API sprawl
API sprawl is the concept that is used to characterize the unchecked growth of APIs inside an enterprise. When teams or departments within an organization develop their own APIs to suit their purposes without enough monitoring or control, API sprawl may result. This may lead to a high volume of improperly maintained, undocumented, or unsecured APIs. API sprawl presents serious security vulnerabilities from an API security standpoint, which must be addressed.
The following reasons can lead to API sprawl:
- Absence of centralized governance: Duplicate, overlapping, or incompatible APIs may result from several teams or departments within a company creating their own APIs without a centralized governance framework.
- Unplanned growth: New APIs are developed to enable the adoption of new technologies and changes in an organization’s demands. This might result in an impossible-to-manage proliferation of APIs if sufficient preparation isn’t done.
- Vendor...
