APIs power modern applications, but they are also prime targets for abuse. Understanding attack patterns helps you implement effective protection strategies.
What is API Abuse?
API abuse refers to any use of an API that violates its intended purpose or terms of service. This includes data scraping, credential stuffing, competitive intelligence gathering, and resource exhaustion.
Automated tools can make thousands of API calls per second, extracting valuable data or consuming resources at scale.
Common Types of API Abuse
Data Scraping
Automated extraction of data through API calls, often for competitive intelligence or resale.
Account Enumeration
Testing whether usernames or emails exist in a system through password reset or registration APIs.
Resource Exhaustion
Making expensive API calls repeatedly to increase costs or degrade performance.
Detecting API Abuse
- Requests significantly exceeding normal user patterns
- Systematic querying of all possible values (enumeration)
- Traffic from known proxy services or data centers rather than residential IPs
Protection Strategies
- Rate Limiting - Limit requests per API key, IP address, and time window
- IP Reputation Checks - Block or challenge requests from known malicious sources
- Behavioral Analysis - Detect patterns that differ from legitimate user behavior
Protect Your API
Learn how to integrate Fraudcache IP reputation checks into your API.