API Security Tools
Contributor(s): kingthorin
APIs are becoming an increasingly large portion of the software that powers the Internet including mobile applications, single-page applications (SPAs) and cloud infrastructure. While APIs share much of the same security controls and software security issues with traditional web applications, they are different enough to make a distinction between ‘normal’ AppSec tools and ones that were built with APIs in mind. This page was created to list tools known to support APIs natively and by design.
Types of API Tools
Tools for API Security can be broken down into 3 broad categories.
- API Security Posture: Creates an inventory of APIs, the methods exposed and classifies the data used by each method.
- Goal: Provide visibility into the security state of a collection of APIs.
- API Runtime Security: provides protection to APIs during their normal running and handling of API requests.
- Goal: Detect and prevent malicious requests to an API.
- API Security Testing: Dynamic assessment of an API’s security state.
- Goal: Evaluate the security of a running API by interacting with the API dynamically (DAST-like behavior)
For more detailed information on the 3 categories, see slides 14 to 17 of this presentation.
The goal is to provide as comprehensive a list of API tools as possible using the input of the diverse perspectives of the OWASP community.
API Tools List
42Crunch from 42Crunch
Akto from Akto
APIClarity from APIClarity
APIsec from APIsec
API Secure from Data Theorem
Note: See Data Theorem API Secure Data Sheet for a complete overview of product capabilities
API Security from Imperva
Astra from flipkart-incubator
Automatic API Attack Tool from Imperva
Beagle Security from Beagle Cyber Innovations
Note: Imports Postman and OpenAPI Collections, quick configuration, supports GraphQL.
Bright from Bright Security
BurpSuite Professional from PortSwigger
Cequence Security - UAP from Cequence Security
Cherrybomb from BLST Security
Contrast Security from Contrast Security
Note: Contrast performs vulnerability detection and runtime protection of APIs using an instrumentation-based approach
curl from curl
Note: Low level tool
Escape from Escape
ffuf from ffuf
Note: General http/web fuzzer which can also fuzz http-based APIs
graphql-cop from dolevf
Note: Only for testing GraphQL APIs
Hoppscotch from Hoppscotch
Note: Developer-centric tool
httpie from httpie
Note: HTTP client designed to be a user-friendly terminal app
http-tanker from PierreKieffer
Note: Very manual terminal program e.g. Postman in your terminal
ImmuniWeb Neuron from ImmuniWeb
Insomnia from Kong
Note: Developer-centric tool
jerry-curl from mtesauro
Note: Low level curl automation
Levo.ai from LEVO.AI
Noname API Security Platform from Noname Security
Note: Flexible deployment options (SaaS, hybrid, on-prem), multi-engine support, options for agentless and out-of-band or inline
Nuclei from ProjectDiscovery
Note: General scanning of TCP, DNS, HTTP, etc so can be used to test APIs
openapi3-fuzzer from VolkerWessels Telecom
Note: Low-level fuzzing tool
Postman from Postman
Note: Developer-centric tool
Probely from Probely
Note: imports Postman Collections and OpenAPI schemas. Full-featured API for integrations with CI/CD
Purpleteam from Purpleteam
Pynt from Pynt
Note: Automated API security testing and discovery
rest-assured from rest-assured
Note: For the Java programming language
Resurface from Resurface
Salt Security API Protection Platform from Salt Security
SoapUI from SMARTBEAR
StackHawk from StackHawk
Threatspy from Secure Blink
Traceable AI from Traceable AI
Wallarm from Wallarm
WebInspect from Fortify
Note: Supports SOAP, REST, Swagger/OpenAPI and Postman
Wfuzz from xmendez
Note: General http/web fuzzer which can also fuzz http-based APIs
Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) from OWASP
Adding Tools
To add items, please add a stanza to the yaml file here or email me at matt.tesauro AT owasp.org