API Security Guide 2026: 5 Real API Vulnerabilities Hackers Exploit and How to Prevent Them
Learn how hackers exploit API vulnerabilities like IDOR, JWT bypass, injection, mass assignment, and missing rate limits, plus proven API security best practices to stop them.
Modern apps run on APIs. Every mobile app, SaaS tool, fintech dashboard, AI assistant, and online checkout depends on them.
APIs move data between services, check who you are, process payments, and expose the core logic of a product to the outside world.
Since APIs are built for machines to talk to each other, they have also become one of the biggest targets in modern software.
When APIs are not locked down properly, attackers do not need some advanced zero day exploit. They go after the basics. They look for simple, predictable weaknesses.
So today I wanted to take some time to actually look at and talk about how certain people can exploit these API’s and some ways you can actually make them better.
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They automate requests. They test different IDs. They watch how the system responds. Then they push further.
In this article, we are going to break down five real ways hackers take advantage of poorly secured APIs. We will also walk through practical steps your engineering team can use right away to tighten things up.
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