Essential Insights from the 2023 OWASP Top 10 API Security Risks: What’s New and What You Need to Know

Original Post: Breaking Down the OWASP Top 10 API Security Risks 2023 (& What Changed…

The OWASP Top Ten lists have been pivotal for application security best practices for over 20 years. The 2019 list introduced the OWASP API Security Top 10, with the latest 2023 edition offering insights into emerging attack vectors. This evolution reflects the changing technology landscape, particularly with the rise of cloud-native applications and serverless architectures, which elevate risks and necessitate revised security testing strategies.

Key Changes from 2019 to 2023 in API Security Risks:

1. API1:2019 & 2023 – Broken Object Level Authorization: Ensures correct authorization for accessing records.
2. API2:2019 – Broken User Authentication becomes API2:2023 – Broken Authentication: Covers poor password policies, JWT configurations, and backend API access issues.
3. API3:2019 – Excessive Data Exposure and API6:2019 – Mass Assignment evolved into API3:2023 – Broken Object Property Level Authorization: Focuses on checking permissions for sensitive fields.
4. API4:2019 – Lack of Resources & Rate Limiting updates to API4:2023 – Unrestricted Resource Consumption: Broadens to include various resource consumption controls.
5. API5:2019 & 2023 – Broken Function Level Authorization: Remains unchanged and highlights authorization at the function level.
6. API7:2019 – Security Misconfiguration remains as API8:2023: Focuses on server configuration and patch management.
7. API8:2019 – Injection and other removed categories are now included more broadly, thanks to improved frameworks.
8. New Categories in 2023 include API7:2023 – Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF), and API10:2023 – Unsafe Consumption of APIs.

These changes emphasize robust API security throughout the development lifecycle, including strong authentication, comprehensive documentation, regular testing, and integration of security best practices. Tools like Veracode’s Static Analysis, Dynamic Analysis, Software Composition Analysis, Manual Penetration Testing, and Application Security Posture Management can aid in this process.

In summary, with the increasing complexity of cloud services and microservices, ensuring the security of APIs is more critical than ever. The OWASP updates reflect the need for heightened vigilance and better security practices to mitigate these modern risks effectively.

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