Rogue APIs VS zombie APIs

Rogue APIs VS zombie APIs

Contents
Rogue and zombie APIs are a fact of life for every organization.
Contents

Rogue and zombie APIs are a fact of life for every organization. A rogue API is an API that was not authorized by the organization. A zombie API is an API that was authorized but is no longer being used.

While both types of APIs can cause security and other problems, rogue APIs are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited by malicious abusers to steal data or gain access to an organization’s systems. They need to be sure to keep track of all of the APIs that are in use in order to identify and mitigate the risks posed by rogue and zombie APIs.

What is a rogue API?

A rogue API is an API that is not authorised or approved by the company that owns the data or content that the API provides access to. For example, a rogue API could provide unauthorised access to customer data from a CRM systemA rogue API is an API that is not authorised or approved by the company that owns the data or content that the API provides access to. Using a rogue API could let people get customer data from a CRM system without permission, or they could be able to bypass security controls on a site.

What is a zombie API?

There are many different types of zombie APIs, but they all share one common trait: they are no longer maintained or supported by the original provider. As a result, these APIs are often unreliable, outdated, and difficult to use.

Some examples of zombie APIs include the following:

  • The Google Maps API was officially discontinued on March 3, 2019. However, some developers have been able to keep it running by reverse engineering the API.
  • The Yahoo! Weather API was shut down on January 3, 2019. However, there are a few unofficial Yahoo! Weather APIs that have been created by third-party developers.
  • The Twitter API v1.0 was officially discontinued on June 11, 2013. However, there are a few unofficial Twitter APIs that have been created by third-party developers.

Key differences between Rogue APIs and Zombie APIs

There are a few key differences between Rogue APIs and Zombie APIs. First, Rogue APIs are usually created for malicious purposes, while Zombie APIs are not. Second, Rogue APIs are typically created without the permission of the company that owns the data, while Zombie APIs are created with the company’s permission but are no longer actively supported. Finally, Rogue APIs typically don’t have any documentation, while Zombie APIs do.

Rogue APIs and Zombie APIs danger scale

Which is more dangerous, rogue or zombie API?

Overall, Rogue APIs are more dangerous than Zombie APIs because they’re created with the intention of causing harm. However, Zombie APIs can still be dangerous because they’re no longer supported by the company and can contain security vulnerabilities.

How can rogue APIs be exploited?

Rogue APIs can be exploited in many ways. They can be used to access sensitive data or to perform actions that the company does not want to allow. They can also be used to cause denial of service attacks or to fraudulently charge customers.

One way is to find an API that is not publicly documented and try to guess the format of the requests and responses. Once you know the format of the requests and responses, you can use a tool like a fuzzer to make random requests that might cause the API to do something different.

Another way to exploit rogue APIs is to find an API that is publicly documented but does not have proper security measures in place. For example, the API might not require authentication, or the API might not properly check for valid input. By taking advantage of these flaws, you might be able to get your hands on important data or do things that aren’t supposed to be done.

Companies need to be aware of the risk of rogue APIs and take steps to protect their data. They should consider using API management solutions that can help to prevent the creation of rogue APIs. They should also keep an eye on their APIs for suspicious activity and take action if they think an unauthorized API is being used. This is what they should do.

How can zombie APIs be exploited?

Zombie APIs are those that are authorized by an organization but are not being properly managed or monitored. They may be working correctly, but they have not been updated or maintained and may contain vulnerabilities that could be exploited. As a result, they can be used by hackers to gain access to an organization’s systems.

A zombie API is an API that has been left unsecured and open to attack. There are a number of ways in which a zombie API can be exploited, and these can have serious consequences for the organization that owns the API.

One of the most common ways in which a zombie API can be exploited is through a malicious user impersonating another user. This can be done by stealing the user’s credentials or by using a bot to auto-fill the login form on the API. Once the attacker has access to the victim’s account, they can do anything that the user can do, including access sensitive data, make changes to the account, and even delete the account altogether.

Another common way to exploit a zombie API is through injection attacks. This is where the attacker attempts to inject malicious code into the API in order to execute it on the server. This can be done via a number of methods, including SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Injection attacks can be used to take over the API, access sensitive data, and even launch attacks on other systems that the API has access to.

One of the most serious ways in which a zombie API can be exploited is by using it to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. A DDoS attack is where the attacker attempts to overload the server with traffic in order to take it down. This can be done by making a large number of requests to the API, or by using a botnet to generate the traffic. DDoS attacks can cause a lot of problems, and they can even cause the loss of important data, so be careful.

Zombie APIs are a great way to collect data on users and their behavior. They can also be used to inject malicious code into websites or applications.

Organizations that own zombie APIs need to be aware of the risks they face and take steps to secure their API. This includes implementing authentication and authorization controls, implementing input validation, and ensuring that the API is kept up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Conclusion

There is no definitive answer to which is more dangerous, rogue or zombie API. It depends on the specific situation and how the API is being used. A rogue API may be used to access sensitive data or functions that should not be accessible to unauthorized users. This can lead to security breaches and data loss. A zombie API may not pose a security risk, but it can cause problems if it is used to access data or functions that are no longer available. This can lead to errors and unexpected results.

There are many good mitigation solutions, one of them is BLST security that can help you find Zombie APIs by scanning for vulnerabilities and potential malicious behavior. Additionally, BLST can help to identify and monitor API interactions in order to protect against unauthorized access and tampering.

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