Preventing and handling API breaches¶

Why API security matters¶

API breaches can cripple organizations, leading to:

• Sensitive data leaks (customer PII, financial records)

• Reputational damage and loss of trust

• Regulatory fines (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA violations)

• Service disruptions from attacks like DDoS or data corruption

API security checklist¶

Authentication

• Enforce MFA for admin endpoints

• Use short-lived JWT tokens (30min expiry)

Data Handling

• Mask sensitive fields (SSNs, passwords) in logs

• Rate limit by IP/user (prevent brute force)

Infrastructure

• WAF rules for API endpoints (block SQLi/XSS)

• Regular secret rotation (API keys, DB creds)

Incident response plan¶

Have a playbook for:

• Token revocation

• False positive handling

• Breach disclosure timelines