M2M API Security Workflow

Introduction

This document talks about the process through which the customer can secure their APIs.

API (Application Programming Interface) security refers to the process of protecting the APIs that are used to communicate between different software systems or applications. It involves measures taken to ensure that the APIs are secure and protected from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other malicious attacks.

To secure API, the following steps can be taken:

Use authentication and authorization mechanisms: APIs should be secured using strong authentication and authorization mechanisms such as OAuth, JWT (JSON Web Tokens), and API keys to ensure that only authorized users can access them.
Implement rate limiting: APIs should be protected against excessive traffic or requests from a single user or IP address, which can be achieved by implementing rate-limiting mechanisms.
Use encryption: APIs should be encrypted using SSL/TLS to protect data in transit and prevent interception or tampering of data.
Implement access controls: APIs should be secured by implementing access controls that restrict access to sensitive data or functions to authorized users only.
Implement monitoring and logging: APIs should be monitored and logged for suspicious activity and unauthorized access attempts, so that any suspicious activity can be identified and investigated.
Conduct regular security testing: Regular security testing and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate any security weaknesses or vulnerabilities in the API.

By implementing these measures, organizations can ensure that their APIs are secure and protected from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other malicious attacks.

Before this the Client/Development team must have to perform the following tasks:

1. Register themselves as Developer in https://cripsa.com.

2. Create a project/select (an existing) project in API Security section.

3. Use the information got in the above tasks to register resource server, which is nothing, but the name of the API customer wants to secure.

4. Share the detail got in the Second step with their customer and ask them to access “get-access-token” API to get Access token and share the detail with them.

5. Customer then verify the token through “verify-token” API and after verification it gives the access to it’s own APIs.

Create Project through Cripsa

Once logged in Create project for API Security.

Fill all the details. All the fields are required.

Click on “Create Project”.

Note down all the information which will be needed for Resource Server Reservation. Click on Continue and select the environment and Project Name registered above.

Now fill all the details about the APIs you want to protect. One can add as many APIs as they can by clicking on sign at the left bottom corner.

Click on plus sign to add as many scopes as you want.

Development team action Workflow

Here there is a need to develop to functionality, one from Cripsa Customer who wants to protect it’s API and one from client who wants to access the API.

Developer from Cripsa Customer has to incorporate the following two steps before which they allow any API access:

1. Create a Project through https://cripsa.com

2. Share the detail with all the clients who needs API access

3. Develop a function in which they call “Verify Access Token” API which will be called whenever any client try to access the API.

The Client who needs access to API only needs to call “Get Access Token” with the information shared to them and send the Access request to API together with AccessToken they get.

Detail workflow of M2M API Security

The following diagram provide detail information on what are the steps needed or executed during the entire M2M API Security.