AI-Powered Threat Prevention: This is the standout feature! Salt employs AI to detect and neutralize even the most advanced API attacks in real-time, stopping them before they can cause any harm.

Why Salt Security Matters

Here’s the key takeaway:

  • Reduce API Risk: Salt actively identifies and addresses API vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.
  • Strengthen Security Posture: Gain a comprehensive understanding of your API security environment and pinpoint any weaknesses.
  • Enhance Compliance: Ensure adherence to essential regulatory requirements for API security and data privacy.
  • Accelerate Business Growth: Innovate and launch new APIs with confidence, knowing that security will always be a priority.

Don't wait for an API disaster to strike.  

The API security landscape is continually changing, and traditional security tools are no longer sufficient to keep up. To safeguard your business from API-specific threats, you need a dedicated solution that offers comprehensive visibility, in-depth contextual analysis, automated governance, robust data protection, and AI-driven threat prevention. Salt Security provides all this and more, allowing you to innovate and confidently grow your business. Don’t leave your APIs unprotected—contact Salt Security today to enhance your API security posture.

If you want to learn more about Salt and how we can help you on your API Security journey through discovery, posture governance, and run-time threat protection, please contact us, schedule a demo, or check out our website.

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