performing-api-inventory-and-discovery

name	performing-api-inventory-and-discovery
description	Performs API inventory and discovery to identify all API endpoints in an organization's environment including documented, undocumented, shadow, zombie, and deprecated APIs. The tester uses passive traffic analysis, active scanning, DNS enumeration, JavaScript analysis, and cloud resource inventory to build a comprehensive API catalog. Maps to OWASP API9:2023 Improper Inventory Management. Use when working with performing api inventory and discovery.
domain	cybersecurity
tags	["api-security","owasp","api-discovery","shadow-api","inventory","attack-surface"]
subdomain	api-security
version	1.0.0
author	oyi77
license	Apache-2.0
nist_csf	["PR.PS-01","ID.RA-01","PR.DS-10","DE.CM-01"]

Performing Api Inventory And Discovery

Overview

Cybersecurity skill for performing api inventory and discovery. Follows industry best practices and security standards.

When to Use

Trigger phrases:

• "performing api inventory and discovery"

• "Performs API inventory and discovery to identify all API endpoints in an organiz"

• Mapping the complete API attack surface of an organization before a security assessment

• Identifying shadow APIs deployed by development teams without security review

• Discovering deprecated or zombie API versions that remain accessible but unmaintained

• Finding undocumented API endpoints exposed through mobile applications, SPAs, or microservices

• Building an API inventory for compliance requirements (PCI-DSS, SOC2, GDPR)

Do not use without written authorization. API discovery involves scanning network infrastructure and analyzing traffic.

When NOT to Use

• When you lack proper authorization for testing
• For production systems without change management
• When the task requires legal or compliance expertise beyond technical scope

Prerequisites

• Written authorization specifying the target domains and network ranges
• Passive traffic capture capability (network tap, proxy, or cloud traffic mirroring)
• Active scanning tools: Amass, subfinder, httpx, and nuclei
• JavaScript analysis tools: LinkFinder, JS-Miner, or custom parsers
• Access to cloud console (AWS, Azure, GCP) for API gateway inventory
• Burp Suite Professional for passive API endpoint discovery

Workflow

# Example: IOC detection
import re

IOC_PATTERNS = {
    "ip": r"\b(?:\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\b",
    "domain": r"\b[a-z0-9-]+\.[a-z]{2,}\b",
    "hash_md5": r"\b[a-f0-9]{32}\b",
    "hash_sha256": r"\b[a-f0-9]{64}\b",
}

def extract_iocs(text: str) -> :
     {k: re.findall(v, text)  k, v  IOC_PATTERNS.items()}