api-security-best-practices

Secure APIs by applying token-based authentication and authorization patterns like JWT and OAuth 2.0 to control access. These patterns manage public versus protected resources across REST, GraphQL, and WebSocket endpoints.

Prevent injection and data leakage by enforcing strict input validation, data sanitization, and secure data handling. These measures reject malicious payloads and protect sensitive information during API processing.

Protect API endpoints from abuse by configuring rate limiting, throttling, and abuse protection mechanisms. These controls guard endpoints against excessive traffic, prevent denial-of-service scenarios, and ensure fair resource allocation.

Encryption in transit and at rest is required for secure API data handling. Encrypting data protects sensitive information from interception during transmission and prevents unauthorized access while stored.

These API security best practices apply to WebSocket endpoints alongside REST and GraphQL. The patterns cover authentication, input validation, rate limiting, and threat protections specifically adapted for WebSocket connections.

Safe error handling matters for API security because it prevents sensitive data exposure in error messages. Proper error handling supports compliance considerations and hardens APIs against information leakage during failures.