APIs, by nature, are at risk of getting the application logic or sensitive data exposed, such as personally identifiable information (PII). Since APIs are generally accessible over public networks, they are often well-documented and can easily be manipulated and reverse-engineered by a threat actor. Additionally, they are susceptible to DDoS attacks. 

Since most significant data leaks happen as a result of defective, vulnerable, or hacked APIs, exposing data like medical, financial, or personal information, it is crucial to ensure the security of APIs. Additionally, if an API is not properly secured, it could result in numerous cyberattacks, making API security essential for today's data-driven enterprises. 

Critical API vulnerabilities and attacks 

In recent times, APIs have emerged as a preferred method for establishing more advanced applications, significantly for mobile devices and the internet of things (IoT). however, some businesses still need to fully understand the possible risks pertaining to their APIs while making them accessible to the public, given the continually evolving application-development methodologies and pressure for innovation. 

Businesses should as well be cautious of these typical security errors before public deployment.

• Authentication flaws: Many APIs deny requests for authentication status made by legitimate users. Threat actors could take advantage of these exploits in a variety of ways by replicating API requests, such as session hijacking and account aggregation. 

• Lack of encryption: Several APIs lack encryption layers present between the API client and server. Flaws as such could lead a threat actor into intercepting unencrypted or stealing sensitive data via unencrypted or inadequately protected API transactions. 

• Flawed endpoint security: Since most IoT devices and microservices are created in order to communicate with the server via an API channel, hackers often attempt to acquire unauthorized access over them through IoT endpoints. This frequently causes the API to reorder its sequence, leading to a data breach. 

Challenges Faced by API Security

As per Yannick Bedard, head of penetration testing, IBM security X-Force Red, one of the challenges in API security in current times is going through tests for security, for intended logic flows could be difficult to understand, and test it is not clearly comprehended. 

Bedard tells VentureBeat, “In a web application, these logical flows are intuitive through the use of the web UI, but in an API, it can be more difficult to detail these workflows […] This can lead to security testing missing vulnerabilities that may, in turn, be exploited by attackers.” 

“It is common for services to inherently trust data coming from other APIs as clean, only for it to turn out to not be properly sanitized,” says Bedard.  “Malicious data would eventually flow to backend APIs, sometimes behind many other services. These APIs would, in turn, be vulnerable and could provide the attacker an initial foothold into the organization.”

“The top challenge is discovery, as many security teams just aren’t sure how many APIs they have,” says Sandy Carielli, principal analyst at Forrester. 

Carielli said that many teams unknowingly deploy rogue APIs or there may be unmaintained APIs that are still publicly accessible, which can lead to several security hazards. 

According to her, many teams obliviously use rogue APIs, and there may be unmaintained APIs that are still accessible to the general public. This poses a number of security risks. “API specifications could be outdated, and you can’t protect what you don’t know you have,” she said. “Start by understanding what controls you already have in your environment to secure APIs, and then identify and address the gaps. Critically, make sure to address API discovery and inventory.” 

Best practices to enhance API security 

Listed are a few approaches that may be utilized in order to effectively secure your system against API intruders: 

• API gateway: API gateway serves as the cornerstone of an API security framework, since it is easy to create, administer, monitor, and secure APIs, and serves as the cornerstone of an API security framework. The API gateway can enable API monitoring, logging, and rate limitation in addition to protecting against a variety of threats. Additionally, it may automatically validate security tokens and restrict traffic depending on IP addresses and other data. 

• Web application firewalls (WAF): WAF serves as a layer between traffic and the API gateway or application. It offers an additional security layer against threat actors, like bots, by providing malicious bot detection, the ability to detect attack signatures, and additional IP intelligence, WAFs can be useful for preventing malicious traffic from entering your gateway in the first place. 

• Security applications: Standalone security applications with features like real-time protection, static coded and vulnerability scanning, built-time checking, and security fuzzing can as well be incorporated into the security architecture. 

• Security in code: An internal form of security that is built into the API or apps is security code. However, it can be challenging to apply uniformly across all of your API portfolios the resources necessary to verify that all security measures are applied appropriately in your API code.   

The Sophos 2022 Threat Report, released by Sophos, a pioneer in next-generation cybersecurity, illustrates how the gravitational influence of ransomware is attracting other cyber threats to building one vast, linked ransomware delivery system, having essential ramifications for IT security.

Entry-level hackers can buy malware and spyware installation tools from illicit markets like Genesis, and also sell illegal passwords or other data in mass. Access brokers increasingly sell other criminal groups' credentials and susceptible software exploits.

A new ransomware-as-a-service economy has emerged in the last decade due to the rising popularity of ransomware. In 2022, this as-a-service business model has grown, and almost every component of the cybercrime toolkit from initial infection to methods of evading detection is now accessible for purchase, according to the researchers.

Several step-by-step tools and methods that attackers might use to spread the ransomware were revealed when an affiliate of the Conti ransomware published the deployment guide supplied by the operators. RaaS affiliates and other ransomware operators can use malware distribution platforms and IABs to discover and target potential victims once they have the virus they require. The second significant trend predicted by Sophos is being fueled by this.

