API Security & Advanced API Exploitation
Master API security testing, REST API exploitation, GraphQL attacks, SOAP security, JWT vulnerabilities, authorization flaws, SSRF, API reconnaissance, and OWASP API Security Top 10 vulnerabilities through hands-on practical labs and real-world scenarios.
Duration
1 Month / 4 Weeks / 30 Hours
Level
Intermediate to Advanced
Modules
22 Modules
Format
Hands-on Labs
What You'll Learn
The API Penetration Testing course is designed for ethical hackers, penetration testers, API security engineers, bug bounty hunters, red team operators, developers, and cybersecurity professionals who want to specialize in modern API security testing. Modern applications heavily rely on APIs for communication between services, mobile applications, cloud infrastructure, and third-party integrations. This course covers REST API exploitation, SOAP security, GraphQL attacks, JWT vulnerabilities, BOLA, BFLA, BOPLA, SSRF, injection attacks, rate limiting bypasses, business logic abuse, and complete OWASP API Security Top 10 methodology.
// Prerequisites
- - Basic web application knowledge
- - Understanding of HTTP and APIs
- - Familiarity with Linux and networking
- - Basic cybersecurity concepts
- - Knowledge of web technologies (JSON, XML)
$ armour --training api-sec --info
[*] Course: API Security & Advanced API Exploitation
[*] Duration: 1 Month / 4 Weeks / 30 Hours
[*] Level: Intermediate to Advanced
[!] 22 modules | 151 topics
[+] Lab environment: READY
[+] Certification prep: INCLUDED
$ _
Complete Course Modules
Introduction to API Penetration Testing
- > Overview of API Security
- > Importance of API Penetration Testing
- > Types of APIs (REST, SOAP, GraphQL)
- > Common API Vulnerabilities
- > OWASP API Security Risks
- > API Attack Surface Analysis
Lab Setup & Testing Environment
- > Setting Up Testing Environments
- > Virtual Machines and Containers
- > API Testing Tools Installation
- > Network Monitoring Configuration
- > Installing Vulnerable Test APIs
- > Postman & SoapUI Setup
- > Burp Suite API Configuration
SOAP API Security
- > SOAP Architecture
- > WSDL Files and Structure
- > SOAP Envelope Structure
- > WSDL Enumeration
- > XML Injection in SOAP
- > SOAPAction Spoofing
- > SOAP Parameter Manipulation
REST API Security
- > REST API Architecture
- > Endpoints and Resources
- > HTTP Methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
- > Statelessness Concepts
- > Endpoint Enumeration
- > Parameter Tampering
- > HTTP Method Exploitation
- > Response Analysis
GraphQL API Security
- > GraphQL Architecture
- > Queries and Mutations
- > Schema and Resolvers
- > Introspection Queries
- > Query Complexity Analysis
- > Injection Attacks in GraphQL
- > Field-Level Authorization Testing
- > Batch Query Abuse
API Reconnaissance
- > Documentation Review
- > Traffic Analysis
- > Subdomain Enumeration
- > API Discovery Techniques
- > API Fingerprinting
- > Swagger/OpenAPI Spec Analysis
- > Hidden Endpoint Identification
Endpoint Analysis & Discovery
- > Endpoint Discovery Methods
- > Brute Force Enumeration (ffuf)
- > Response Code Analysis
- > Hidden Endpoint Identification
- > API Versioning Exploration
- > Wordlist-Based Fuzzing
- > Parameter Discovery
JWT Vulnerabilities & Exploits
- > JWT Structure (Header, Payload, Signature)
- > Token Manipulation
- > JWT Attacks Overview
- > Algorithm Confusion (None Algorithm)
- > Signature Verification Issues
- > JWK/JKU Header Exploitation
- > Token Replay and Refresh Abuse
- > JWT Tool Usage
API Injection Attacks
- > SQL Injection in APIs
- > NoSQL Injection
- > Command Injection via API Parameters
- > LDAP Injection
- > GraphQL Injection
- > Injection Discovery Techniques
- > Automated Injection Testing
Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA)
- > Understanding BOLA
- > IDOR Vulnerabilities in APIs
- > Object Access Manipulation
- > Authorization Testing
- > UUID Prediction Techniques
- > Bulk Data Extraction
- > BOLA Remediation
Broken Authentication
- > API Authentication Mechanisms
- > Credential Stuffing
- > Brute Force Attacks
- > Session Testing
- > Token Security Analysis
- > API Key Exposure
- > OAuth Implementation Flaws
Exploiting API Authorization
- > Authorization Mechanisms
- > Privilege Escalation in APIs
- > Role Manipulation
- > Access Control Testing
- > Horizontal Privilege Escalation
- > Vertical Privilege Escalation
