A Valid Request Can Still Be the Wrong Request
APIs connect users, applications, partners, and sensitive data. A request can be technically valid and still expose another user’s records, cross a tenant boundary, or perform a restricted action.
Automated tools can identify known patterns and exposed endpoints, but they have limited context for what each user, role, tenant, or token should actually be allowed to do. Validating those trust boundaries requires human-led API penetration testing.
HOW WE TEST
We Test the Rules Behind Every Endpoint
A secure API must enforce the right rules for every user, role, tenant, token, and workflow.
We assess OAuth 2.0, OIDC, JWTs, API keys, mTLS, SSO, and other authentication mechanisms when in scope. We test for authentication bypasses, token validation and handling weaknesses, improper expiration or revocation, and other paths that could allow unauthorized access.
We test requests across users, roles, tenants, and authorization states to identify BOLA/IDOR, BFLA, privilege escalation, cross-tenant access, and unauthorized actions.
We manipulate parameters, object states, request sequences, and application workflows to identify excessive data exposure, unsafe object binding, SSRF, insecure API consumption, workflow abuse, and other logic flaws that depend on application context.
Testing is human-led and informed by the OWASP API Security Top 10, NIST SP 800-115, and other relevant industry guidance.
Automation Finds Patterns. Human Testers Understand Context.
Automated tools are useful for identifying known vulnerability patterns, exposed functionality, and common misconfigurations. What they cannot reliably determine is whether a legitimate action becomes dangerous when performed by the wrong user, role, tenant, or workflow.
Our testers change roles, tokens, object identifiers, parameters, and request sequences to determine what the API actually permits. Findings are manually validated and documented with the evidence and context needed to understand exploitability and business impact.
THE PROCESS
How We Work
Manage Your Engagement Through the Red Sentry Portal
Every Red Sentry engagement includes Portal access so your team can track project status, access reports and evidence, communicate with the project team, and manage remediation in one place.
Project Visibility: Follow engagement status, project communications, and important testing updates.
Jira Integration: Send findings directly to your engineering workflow.
Centralized reporting: Access project communications, findings, evidence, reports, and remediation status in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is API penetration testing?
API penetration testing is authorized security testing of in-scope API endpoints, authentication mechanisms, authorization boundaries, and business workflows. Testing can include broken object-level authorization, broken authentication, object-property authorization, function-level authorization, sensitive business-flow abuse, SSRF, unsafe API consumption, and other relevant API security risks.
What types of APIs can Red Sentry test?
REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket APIs can be included in scope. We tailor the assessment around the API technologies, authentication model, environments, endpoints, user roles, and workflows you actually use.
How do you handle authentication, rate limits, and other testing controls?
We coordinate test credentials for the roles and privilege levels included in scope. Rate limits, source-IP allowlisting, WAF behavior, MFA or SSO requirements, testing windows, and escalation contacts are confirmed before testing begins.
Will API penetration testing affect production?
Testing can be performed against production or a representative test environment depending on the agreed scope. When production testing is required, we coordinate approved testing windows, rate limits, source IPs, restrictions, and escalation contacts. Destructive testing and denial-of-service activity are not performed unless specifically authorized and safely scoped.
Can API penetration testing support compliance requirements?
Yes. API penetration testing can support compliance and audit evidence requests when APIs are part of the assessed environment. When included in scope, applicable findings can be mapped to relevant framework areas. Reports include evidence, impact, and remediation guidance your team can use during auditor review. Red Sentry provides security testing and supporting evidence. Your auditor determines compliance.
What is the difference between API scanning and API penetration testing?
Automated API scanning can help identify known issues, exposed endpoints, and common misconfigurations. API penetration testing adds human-led validation and application context, authentication, authorization, role boundaries, tenant isolation, business logic, data exposure, and workflow abuse. The result is evidence-based reporting with demonstrated impact and remediation guidance.
How is API penetration testing priced?
Pricing depends on the size and complexity of the API environment. Scoping factors include endpoint count, authentication model, user roles, business logic, documentation, sensitive data, testing restrictions, and reporting requirements. Red Sentry confirms the scope, assumptions, and full price before testing begins.
Is remediation testing included?
Yes. One round of remediation testing is included for findings identified in the final report when requested within 90 days of report delivery.