performing-api-inventory-and-discovery

API inventory and discovery identifies all APIs across an organization by aggregating passive traffic analysis, active endpoint probing, JavaScript source analysis, and cloud gateway inventory. It maps endpoints, versions, and authentication patterns to produce a comprehensive catalog for security assessments.

You can find hidden API endpoints by analyzing JavaScript source files for embedded API references and parsing HAR logs for passive traffic data. This process maps live paths and authentication patterns from web apps and SPAs into a centralized inventory.

The best way to map an API surface for a security audit is combining active probing across domains with cloud gateway inventory enumeration. Applying OpenAPI/Swagger parsing and automated risk classification produces a comprehensive inventory for drift detection and risk prioritization.

Yes, passive traffic analysis detects API drift and undocumented endpoints by extracting server headers and traffic data. Comparing this passive traffic data against official OpenAPI/Swagger catalogs reveals live paths and version histories that have drifted from documented specifications.

Parsing OpenAPI and Swagger specifications is integrated into the API inventory and discovery process to establish an official catalog. Comparing actively probed endpoints and passive traffic against these parsed specifications enables accurate shadow API detection and automated risk classification.