Unintended API Exposure
Unintended API Exposure occurs when Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) reveal data or functionality that they were not meant to make public or accessible to certain users or applications. This means that APIs are exposing more than they should, creating security vulnerabilities.
Here's a breakdown of the key aspects:
Excessive Data Disclosure: APIs might return more data than necessary in their responses. This can include sensitive information that should be protected, such as personal details, financial data, or internal system information.
Lack of Proper Authorization: APIs might not correctly verify the identity or permissions of the applications or users accessing them. This can allow unauthorized parties to access functions or data they should not have.
Inadequate Input Validation: APIs might not adequately validate the data they receive. This can open doors to injection attacks, where attackers insert malicious code to extract data or manipulate the API's behavior.
Misconfigurations: APIs can be misconfigured, for example, by having default settings that leave them vulnerable to unauthorized access or by failing to implement essential security best practices.
Forgotten or Shadow APIs: Organizations might have APIs that they are unaware of or have forgotten about. These "shadow APIs" often lack proper security and are particularly vulnerable to unintended exposure.
Publicly Accessible Internal APIs: Sometimes, APIs meant for internal use are accidentally exposed to the public internet, significantly increasing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.
Third-Party Integrations: When APIs are integrated with third-party applications, there's a risk of unintended exposure if the third party's security is compromised or if the integration is not adequately secured.
Unintended API Exposure creates security vulnerabilities by allowing access to data or functionality that should be restricted, which can lead to data breaches, system compromise, and other security incidents.
ThreatNG and Unintended API Exposure
ThreatNG's capabilities are designed to identify and mitigate the various facets of unintended API exposure:
External Discovery: ThreatNG's external, unauthenticated discovery is crucial for finding APIs that might be unintentionally exposed. It can discover APIs that are not adequately documented or intended for public use, thereby reducing the risk associated with a lack of visibility.
Example: ThreatNG discovers an API on a non-standard port that provides access to internal database records, which was not intended for public access.
External Assessment: ThreatNG's assessment features provide detailed analysis that helps uncover unintended API exposure:
Web Application Hijack Susceptibility: By assessing web applications, ThreatNG can find vulnerabilities that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to APIs and the data they handle.
Example: ThreatNG identifies an XSS vulnerability in a web application used to manage API keys, which could allow attackers to steal those keys and gain unintended access to APIs.
Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility: If APIs are hosted on subdomains, ThreatNG assesses the risk of subdomain takeovers. Attackers taking over a subdomain could expose or manipulate APIs.
Example: ThreatNG detects a dangling CNAME record for a subdomain hosting an API, indicating a potential risk that attackers could exploit and expose the API.
Cyber Risk Exposure: This assessment analyzes factors such as certificates, subdomain headers, vulnerabilities, and exposed ports, all of which are relevant to identifying unintended exposure.
Example: ThreatNG identifies an API that lacks proper authentication, allowing anyone to access its data and functionality, which is a clear case of unintended exposure.
Code Secret Exposure: ThreatNG's ability to discover exposed secrets in code repositories is vital. Unintended exposure of API keys and credentials in code is a common problem.
Example: ThreatNG discovers an exposed API key in a public GitHub repository, which grants access to an API that handles sensitive user data.
Reporting: ThreatNG provides reports that highlight instances of potential unintended API exposure. These reports help security teams understand the risks and prioritize remediation efforts.
Example: ThreatNG generates a report listing APIs with weak authentication or that expose excessive data, classifying them as high-risk for unintended exposure.
Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG's constant monitoring of the external attack surface helps detect new instances of unintended API exposure or changes to existing APIs that increase the risk.
Example: ThreatNG detects a new API endpoint added to a web application without proper authorization, indicating potential unintended exposure.
Investigation Modules: ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information for analyzing and mitigating unintended API exposure:
Domain Intelligence: This module provides insights into the organization's domain infrastructure, including related SwaggerHub instances, which are highly relevant for API exposure.
Example: ThreatNG's Domain Overview capability within Domain Intelligence discovers related SwaggerHub instances, which include API documentation and specifications, enabling users to understand and potentially test the API's functionality and structure. This can help identify cases where API documentation itself unintentionally exposes sensitive information or attack vectors.
Sensitive Code Exposure: This module identifies exposed code repositories and sensitive information, such as API keys and credentials, directly addressing a major cause of unintended API exposure.
Example: ThreatNG identifies a configuration file in a code repository that contains credentials for an API, allowing security teams to revoke those credentials.
Search Engine Exploitation: This module helps identify information exposed via search engines, which can sometimes reveal unintended API exposure through indexed documentation or files.
Example: ThreatNG discovers that a search engine has indexed a directory containing backup files of API specifications, which may contain sensitive information.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: This module identifies cloud services and SaaS implementations, which is relevant because APIs might interact with these services, and misconfigurations can lead to unintended exposure.
Example: ThreatNG detects an API that utilizes an unsanctioned cloud storage service, raising concerns about data governance and security, as well as potential unintended data exposure.
Intelligence Repositories: ThreatNG's intelligence repositories contain data on vulnerabilities, compromised credentials, and other threats, thereby enhancing its ability to assess and mitigate the risks associated with unintended API exposure.
Example: ThreatNG's vulnerability database helps identify known vulnerabilities in the technologies used by the APIs, which could lead to unintended exposure if exploited.
ThreatNG Working with Complementary Solutions
While the document doesn't explicitly detail integrations, ThreatNG's capabilities can complement other security tools:
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): ThreatNG's findings on unintended API exposure can be integrated into a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system to provide a comprehensive view of security events and risks.
API Gateways: ThreatNG's vulnerability assessments can inform the configuration of API gateways to enforce stricter security policies and prevent unintended exposure.
WAFs (Web Application Firewalls): ThreatNG's identification of API vulnerabilities can help configure WAFs to provide better protection and prevent exploits that lead to unintended exposure.
Vulnerability Management Systems: ThreatNG's vulnerability data related to APIs can be integrated into vulnerability management systems to track remediation efforts.
ThreatNG is a valuable solution for identifying, assessing, and mitigating unintended API exposure. Its external discovery, assessment, continuous monitoring, and investigation capabilities are particularly well-suited to address the challenges posed by this growing security concern.