Gootloader was launching innovative hybrid operations in 2021, as per Sophos's research, that blended broad campaigns with rigorous screening to identify targets for particular malware packs.

Ransomware distribution and delivery will continue to be adapted by well-known cyber threats. Which include spam, spyware, loaders, droppers, and other common malware in addition to increasingly sophisticated, manually handled first access brokers.

Data theft and exposure, threatening phone calls, distributed denial of service (DDoS) assaults, and other pressure tactics were all included in the list of ten pressure methods Sophos incident responders compiled in 2021.

Cryptocurrency will continue to feed cybercrimes like ransomware and unlawful crypto mining. In 2021, Sophos researchers discovered crypto miners like Lemon Duck and MrbMiner, which installed themselves on machines and servers by using newly revealed vulnerabilities and targets that had already been compromised by ransomware operators. Sophos anticipates that the trend will continue until international cryptocurrencies are better regulated.

In addition to promoting their products, cybercrime vendors sometimes post job openings to hire attackers with specialized capabilities. In addition to profiles of their abilities and qualifications, job seekers are posting help-wanted sites on some markets, which also have technical hiring personnel.

As web services grow, different kinds of credentials, particularly cookies, can be utilized in a variety of ways to penetrate networks more deeply and even get through MFA. Credential theft continues to be one of the simplest ways for new criminals to enter gray markets and start their careers.

Although many people are aware of 2FA, a considerable number of them are still oblivious to its utility. The few minutes required to set up this cyber shield are totally worth it. 

What is Two-Factor Authentication? 

2FA is a security tool that acts as an additional layer of verification, along with the username and password. You can consider it a more reliable login. Even though 2FA is more secure than a standard login, once it is set up, it does not take much longer. 

One can categorize 2FA verification into three main types - something you are, something you have, or something you know. 

A 2FA login might as well use a user’s fingerprint or retinal scan in order to verify him. An instance of the “something you have” 2FA would be a user receiving a code on his phone. To fulfill the "something you know" requirement of 2FA, you might be asked a few short security questions that you have already confirmed previously. All forms of 2FA increase the security of your login. 

Why must we use 2FA? 

The most legitimate and prominent reason to use 2FA on all your financial accounts is to protect your finances. Cybercrimes in modern days revolve around acquiring access to accounts via username and password information. A hacker gaining unauthorized access to your bank account is worse than someone stealing your credit or debit card since there are more techniques already in place for the stolen card. 

For the same reasons, most banks have now started offering 2FA or making it mandatory for users for any online banking procedures. Since not all banks possess 2FA, it is better if a user checks if their banks offer 2FA for logging in to their bank accounts. 

Keep Your Financial Accounts Secure 

The added security that 2FA creates is worth the short setup time and extra login step, for cybercrime is particularly likely to attack bank accounts. This security measure is a potent deterrent against intruders and must not be overlooked.  

There are numerous electric car charging stations all across Albuquerque, including some that are free downtown, from BioPark to Walmart. Most electric car drivers do not give a second thought while plugging in their cars, especially when it comes to cybersecurity. 

“I haven’t given it much additional thought when it comes to additional protect or encryption,” says Joseph Griego, an electric vehicle driver. 

But Sandia National Labs’ researchers have discovered some major issues regarding the security of these charging stations. 

Jay Johnson, a cybersecurity researcher at Sandia National Labs Cybersecurity says “There are things like insecure firmware update processes, there are challenges with local web interfaces and vulnerabilities that exist in those. You can see some of these devises have Wi-Fi access points that allow you to connect with your smart phone and configure the charger to do certain things.” 

While the U.S. did not face any major cyberattack, hackers overseas have taken down several charging grids. 

“An interesting example of this is there is an M11 motorway that ran from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and during the start of the conflict with Russia and Ukraine there were Ukrainian parts inside these electric vehicle chargers on this Russian motorway, and the Ukrainians were able to disable those chargers and display anti-Putin, pro-Ukraine messages on them,” says Johnson. 

While other hackers could get hold of passwords and credit card information, some are also capable of turning off a whole bunch of chargers at once sending shock waves throughout the power grids. 

“The power grid operates where you need to provide a certain amount of generation to meet load, so if that load is suddenly disconnecting EV chargers all at the same time that changes significantly, and your generation needs to rapidly readjust, or you will have swings in frequency on the power grid,” he continued. 

Will This Cybersecurity Regulation Come from Federal Government or Individual States? 

According to Johnson, “Right now in the U.S. we do not have those requirements, but it seems like there is an appetite to implement them because of vulnerabilities we have discovered.” 

While the drivers only hope that these chargers will continue keeping them on the roads, as Griego states, “I mean I hope this doesn’t become a problem because otherwise I have been very happy with the electric vehicle.” 

The researchers of this study hope that these regulations will be implemented soon because $7.5 billion from President Biden's infrastructure program, will fund the expansion of charging stations along interstates across the nation.