- > Multi-Tenant Authorization Flaws
Broken Object Property Level Authorization (BOPLA)
- > BOPLA Concepts
- > Property Manipulation
- > Sensitive Field Access
- > Mass Assignment Vulnerabilities
- > Excessive Data Exposure
- > Authorization Testing at Property Level
Broken Function Level Authorization (BFLA)
- > BFLA Concepts
- > Function Abuse
- > Access Control Testing
- > Privileged Function Discovery
- > Admin Function Access
- > Method-Level Authorization Bypass
Rate Limiting & Resource Consumption
- > Rate Limiting Concepts
- > API Throttling
- > Rate Limit Bypass Techniques
- > Resource Consumption Vulnerabilities
- > Denial of Service via APIs
- > Resource Exhaustion
- > Abuse Testing Methodology
Business Logic & Sensitive Flows
- > Business Logic Testing
- > Workflow Abuse
- > Transaction Manipulation
- > Sensitive Flow Exploitation
- > Anti-Automation Bypass
- > Business Logic Manipulation
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
- > SSRF Concepts in APIs
- > URL Manipulation
- > Internal Resource Access
- > Cloud Metadata Exploitation
- > Blind SSRF in APIs
- > Internal Service Discovery
Security Misconfiguration
- > Configuration Review
- > Security Headers
- > Debug Features Exposure
- > Misconfigured CORS
- > Insecure Defaults
- > Verbose Error Responses
- > Unnecessary HTTP Methods
Improper Inventory & Asset Management
- > API Asset Discovery
- > Endpoint Inventory
- > API Mapping
- > Shadow APIs
- > Unmanaged Assets
- > Legacy API Version Discovery
- > Environment Isolation Failures
Unsafe Consumption of APIs
- > Third-Party API Risks
- > API Abuse Patterns
- > Unsafe Consumption Patterns
- > Dependency Risks
- > Supply Chain API Attacks
- > Data Validation at Integration Points
GraphQL-Specific Attacks
- > GraphQL Vulnerabilities
- > Deep Query Attacks
- > Alias-Based Batching
- > Fragment Abuse
- > Subscription Exploitation
- > Schema Manipulation
- > GraphQL DoS
Reporting & Remediation
- > Documenting API Findings
- > Writing Penetration Testing Reports
- > Remediation Recommendations
- > Risk Prioritization
- > Communicating with Developers
- > Secure API Development Best Practices
- > API Hardening Techniques
Learning Outcomes
- Conduct comprehensive API security assessments
- Test REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs for vulnerabilities
- Exploit all OWASP API Security Top 10 vulnerability categories
- Identify and exploit JWT and OAuth implementation flaws
- Perform BOLA, BFLA, and BOPLA authorization testing
- Conduct API injection attacks (SQL, NoSQL, Command)
- Discover hidden and shadow APIs
- Exploit SSRF and business logic vulnerabilities in APIs
- Bypass rate limiting and resource consumption protections
- Write professional API security assessment reports
- Provide secure API development recommendations
Hands-On Labs
- Purpose-built vulnerable API environments
- SOAP, REST, and GraphQL test targets
- Real-world API scenarios with progressive difficulty
- Postman collections and automated testing scripts
- JWT manipulation lab environment
- OWASP API Security Top 10 challenge labs
- API fuzzing and discovery tools
Certification Preparation
- + OWASP API Security certification prep
- + Supports OSWE exam preparation
- + Bug bounty API methodology
- + BSCP (Burp Suite Certified Practitioner)
Meet Your Instructor
Armour Infosec Security Team
API Security Specialist & Instructor
Our API security instructors specialize in modern application architecture security. They conduct API penetration tests for enterprises daily, contribute to OWASP API Security projects, and bring real-world exploitation techniques from professional engagements.
What Students Say
“Understanding API attacks helped me build much more secure APIs. The BOLA, BFLA, and JWT modules were particularly valuable for my work.”
Amit P.
Backend Developer
“Most comprehensive API security course available. 22 modules covering every OWASP API Top 10 attack vector I encounter in professional assessments.”
Shreya K.
Security Tester
“APIs are where the critical bugs live. This course gave me the methodology to find authorization flaws and injection vulnerabilities consistently.”
Raj S.
Bug Bounty Hunter
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the course, enrollment, and certification.
Ready to Enroll?
Secure your spot in the next batch. Limited seats available for hands-on lab access.