API & Web App Pentesting are closely related but distinct areas of Application Pentesting

Overview

The main difference is that API Penetration Testing focuses on the backend communication and data transfer of applications, while Web Application Penetration Testing focuses on an internet-facing client browser experience.

Testing Scopes

Testing APIs can and should be part of Web Application Penetration Testing, but the scope of the test will be limited to specific API calls used by the workflows of that application. Conversely, an API Penetration Test should test all documented (and possibly undocumented) calls within the API specification or catalog. For this reason, it’s important to prioritize API Penetration Testing separately from Web Application Penetration Testing to ensure comprehensive testing of API(s).

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API vs Web App Comparison Checklist

Penetration Testing Focus

API

Web App

Manual Testing

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Automated Scanning

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Catalog or Sample File

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API Architecture (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, etc.)

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Authentication/Authorization Testing

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Business Logic Testing

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User Interface Vulnerabilities

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Dependency Vulnerabilities

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Resource Consumption Vulnerabilities

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Inventory Management Vulnerabilities

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