Other API attacks

Finally, let us conclude this chapter with an overview of the catch-all API attacks not covered in one of the broader OWASP API Security Top 10 categories already covered.

API abuse

First, API abuse is considered an API attack that is not reliant on an actual vulnerability in the API itself but rather the abuse of the API, usually by using it in a way in which it was not intended. Typically, this attack vector includes excessive data exfiltration via APIs (think of scraping data from airline booking sites or estate agencies) or via discovering APIs’ underlying websites and using them in ways that are not possible via the website.

Unrestricted access to sensitive business flows

This is a new vulnerability category in the OWASP API Security Top 10 in 2023 that, like API abuse, revolves around using an API (or a collection of APIs) to exploit the underlying business flow it enables. The canonical example is an online booking system whereby an attacker...