APIs form the digital nervous system of modern companies. They connect cloud services, AI applications, partner platforms and IoT systems and are therefore business-critical for availability and data flows. As the interface between systems, data and business processes, they are often insufficiently visible and controlled. As their importance grows, so does the attack surface, accelerated by AI.
This article shows you the most important risks of modern APIs, including a practical guide to improving your API security in a structured way.
The number of API attacks is increasing significantly. The use of AI acts as an accelerator for attacks and at the same time makes it more difficult to detect security vulnerabilities. According to Akamai's State of the Internet Report 2026, the average number of daily API attacks per company rose from 121 (2024) to 258 in 2025, which corresponds to an increase of 113%. Financial service providers, e-commerce platforms and SMEs, which often operate outdated or undocumented APIs, are also affected.
API security is therefore no longer a specialist technical issue, but a business-critical factor for availability, data protection and compliance.
APIs connect central processes, data and systems, often with a lack of transparency and control. This is precisely what creates new areas of attack.
Three risk areas are particularly relevant: Shadow APIs, business logic abuse and AI-supported attacks on APIs.
Many companies operate more APIs than are documented. Undocumented or forgotten interfaces ("Shadow APIs") often evade security monitoring and are targeted for attack. The consequences range from uncontrolled data access and compliance violations to a significantly increased attack surface.
Recommendations for action:
Carry out regular API discovery scans
Establish a central API inventory with clear responsibilities
Include APIs in regular security checks and penetration tests
Key insight for companies:
A lack of API transparency is not a peripheral technical problem, but primarily a governance issue. What is not known can neither be evaluated nor protected. The first step in effective API security is therefore to create transparency about your own API landscape.
In business logic abuse, attackers do not attack technical vulnerabilities, but abuse the business logic of an API itself. Typical scenarios include price manipulation in e-commerce through manipulated discount codes, bypassing payment processes by changing parameters, automated data scraping for competitive analyses or identity abuse through varied requests.
Recommendations for action:
Key insight for companies:
Business logic abuse is primarily an application and process risk. Attacks are carried out via legitimate functions without the need for classic vulnerabilities. It is therefore crucial not only to secure the API, but also to understand and continuously monitor the underlying business logic.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the attack landscape. Attackers are increasingly using AI-powered tools to automatically identify vulnerabilities, scale attacks and dynamically adapt their behavior to legitimate API traffic.
This increases the speed of attacks while reducing their detectability. Traditional, rule-based security mechanisms are increasingly reaching their limits.
Recommendations for action:
Key insight for companies:
AI-supported attacks represent a dynamic threat risk. They significantly increase the speed, scalability and stealth of attacks. This development can only be effectively countered with an innovative security architecture as well as behavior-based detection and continuous monitoring of API activities.
With the increasing complexity of modern API landscapes, selective protection is no longer enough. Professional API security is much more than simply securing individual interfaces. It must be considered along the entire API lifecycle. It is therefore not an individual project, but a continuous process that combines technology, development and governance.
The following guide shows how companies can improve their API security in a structured way and reduce risks in the long term.
Transparency is the foundation of any effective API security. Only those who know all APIs can protect them.
Automated discovery of all APIs
Creation of a central, well-maintained API inventory
Clear responsibilities for each API (e.g. product owner)
Outdated authentication procedures unnecessarily increase the risk. Modern standards create significantly more security and control here.
Replacement of simple API keys and basic auth
Use of OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect
Granular access controls (ABAC) at object level
Many attacks on APIs are automated - and therefore highly scalable.
Appropriate protection mechanisms significantly reduce these risks.
Activate rate limiting for all APIs (e.g. 100 requests/minute per user)
Use of OpenAPI specifications as a "positive security model"
Integration of schema validation in CI/CD pipelines
The speed of attacks is increasing - traditional response models are often no longer sufficient. Automated detection and SOC integration are therefore becoming increasingly important.
Establish API-specific use cases in the SOC
Define dedicated alerts for API misuse
Train security teams in dealing with AI-supported attacks
API security must be anchored early on in the development process - not just during operation.
Integrate security controls early on in development
Implement automated compliance checks
Train developers specifically in API security
The combination of tokens and verifiable credentials (VCs) is increasingly becoming an important extension of modern API security architectures.
While tokens (e.g. JWT) are used for real-time authentication and authorization of API access, VCs enable the verification of identity or qualification certificates.
Interaction in practice:
Replace API keys with token-based procedures (e.g. JWT)
Use verifiable credentials for identity and employee verification
Integrate API gateways for the validation of VCs
Secure customer APIs with a combination of tokens and VCs
Tokens alone only confirm an access authorization - but not the underlying identity or its properties. Verifiable credentials, on the other hand, are not designed for the dynamic real-time authorization of API requests.
Only the combination of both approaches creates a modern security architecture:
cryptographically secured identity (VCs)
short-lived, dynamic access rights (tokens)
Data-saving authentication in the sense of data protection and GDPR
API security is a fundamental prerequisite for scalable digital business models. When implemented correctly, it creates clear business added value:
Protection of sensitive data and critical business processes
Reduction of business interruptions and security incidents
Compliance with regulatory requirements
API security is thus evolving from a technical detail to a strategic enabler of modern digitalization.
API security is not a one-off project, but a continuous process along the entire API lifecycle. Consistent anchoring in development, operation and governance is crucial. The central basis for this is an API security roadmap that integrates security into the development and operating process at an early stage (DevSecOps) and systematically anchors security rather than downstream. In addition, automation and zero trust principles are becoming increasingly important.
Those who think strategically about API security not only create more security, but also the basis for scalable digital innovation.
Caption: Image generated with AI