Intro 🦄

API security testing is a distinct service that differs from general penetration testing or web application penetration testing. It doesn't neatly fit into either category due to the expansive and intricate nature of organizations' API attack surfaces.

• API penetration testing is a specialized service in its own right, tailored to address the specific challenges and complexities associated with APIs.
• API penetration testing requires a well-developed scope or an account of the target and future of what you are allowed to test

Authorization 🦾

Remember, obtaining proper authorization is essential to ensure that API penetration testing is conducted lawfully, responsibly, and with the organization's best interests in mind.

It helps create a cooperative and secure testing environment, facilitating the identification and remediation of vulnerabilities in APIs.

Threat 🪲 Modeling an API Test

Threat modeling for API testing provides a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential security risks early in the development lifecycle.

By systematically evaluating threats and implementing appropriate security controls, organizations can enhance the overall security posture of their APIs and mitigate potential vulnerabilities and attacks.

A threat actor, also known as a malicious actor or attacker, refers to an individual, group, or entity that poses a potential threat to the security, confidentiality, integrity, or availability of systems, networks, or data.

1. Black Box Testing: Tests the functionality of the web API without considering its internal structure. Focuses on input-output behavior and validating requirements without knowledge of the internal code.
2. Gray Box Testing: Combines elements of black box and white box testing. Testers have partial knowledge of the API's internal workings, allowing them to create targeted test cases.
3. White Box Testing: Examines the internal structure and code implementation of the API. Testers have access to the source code and create test cases to validate internal logic and coding standards.

Each approach offers different levels of knowledge and focus, with black box testing being user-centric, gray box testing providing a balance, and white box testing delving into internal workings and code quality.

When testing 🧪 a Web API