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The rise of AI-powered educational tools has opened new possibilities for cybersecurity training. A Cloud Security Analyst recently developed a mini API Security Educational App focused on the OWASP API Security Top 10 Risks, showcasing the potential of AI in cybersecurity education.
Check out the app here:
APIs remain the 1 attack vector, making API security education crucial for developers and security professionals.
You Should Know:
1. Understanding OWASP API Security Top 10 Risks
The OWASP API Security Top 10 includes critical risks such as:
– Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA)
– Excessive Data Exposure
– Lack of Resources & Rate Limiting
2. Testing API Security with cURL
Use cURL to test API endpoints for vulnerabilities:
curl -X GET "https://api.example.com/users/123" -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Check for IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) by manipulating object IDs.
3. Rate Limiting Testing
Test if an API enforces rate limits:
for i in {1..100}; do curl -X GET "https://api.example.com/data"; done
If the server doesn’t block excessive requests, it’s vulnerable.
- Automating API Security Scans with OWASP ZAP
Run an automated scan using OWASP ZAP:
docker run -v $(pwd):/zap/wrk -t owasp/zap2docker-stable zap-api-scan.py -t https://api.example.com/openapi.json -f openapi
5. Detecting Sensitive Data Exposure
Use jq to parse API responses for sensitive data:
curl -s "https://api.example.com/users" | jq '.[] | select(.email != null)'
6. Securing APIs with JWT Validation
Validate JWT tokens manually:
echo "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzdWIiOiIxMjM0NTY3ODkwIiwibmFtZSI6IkpvaG4gRG9lIiwiaWF0IjoxNTE2MjM5MDIyfQ.SflKxwRJSMeKKF2QT4fwpMeJf36POk6yJV_adQssw5c" | jq -R 'split(".") | .[1] | @base64d | fromjson'
7. Mitigating Security Misconfigurations
Check for misconfigured CORS:
curl -H "Origin: https://evil.com" -I "https://api.example.com/data"
If the response includes `Access-Control-Allow-Origin: `, it’s insecure.
What Undercode Say:
API security is a critical frontier in cybersecurity. The OWASP API Security Top 10 provides a roadmap for securing APIs, but hands-on practice is essential. Use tools like Postman, OWASP ZAP, and Burp Suite to test APIs.
Additional Linux & Windows Commands for API Security:
– Linux:
Check open API ports netstat -tuln | grep -E '80|443|8080' Monitor API traffic tcpdump -i eth0 port 443 -w api_traffic.pcap
- Windows (PowerShell):
Test API connectivity Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://api.example.com" -Method GET Check TLS versions Test-NetConnection -ComputerName api.example.com -Port 443 -InformationLevel Detailed
AI-driven tools like the API Security Mini-Academy demonstrate how automation can enhance security training. However, always validate findings manually to avoid false positives.
Expected Output:
A secure API testing workflow combining automated scans (OWASP ZAP) and manual exploitation (cURL, jq) helps uncover vulnerabilities before attackers do.
🔗 Further Reading:
References:
Reported By: Kobyturjeman Api – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