Common Mistakes in Designing and Managing Public REST APIs

Here are some common issues that can occur in the development of APIs:

• Inadequate Authentication and Authorization:
  • No proper way to verify users.
  • Weak security measures for authentication like using simple API keys or Basic Authentication without any additional security measures.
  • Not controlling access based on user roles.
  • Exposing sensitive information without restrictions.
    
• Lack of Input Validation:
  • Not checking the type of data received.
  • Allowing attacks like SQL injection or script injection.
  • Not handling unexpected input values like out-of-bounds.
    
• Exposing Sensitive Data:
  • Returning too much information, including passwords, personal data, API Keys, etc.
  • Not encrypting or protecting sensitive information properly.
    
• Poor Error Handling:
  • Revealing internal system details in error messages.
  • Not handling exceptions that can cause application crashes.
    
• Rate Limiting and Throttling:
  • Not controlling the rate at which requests are allowed.
  • Allowing excessive requests that can overload the system.
    
• Not keeping things safe:
  • Not using secure communication protocols or encryption.
  • Failing to protect data at rest or in transit.
    
• Not writing down the rules:
  • Insufficient or outdated documentation for developers.
  • Missing information about API endpoints, parameters, and responses.
    
• Versioning:
  • Making changes that break compatibility with existing clients.
    
• Logging and Monitoring:
  • Not keeping records of requests, errors, or suspicious activity.
  • Failing to set up alerts for monitoring the system.
    
• CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing):
  • Allowing unauthorized access from any origin, potentially leading to attacks.
  • Not specifying which HTTP methods are allowed.|
    
• State and Session Management:
  • Not implementing statelessness properly.
  • Relying solely on client-side sessions without server-side validation.
    
• Secret Management:
  • Storing secret keys or credentials in the source code.
    
• Not Keeping Dependencies Updated:
  • Using outdated libraries or frameworks that have known vulnerabilities.