APIs allow to exchange data and smooth communication across systems. However, their use also pose an attack surface so API security is a major responsibility for the organization. An API vulnerability scanner helps security engineers find security flaws, misconfigurations, and possible vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.

This blog will talk about API vulnerability scanners, their essential features, and how they work.  Learn more about API vulnerability scanning tools for securing APIs.

What is an API Vulnerability Scanner?

An API vulnerability scanner is a tool that helps security engineers identify API flaws and potential attacks. It checks API endpoints, authentication procedures, authorization workflows, data security threats, and configuration issues automatically. Vulnerability scanners help security engineers to find vulnerabilities like authentication failures, improper access controls, injection attacks, and data leaks.

API vulnerability scanners helps to improve security by replicating actual attacks and identify possible risks, and prevent them.

They work alongside development workflows to enable continuous testing and ensure API security throughout its lifecycle.   These solutions assist enterprises in strengthening their API security posture, adhering to industry standards, and addressing threats before they become breaches.

Key Features of an API Vulnerability Scanner

API vulnerability scanners have various security features that help to find and reduce threats. Here are a few features of the API vulnerability scanner:

Automated Scanning

Automated scanning reduces the need for manual security testing by continuously checking API endpoints for vulnerabilities. These scanners various test queries to APIs by analyzing the answers for security issues like broken authentication and data leakage. Automating security checks allows organizations to detect vulnerabilities early in the development process, reducing the risk of producing vulnerable APIs.  This strategy improves overall security efficiency by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities before they reach production.  Automated scanning provides complete coverage by detecting vulnerabilities across all API endpoints and environments.

Machine Learning and AI Features

API vulnerability scanners use machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve attack detection while reducing false positives.  These tools analyze API usage patterns, detect inconsistencies, and anticipate potential attack vectors.  AI-powered scanners continuously gain insight from new risks adapting to new attack strategies to provide more effective security assessments. This improves vulnerability detection by highlighting complex security vulnerabilities that traditional methods may miss. Machine learning enhances accuracy, allowing API vulnerability scanners to provide better outcomes and improve remediation.

Customizable Testing

Customizable testing allows security engineers to adjust security checks based on API architecture and compliance needs. API vulnerability scanners allow to create of customized test cases to check unique security risks that go beyond pre-defined vulnerabilities. Organizations can change scans to target authentication mechanisms, access control, and business logic issues. This flexibility ensures security testing aligns with industry requirements and internal security policy. It allows flexible testing that will help to improve API security and allow organizations to perform tests according to their security needs.

Combine Easily with Other Tools

API vulnerability scanners easily combine with CI/CD pipelines, SIEM systems, and tracking tools to improve security and incident response. They work with existing security and development workflows to ensure vulnerabilities are identified and resolved effectively.  Connectivity with DevSecOps technologies allows security engineers to perform security testing early in the development cycle and prevent issues.  These scanners also provide actual notifications and deep data to improve visibility into API security threats.

How Does API Vulnerability Scanner Work?

API vulnerability scanners automate security testing to ensure ongoing protection against new threats.  Here is how API vulnerability scanners operate:

API Endpoint Discovery

The API vulnerability scanner finds all endpoints, whether public, private, or undocumented.   It detects potential risks by analyzing API documentation, traffic logs, and request patterns. This stage ensures complete coverage by finding APIs that security engineers may have missed. API endpoint discovery is essential for performing security checks.

Security Testing and Attack Simulation

The scanner performs various test requests to API endpoints to find security vulnerabilities. It replicates actual attack scenarios, like injection attacks, bypass authentication, and improperly configured access controls and detects vulnerabilities like data exposure, improper error handling, and broken authorization by analyzing API responses.  This method helps to detect vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.

Response Analysis and Anomaly Detection

The scanner checks API answers for inconsistencies, security flaws, or exposed sensitive information. Advanced tools use machine learning to detect unusual behaviors and reduce false positives. This step ensures that vulnerabilities are accurately identified, including any hidden security threats. Anomaly detection improves the scanner's flexibility to new attack techniques.

Reporting and Remediation Guidance

After scanning, the tools provides a deep report about all identified vulnerabilities and their impact.  It provides specific remediation processes, allowing security engineers to successfully reduce vulnerabilities and improve API security.  This approach enhances the overall API security posture and adaptability to future attacks.

API Vulnerability Scanning Tools

API vulnerability scanners allow automated scanning, interaction with security procedures, and advanced detection capabilities. Here are some of the best API vulnerability scanners and their key features.

1. Akto API

Akto is an API security testing platform that allows organizations to identify vulnerabilities without affecting operations.  It works perfectly with CI/CD pipelines and continuously analyzes APIs for security issues.  Akto uses automated analysis to identify vulnerabilities, reduce false positives, and improve overall API security.

Key Features

• Performs continuous security checks without affecting API performance.

• Automates vulnerability detection inside development workflows.

• Uses machine learning to improve threat detection and reduce false positives.

• Identifies weaknesses in API authentication and access controls.

• Provides meaningful insights to help security engineers fix issues.

2. Postman

Postman is an API development tool with security testing features. It is  for API testing and automation, it also helps security engineers in detecting misconfigurations and vulnerabilities.  Postman improves API security and assures compliance with security requirements.

Source: Postman

Key Features

• Performs security tests to identify authentication issues and configuration errors.

• Allows security engineers to test APIs under various security scenarios.

• Checks API responses for unexpected data exposure.

• Performs quick testing of common API vulnerabilities.

3. PortSwigger (Burp Suite)

PortSwigger's Burp Suite is an API security testing tool that is mainly used for penetration testing. It offers manual and automatic vulnerability scanning to find security issues in APIs. Burp Suite is for deep security investigation.

Source: Burp Suite

Key Features

• Identifies risks like weak authentication and data leakage.

• Provides accurate API security assessments.

• Detects injection vulnerabilities, including SQL and XML attacks.

• Analyzes API traffic for security vulnerabilities.

• Supports plugins for security testing.

4. APIsec

APIsec is an automated API security testing tool that continuously finds vulnerabilities and connects with DevSecOps workflows to ensure security throughout the API life cycle. APIsec helps organizations meet compliance requirements and mitigate API threats.

Source: APIsec

Key Features

• Identifies vulnerabilities continuously in API endpoints.

• Ensures APIs meet security requirements and legislation.

• Identifies complex vulnerabilities that traditional scanners may miss.

• Assigns risk ratings to detected vulnerabilities for effective remediation.

• It works with CI/CD technologies to maintain security continuously.

5. Astra

Astra is an API security testing tool that focuses on vulnerability identification, compliance, and penetration testing. It helps organizations protect their APIs by providing automated scanning and expert-driven security audits. Astra simplifies API security for organizations of all sizes.

Source: Astra

Key Features

• Scans APIs for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.

• Ensures that APIs meet security requirements like OWASP and GDPR.

• Provides data about vulnerabilities with fixation methods.

• Allows organizations to find and fix API security vulnerabilities.

Final Thoughts

Securing APIs is essential to protect private data and prevent threats. API vulnerability scanners allow security professionals to detect and fix risks before they become security issues.  These tools are important to improve API security because they help to automate scanning, provide AI-based analysis, and connect easily with security processes.

Akto improves API security testing by performing continuous risk evaluations that don't affect development workflows. It combines easily with CI/CD pipelines, uses AI analysis to find vulnerabilities, and helps to enhance the overall API security posture. Schedule a demo today to find out how Akto can help your organization enhance the API security process and protect important data.