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API Pentest

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Muhammad Ahmed
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23 views

API Pentest

Uploaded by

Muhammad Ahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How can make penetration testing for API?

Penetration testing for APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)


involves assessing the security of the API endpoints, the data
they handle, and the overall interaction between clients and
servers. Here is a general guide on how to conduct penetration
testing for APIs:
1. Understand the API:
 Obtain detailed information about the API, including its
documentation, endpoints, authentication mechanisms,
authorization requirements, and data formats (e.g., JSON,
XML).
2. Scope Definition:
 Clearly define the scope of the API penetration test. Identify
the specific endpoints, data flows, and functionalities to be
tested. Determine if third-party dependencies or external
APIs are in scope.
3. Authentication and Authorization Testing:
 Verify the effectiveness of authentication mechanisms (e.g.,
API keys, OAuth tokens). Test for common authentication
vulnerabilities, such as weak or predictable credentials.
 Assess authorization controls to ensure that users have
appropriate access levels to API resources.
4. Input Validation and Output Encoding:
 Test for input validation vulnerabilities, such as SQL
injection, command injection, and parameter manipulation.
 Evaluate the API's handling of special characters and ensure
proper output encoding to prevent injection attacks.
5. Session Management:
 If the API involves session management, assess the
handling of session tokens and cookies. Test for session
fixation, session hijacking, and session timeout issues.
6. Data Security:
 Evaluate how sensitive data is transmitted and stored.
Check for the use of encryption (e.g., TLS/SSL) for data in
transit. Assess data storage practices to ensure the
protection of sensitive information.
7. Error Handling:
 Test how the API handles errors and exceptions. Look for
information disclosure through error messages that may
reveal sensitive details about the API or underlying
infrastructure.
8. Rate Limiting and Throttling:
 Check for rate limiting and throttling mechanisms to prevent
brute force attacks and other abuse. Assess whether these
mechanisms are effective and correctly implemented.
9. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Cross-Site Request Forgery
(CSRF) Testing:
 If the API interacts with web applications, test for XSS and
CSRF vulnerabilities. Ensure that anti-CSRF tokens are
correctly implemented.

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