Expert API security testing services
Comprehensive API Pen Testing
We test your APIs for vulnerabilities in authentication, authorization, misconfigurations, and business logic flaws, covering REST, SOAP, and GraphQL protocols.
Competitive API Pen Testing Pricing
Whether you're a startup or an enterprise, our API pen testing services are priced to deliver maximum value without compromising on quality or results.
Actionable Security Insights
Get a prioritized list of vulnerabilities through our easy-to-use dashboard. See what matters most, fix issues faster, and reduce your overall risk.
Continuous API Security Monitoring
Stay protected with continuous testing. We’ll help you detect new vulnerabilities as they arise- so your APIs stay secure 24/7.
Why API security testing is essential
API penetration testing simulates real-world attacks to uncover vulnerabilities in your business’s authentication, authorization, and data handling processes. Target Defense's API security specialists use the same techniques as threat actors to identify flaws in REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs, including misconfigurations and business logic errors.
Testing your APIs regularly is critical for protecting sensitive data, maintaining secure development practices, and meeting industry compliance requirements. API security testing helps you stay ahead of attackers to keep your systems and customers safe while your business stays operational.
Benefits of API penetration testing
Web applications and associated APIs are the core of many organizations’ business, making them a prime target for hackers to attack. Web app pen testing gives you the power to find your security flaws and lock them down, before they’re found by cyber criminals.
Target Defense customize the tests we do to make sure we’re capturing all your security and business objectives. This guarantees that the test we undertake is a best fit for the unique needs of your web app or API.
Identify bad security practices in your APIs
Detect and exploit common API vulnerabilities
Uncover business logic flaws and misconfigurations
Get clear remediation guidance to fix issues fast
Types of API Penetration Testing
API pen testing simulates real-world attack scenarios to uncover vulnerabilities in authorization, authentication, and data exposure. At Target Defense, we recommend combining authenticated and unauthenticated testing to gain full visibility into your API security risks, just like a real attacker would.
Authenticated API Testing
Authenticated (white box) testing evaluates your APIs from the perspective of a legitimate user malicious or compromised. This method uncovers issues like broken access controls, privilege escalation, and excessive data exposure that could be exploited from within.
Unauthenticated API Testing
Unauthenticated (black box) testing simulates an external attacker with no valid credentials. This approach is critical for discovering exposed endpoints, broken authentication, misconfigurations, and other external-facing vulnerabilities.
Integrated API Security Testing
APIs are deeply embedded in web and mobile applications. While API checks are often part of web app penetration tests, a dedicated API security assessment offers deeper visibility into API-specific threats, logic flaws, and risks often missed in broader testing.
Most common API security vulnerabilities
The most common API security vulnerabilities identified during pen testing:
- Improper API Authentication and Access Controls
- Broken Object-Level Authorization (BOLA)
- Excessive Data Exposure
- Lack of Rate Limiting
- Injection Attacks (SQLi, XMLi, JSONi, Command Injection)
- Insecure API Key Management
- API Security Misconfigurations
- Unrestricted File Upload
- Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
of web vulnerabilities are a low effort to fix
high likelihood of being exploited
Target Defense API pen test methodology
Industry standard best practices are embedded into all Target Defense API pen tests
Hear what our customers say
Target Defense’s expertise and technical understanding were immediately apparent. This gave us confidence that we were going to get a good service and a good outcome. We were right on both counts.
Matt Boddy, CTO
Traced
We’ve always been very impressed with the cyber security services Target Defense provide us. Their professional approach, knowledge and flexibility have ensured they have become a key trusted partner in our supply chain.
Nick Fryer
CTO, Paymentsense (Europe's largest merchant service provider)
Start protecting your APIs today
Get a quick quote for API pen testing today.
