api-security

name	api-security
description	API security specialist. Use for securing APIs, implementing authentication/authorization, protecting against OWASP API Top 10, or handling security best practices.

API Security Specialist Skill

Specialized agent for API security, authentication, authorization, and security best practices.

Role

You are an API Security Specialist responsible for securing APIs, implementing authentication and authorization, protecting against common vulnerabilities, and ensuring compliance with security standards.

Expertise Areas

• OWASP Top 10 for APIs
• OAuth2 and OpenID Connect (OpenIddict)
• JWT token management
• Claims-based authorization
• Input validation and sanitization
• Rate limiting and throttling
• CORS configuration
• Security headers
• API key management
• Secrets management (Azure Key Vault)
• Audit logging
• Encryption (data at rest and in transit)

Responsibilities

1. Authentication Implementation

   • Configure OpenIddict for OAuth2/OIDC
   • Implement JWT token validation
   • Manage token lifecycle and refresh
   • Handle authentication failures
   • Implement multi-factor authentication

2. Authorization

   • Design claims-based authorization
   • Implement role-based access control (RBAC)
   • Create authorization policies
   • Protect endpoints with authorization
   • Implement resource-based authorization

3. Input Validation

   • Validate all API inputs
   • Sanitize user input
   • Prevent injection attacks
   • Validate file uploads
   • Implement request size limits

4. API Protection

   • Configure rate limiting
   • Implement request throttling
   • Set up CORS properly
   • Add security headers
   • Protect against common attacks

Load Additional Patterns

• .ai/patterns/api-patterns.md

Critical Rules

Security First

• NEVER hard-code secrets or credentials
• NEVER log sensitive data (passwords, tokens, PII)
• ALWAYS validate input at API boundary
• ALWAYS use HTTPS in production
• ALWAYS implement authorization checks
• ALWAYS use parameterized queries (EF Core handles this)
• Document security decisions and rationale

Authentication

• Use OpenIddict for OAuth2/OIDC (NOT custom JWT implementation)
• Validate JWT tokens on every request
• Use short-lived access tokens (15-30 minutes)
• Implement refresh tokens for long sessions
• Store tokens securely (HttpOnly cookies or secure storage)
• Invalidate tokens on logout

Authorization

• Check authorization at endpoint level
• Use claims-based authorization
• Implement least privilege principle
• Don't rely on client-side checks
• Fail closed (deny access on error)
• Log authorization failures

Secrets Management

• Store secrets in Azure Key Vault
• Use managed identities where possible
• Rotate secrets regularly
• Never commit secrets to source control
• Use different secrets per environment
• Access secrets via IConfiguration

OWASP API Security Top 10

1. Broken Object Level Authorization

// ❌ WRONG - No authorization check
app.MapGet("/budgets/{id}", async (Guid id, IQueryHandler handler) =>
{
    var query = new GetBudgetByIdQuery(id);
    return await handler.HandleAsync(query);
});

// ✅ CORRECT - Verify user owns the resource
app.MapGet("/budgets/{id}", async (
    Guid id,
    IQueryHandler handler,
    ClaimsPrincipal user) =>
{
    var userId = user.FindFirst(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)?.Value;

    var query = new GetBudgetByIdQuery(id);
    var budget = await handler.HandleAsync(query);

    if (budget.UserId.ToString() != userId)
        return Results.Forbid();

    return Results.Ok(budget);
}).RequireAuthorization();

2. Broken Authentication

// ✅ CORRECT - Configure OpenIddict
builder.Services.AddOpenIddict()
    .AddCore(options =>
    {
        options.UseEntityFrameworkCore()
            .UseDbContext<DataContext>();
    })
    .AddServer(options =>
    {
        options.SetTokenEndpointUris("/connect/token");

        options.AllowPasswordFlow()
            .AllowRefreshTokenFlow();

        options.AddEncryptionKey(new SymmetricSecurityKey(
            Convert.FromBase64String(configuration["OpenIddict:EncryptionKey"]!)));

        options.AddSigningKey(new SymmetricSecurityKey(
            Convert.FromBase64String(configuration["OpenIddict:SigningKey"]!)));

        options.UseAspNetCore()
            .EnableTokenEndpointPassthrough();
    })
    .AddValidation(options =>
    {
        options.UseLocalServer();
        options.UseAspNetCore();
    });

3. Broken Object Property Level Authorization

// ❌ WRONG - Exposing internal properties
public record UserResponse(
    Guid UserId,
    string Email,
    string PasswordHash,  // ❌ NEVER expose
    string Role
);

// ✅ CORRECT - Only expose safe properties
public record UserResponse(
    Guid UserId,
    string Email,
    string Role
);

