APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) have proliferated widely, which increases their susceptibility to various vulnerabilities. In the realm of web applications, prime examples that stand out are SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs. Due to their inherent complexity and the dynamic nature of software ecosystems, common vulnerabilities include inadequate authentication mechanisms and injection attacks such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS). At Wallarm, we've been addressing API leaks for years, gaining deep insights into their causes and consequences. Through this experience, we've identified three critical factors behind a majority of these leaks. "In our pursuit of innovation, understanding API leaks isn't just about data protection – it's about trust. By openly addressing vulnerabilities, we reinforce our customer’s systems and demonstrate integrity.” – Ivan Novikov, CEO @ Wallarm Shaped by real-world experiences and the challenges our clients face, here are a few significant insights: 1. Accidental Exposure Across Public Repositories A common pitfall we've encountered is the exposure of private API specifications (or source code) across public repositories. When the Wallarm team was working with a customer, a similar situation occurred when the company tried to streamline collaboration between remote developers using GitHub. The customer accidentally pushed sensitive API keys and documentation to a…Read More