What is API Security?
Turkish: API Güvenliği
API security protects endpoints with authentication, authorization, encryption, rate limits, and monitoring against misuse or data leaks.
What is API Security?
API security is the set of controls that decides which clients can call an API, which data they can reach, and which actions they may perform. If a web interface exposes buttons to people, API endpoints expose direct doors for software systems.
How Does It Work?
A secure API first authenticates the caller, then checks whether that caller is allowed to access the requested resource. TLS protects data in transit; input validation, schema checks, and careful error responses reduce unnecessary exposure. Rate limits, quotas, and anomaly monitoring prevent one user or key from overwhelming the system.
Common API risks include endpoints that return too much data, predictable identifiers, weak token storage, missing authorization checks, and logs that accidentally contain sensitive information.
Business Use
For mobile apps, partner portals, payment flows, and third-party integrations, API security is tied directly to customer data and operational continuity. OAuth2 helps delegate access in a controlled way, while rate limiting limits abuse and sudden traffic spikes.
A practical API security effort is more than adding tokens; it should cover endpoint inventory, role mapping, test cases, monitoring, and incident response.
Related Terms
OAuth 2.0 is an authorization framework that allows third-party applications to access resources without the user's password.
Rate LimitingRate limiting protects APIs by capping how many requests a user, IP address, or token can send within a defined time window.
Webhook SecurityWebhook security verifies incoming event callbacks with signatures, timestamps, replay protection, and strict endpoint controls.