All of the apps we make use of today, from banking apps, crypto trading apps, to our favourite social apps such as Instagram and TikTok, are API-driven. These APIs enable the exchange of data between applications and many of the conveniences and engaging experiences we desire on our smart devices.
While these APIs are great for streamlining our digital experience and providing us with what we want to see, they are continuously multiplying. But as they multiply, so do the threats against them.
But fear not, this is where an API Gateway gets involved and becomes your unsung hero. API Gateways are versatile tools that deliver strong API management functions, route traffic and may help fortify your digital defences.
What’s an API Gateway Anyway?
Let’s pretend that an API gateway is a bouncer at the entrance of a club that has a mission to keep troublemakers out and in line with the rules. So when clients make API requests, these bouncers ensure that they get to the right place and within the rules.
Why are API Gateways so useful?
- Authentication and Authorisation
By integrating with identity providers and supporting methods like OAuth, JWT, and API keys, gateways ensure only the right people have access to your information.
- Rate Limiting and Throttling
Ever had someone who can’t keep their hands out of the chip bowl at a party?
Rate limiting is essentially a super host who ensures everyone gets a fair share of what is on offer.
API gateways manage the number of requests clients can make, preventing anyone from overwhelming the system and ensuring everything runs the way it should.
- Data Encryption
API gateways enforce HTTPS and other encryption protocols in order to ensure that the data being exchanged across applications is safe from the stalkers that lurk in the back.
- Request and Response Validation
APIs are essentially the security checkpoints at the airport. They inspect all incoming requests and outgoing responses to ensure they are secure and that there is no funny business. By blocking malicious payloads, they protect backend services from potential attacks.
- Traffic Monitoring and Analytics
API gateways also provide us with detailed insights into traffic patterns and any irregularities like brute-force attacks or data theft attempts by constantly monitoring API traffic.
- IP Whitelisting and Blacklisting
API gateways act like Santa on Christmas, splitting people into naughty and nice lists. They whitelist trusted IP addresses and blacklist suspicious ones to ensure only known and trusted sources can gain access.
API gateways bring a lot more to the table than security alone. They help balance the load to ensure performance is always smooth, deploy updates without any mishaps and use caching to help move things along faster. As technology evolves, so will the role and importance of API gateways.
To find out more about how to incorporate an effective API Security strategy into your organisation, contact us.
