Traceable AI Announces the Industry’s First API Security Reference Architecture for a Zero Trust World

Traceable’s API security reference architecture for Zero Trust provides organizations with the guidance they need to operationalize Zero Trust Security at the API layer

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Traceable AI, the industry's leading API security company, today announced the release of the industry's first API Security Reference Architecture for Zero Trust. This groundbreaking reference architecture serves as a guide for security leaders as the industry addresses the urgency of integrating API Security into Zero Trust Security initiatives.

Zero Trust, a cybersecurity framework that emphasizes continuous verification and helps to minimize the attack surface, has proven effective in enhancing security for many organizations, from large enterprises, to the US Government. However, traditional Zero Trust approaches have primarily focused on network-level controls and identity access management, neglecting the critical API layer.

Traceable’s API Security Reference Architecture is aligned with the NIST Zero Trust Architecture, a publicly available, vendor-neutral framework widely adopted by government entities such as CISA, DoD, DISA, NSA, GSA and NCCoE, as well as by many leading cybersecurity vendors. By leveraging the NIST framework, Traceable ensures compatibility, interoperability, and adherence to industry standards, making it a reliable and trusted guide for organizations implementing Zero Trust for their APIs.

The extensive reference architecture provides organizations with a prescriptive methodology to operationalize Zero Trust for APIs:

1. Advanced API Security: The reference architecture gives organizations a way to implement robust security measures specifically designed for APIs, including eliminating implied or persistent trust for APIs, thereby minimizing the risk of API-related vulnerabilities, attacks, and data breaches.
2. Comprehensive Risk Management: The reference architecture recommends incorporating automatic user authentication and authorization, granular data access policies, and asset risk assessments, can organizations can effectively manage and mitigate risks associated with API access and usage.
3. Increased Visibility and Control: The architecture explains why organizations should obtain granular visibility, which allows organizations to monitor and record all API transactions, enabling better analysis, threat detection, and incident response capabilities.
4. Improved Compliance and Data Protection: The automatic identification and classification of sensitive data sets ensure compliance with data protection regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS, reducing the risk of regulatory penalties and reputational damage.
5. Seamless Automation and Orchestration: The reference architecture recommends integration with XDR, SIEM, and SOAR solutions, so organizations can enhance their overall security posture, automate response actions, and streamline security operations.
6. Scalability and Flexibility: The architecture offers a flexible distribution model for PEPs and data collection points, allowing organizations to scale their API security infrastructure based on their unique requirements and architecture.
7. Future-Proofing: By aligning with the NIST Zero Trust Architecture and industry standards, organizations adopting the API Security Reference Architecture can ensure compatibility, interoperability, and the ability to evolve alongside emerging technologies and security best practices.

Traceable’s API Security Reference Architecture for Zero Trust introduces a new approach to secure APIs using Zero Trust concepts, acknowledging their unique security requirements. It provides organizations with a comprehensive framework to implement Zero Trust controls specifically tailored to APIs, ensuring the protection of digital assets and mitigating the risk of data breaches.

Dr. Chase Cunningham weighs in on Traceable’s approach: "APIs provide a new means of applying controls across enterprise applications, " says Dr. Cunningham, “However, the security practices for APIs have not yet matured, leaving a significant gap in the overall attack surface. Traceable has developed their own API Security Reference Architecture to help fill this gap by providing organizations with a methodical way to secure their APIs with Zero Trust principles. By combining Zero Trust strategic concepts with API-specific security measures, Traceable can help organizations protect their digital assets effectively."

Throughout the past year, Traceable has continued to reaffirm its commitment to extending Zero Trust methodologies to API Security. With the addition of Zero Trust creator John Kindervag and Dr. Zero Trust, Chase Cunningham as Traceable advisors, Traceable continues to strengthen its expertise in this space. To date, Traceable has become a valuable partner to a number of large enterprises as the industry turns its eyes toward the importance of API security. With the rollout of their Zero Trust API Access solution alongside this reference architecture, Traceable continues to lead the industry toward the advancement of API security.

This reference architecture is now available for organizations to explore and implement, empowering them to achieve complete API security in a Zero Trust world.

About Traceable

Traceable is the industry’s leading API Security company that helps organizations achieve API protection in a cloud-first, API-driven world. With an API Data Lake at the core of the platform, Traceable is the only intelligent and context-aware solution that powers complete API security – security posture management, threat protection and threat management across the entire Software Development Lifecycle – enabling organizations to minimize risk and maximize the value that APIs bring to their customers. To learn more about how API security can help your business, book a demo with a security expert.