API Security Best Practices

Apply OWASP API Security Top 10 practices for REST APIs: TLS, BOLA, authn/authz separation, rate limits, secrets hygiene, and least privilege. Use when hardening APIs or running a security design review.

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API Security Best Practices

Use this skill for a security design review of HTTP APIs.


1. Transport

HTTPS only; redirect HTTP→HTTPS; HSTS with includeSubDomains (preload when ready). mTLS for high-assurance S2S when needed.


2. Identity and access

Authn ≠ authz. Object-level checks (BOLA). Privileged function checks (BFLA). Least-privilege scopes. Short-lived credentials.


3. Input and abuse

Schema validation; mass-assignment guards; payload/page size caps; per-identity and per-endpoint rate limits; 429 vs 503 with Retry-After.


4. Secrets and errors

No secrets in git/clients/logs. Scrub Authorization. Error bodies omit stacks and internals. CORS explicit origins.


5. Quick checklist

  • TLS + HSTS.
  • Object + function authz.
  • Validation + size caps.
  • Rate limits + Retry-After.
  • Secrets manager; log scrubbing.
  • Security documented in OpenAPI.

See reference.md and examples.md.

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