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Why API sprawl is important and what you can do to mitigate it

AppSentinels
April 30, 2024

Digital transformation has resulted into an API-first economy where every organization is integrating deeper with customers, partners & suppliers. APIs are the gateways powering this integration. As per a Kong report in 2023, APIs will have a projected global economic impact of $14.2 trillion by 2027 – that’s more than the GDP of the UK, Japan, France, and Australia combined. 

 

As APIs drive growth, every organization will need to implement robust security systems in place for their APIs. However, before starting to implement API security solutions, one should know what they need to secure – as you can’t secure what you can’t see.  

What's API Sprawl?

API sprawl is a term used to describe the uncontrolled proliferation of APIs within an organization. API sprawl can occur when different departments or teams within an organization create their own APIs to meet their specific requirements, without proper oversight or governance. This results in many APIs not properly managed, documented, or secured. It leads to inconsistency in design and functionality, as different teams develop their APIs according to their preferences. From an API security perspective, API sprawl poses significant security risks that must be addressed.  

What is causing API Sprawl?

There are number of factors driving the sprawl of APIs in an organization:

 

  1. Microservices Architecture 
    The biggest factor driving API sprawl is the rise of microservices architecture. In a monolithic architecture, what would have stayed a function, becomes an API call to another micro-service. Further, microservice teams tend to get siloed off from each other and are less likely to share best practices or collaborate on API design. A breakdown in communication leads to each team building their own APIs, which adds to the overall sprawl. 

  2. Cloud Adoption
    Rise of the cloud is an important factor leading to API sprawl. As cloud makes it easy to provision new services that add new APIs, it results in clutter to manage APIs.
     
  3. Speed
    In today’s fast-paced business world, organizations are in a rush to innovate and release new features quickly. This results in teams focused on getting something done instead of doing it right. There’s less focus on reusing an API or modifying its behavior for additional related use-case. Developers prefer to build a new API than reusing or modifying an API that already exists. 

Consequences of API Sprawl

API sprawl introduces several operational and security challenges for your organization.

 

  1. API Security
    Again, you can’t secure what you can’t see. With so many A keeping track of who has access to which API and what functionality OR data can be accessed with it is challenging PIs, it is highly challenging to keep track of who has access to which API and what functionality OR data can be accessed with it. The lack of awareness of access and authorization can lead to security issues and data breaches.

     

  2. Lack of governance

    When there is no central authority governing the development of APIs, it leads to a wild situation where everyone does their own thing. Further, with organizations operating across multiple architectures, public clouds, on-premises data centers etc., it becomes extremely difficult to have a unified view of APIs, API traffic and configurations.

     
  3. Higher development and maintenance costs 

    With lack of documentation for developers to use an API, different teams will develop different conventions and standards. This lack of standardization leads to inconsistency and confusion resulting in higher development and maintenance costs. 

How to Identify API Sprawl?

A checklist of questions to ask yourself: 

 

  • Do you have effective and automated solutions to discover all your APIs? 
  • Do you have clear and consistent documentation for all your APIs? 
  • Are there governance procedures for developing new APIs and their deployments? 
  • Can developers easily find the correct API to use in their development? 
  • Do you have a clear view of the data the APIs are exposing?

 

If the answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, you do have an API sprawl problem to fix or might be at risk of developing it in the future. Only by acknowledging the presence of a problem can you start mitigating it. 

Mitigating API sprawl: Strategies and solutions

To address the challenges posed by API sprawl, one needs to implement API governance practices in your organization. Here are some strategies and solutions that can help mitigate the risks associated with API sprawl: 

 

  1. Implement an API governance strategy.
    Establishing an API governance strategy is crucial for managing API sprawl. This should include standardizing processes and guidelines for API development, documentation, and security. By enforcing governance policies, organizations can ensure that APIs adhere to best practices and meet the necessary security requirements.

     

  2. Create a single source of truth for APIs with automated solutions.
     To address the lack of API visibility and clear API documentation, organizations should create a centralized repository or API catalog that serves as a single source of truth for all APIs. Keep in mind that the best way to create your single source of truth is the automated way. This repository should provide comprehensive information about each API, including its purpose, functionality, documentation, and access controls. Developers can then easily discover and access the APIs they need, reducing redundancy and facilitating collaboration.

     

  3. Applying API discovery at scale.
    Automated API discovery and API inventory should be a top priority for organizations dealing with API sprawl.

    With the right tools organizations create a single source of truth for APIs, ensure an up-to-date API catalog, provide metrics and visibility, and apply API security at scale.

    AppSentinels full life-cycle API Security platform provides the world’s most comprehensive set of features for fighting API sprawl and managing APIs at scale.
          
  4. Provide metrics and visibility.
    To gain visibility into API usage and performance, organizations should implement monitoring and analytics tools. These tools can provide real-time insights into API traffic, response times, error rates, and other key metrics, enabling organizations to identify bottlenecks, detect anomalies, and optimize API performance. By having access to comprehensive metrics and visibility, organizations can make informed decisions about API management and improve overall efficiency. 

Wrapping Up

API sprawl is a real problem, however, with solutions like AppSentinels, one can manage an organization’s APIs and prevent the sprawl from happening. By implementing proper API management and governance practices, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with API sprawl. Fixing your API sprawl will help you reduce the risk of data breaches, improve your ability to deliver faster, and increase developer satisfaction.