API Authentication Bypass Scanner
Tests API endpoints for authentication bypass vulnerabilities.
What is API Authentication Bypass?
API Authentication Bypass testing identifies ways attackers can access API endpoints without proper credentials. This includes missing authentication on endpoints, JWT vulnerabilities, session issues, authentication logic flaws, and inconsistent enforcement across API versions or methods.
Why is This Important?
APIs often expose more sensitive functionality than web interfaces. A single unauthenticated endpoint can expose all user data, enable account takeover, or provide system-level access. APIs are frequently misconfigured during development, with authentication added inconsistently or forgotten entirely.
How It Works
1. API Discovery
Automatically discovers API endpoints, methods, parameters, and authentication mechanisms from documentation or traffic.
2. Security Testing
Tests for OWASP API Top 10 vulnerabilities including broken authentication, excessive data exposure, and injection flaws.
3. Compliance Validation
Validates API security against industry standards with detailed findings and remediation guidance.
Key Capabilities
Complete API security coverage aligned with OWASP API Security Top 10 and industry best practices.
- Automatic API endpoint discovery
- Authentication and authorization testing
- Rate limiting and resource exhaustion checks
- Data exposure and sensitive info detection
- API versioning and deprecation analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What are common API authentication bypass techniques?
Common techniques: accessing endpoints without tokens, manipulating JWT headers (none algorithm, key confusion), exploiting broken session management, using deprecated API versions without auth, method switching (GET vs POST), and parameter pollution to bypass auth checks.
How do I test for authentication bypass?
Testing approach: remove auth headers and test all endpoints, test with expired/invalid/malformed tokens, check different HTTP methods, test older API versions, look for endpoints excluded from auth middleware, and test with partial authentication.
Why do authentication bypasses happen in APIs?
Causes include: middleware misconfiguration, forgotten endpoints during auth implementation, different auth requirements per API version, implicit trust of internal endpoints, and rushing to production without security review.
How do I prevent API authentication bypass?
Prevention: use authentication middleware that covers all routes by default, explicitly mark public endpoints, implement consistent auth across API versions, use framework-provided authentication, conduct regular security audits, and test authentication as part of CI/CD.
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