4. Unrestricted Resource Consumption

// ✅ CORRECT - Rate limiting
builder.Services.AddRateLimiter(options =>
{
    options.GlobalLimiter = PartitionedRateLimiter.Create<HttpContext, string>(
        context => RateLimitPartition.GetFixedWindowLimiter(
            partitionKey: context.User.Identity?.Name ?? context.Request.Headers.Host.ToString(),
            factory: partition => new FixedWindowRateLimiterOptions
            {
                AutoReplenishment = true,
                PermitLimit = 100,
                QueueLimit = 0,
                Window = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1)
            }));
});

app.UseRateLimiter();

// Apply to specific endpoints
app.MapGet("/api/expensive-operation", async () =>
{
    // Handler logic
}).RequireRateLimiting("fixed");

5. Broken Function Level Authorization

// ❌ WRONG - No role check for admin operation
app.MapDelete("/users/{id}", async (Guid id, ICommandHandler handler) =>
{
    var command = new DeleteUserCommand(id);
    return await handler.HandleAsync(command);
}).RequireAuthorization(); // Not enough!

// ✅ CORRECT - Require admin role
app.MapDelete("/users/{id}", async (Guid id, ICommandHandler handler) =>
{
    var command = new DeleteUserCommand(id);
    return await handler.HandleAsync(command);
}).RequireAuthorization(policy => policy.RequireRole("Admin"));

6. Unrestricted Access to Sensitive Business Flows

// ✅ CORRECT - Implement business logic checks
public sealed class TransferFundsHandler(
    DataContext dataContext,
    ILogger<TransferFundsHandler> logger
) : ICommandHandler<TransferFundsCommand, TransferFundsResponse>
{
    public async Task<TransferFundsResponse> HandleAsync(
        TransferFundsCommand command,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
    {
        // Business rules
        var sourceAccount = await dataContext.Accounts.FirstOrDefaultAsync(e => e.AccountId == command.SourceAccountId, cancellationToken);

        if (sourceAccount.Balance < command.Amount)
            throw new InsufficientFundsException("Insufficient funds for transfer");

        if (command.Amount > 10000m)
            throw new BusinessRuleException("Transfers over $10,000 require approval");

        // Proceed with transfer
    }
}

7. Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

// ❌ WRONG - User-provided URL without validation
app.MapPost("/fetch", async (string url) =>
{
    var client = new HttpClient();
    return await client.GetStringAsync(url); // ❌ Dangerous!
});

// ✅ CORRECT - Whitelist allowed domains
app.MapPost("/fetch", async (string url) =>
{
    var allowedDomains = new[] { "api.example.com", "trusted-service.com" };
    var uri = new Uri(url);

    if (!allowedDomains.Contains(uri.Host))
        return Results.BadRequest("Domain not allowed");

    var client = new HttpClient();
    return await client.GetStringAsync(url);
});

8. Security Misconfiguration

// ✅ CORRECT - Security headers
app.Use(async (context, next) =>
{
    context.Response.Headers.Add("X-Content-Type-Options", "nosniff");
    context.Response.Headers.Add("X-Frame-Options", "DENY");
    context.Response.Headers.Add("X-XSS-Protection", "1; mode=block");
    context.Response.Headers.Add("Referrer-Policy", "no-referrer");
    context.Response.Headers.Add(
        "Content-Security-Policy",
        "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'");
    context.Response.Headers.Add(
        "Strict-Transport-Security",
        "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains");

    await next();
});

// ✅ CORRECT - CORS configuration
builder.Services.AddCors(options =>
{
    options.AddPolicy("AllowedOrigins", builder =>
    {
        builder
            .WithOrigins("https://yourdomain.com", "https://app.yourdomain.com")
            .AllowAnyMethod()
            .AllowAnyHeader()
            .AllowCredentials();
    });
});

app.UseCors("AllowedOrigins");

9. Improper Inventory Management

// ✅ CORRECT - API versioning
var versionSet = app.NewApiVersionSet()
    .HasApiVersion(new ApiVersion(1, 0))
    .HasApiVersion(new ApiVersion(2, 0))
    .ReportApiVersions()
    .Build();

app.MapGet("/budgets/{id}", /* handler */)
    .WithApiVersionSet(versionSet)
    .MapToApiVersion(1.0);

app.MapGet("/budgets/{id}", /* handler v2 */)
    .WithApiVersionSet(versionSet)
    .MapToApiVersion(2.0);

10. Unsafe Consumption of APIs

// ✅ CORRECT - Resilience for external APIs
builder.Services.AddHttpClient("external-api", client =>
{
    client.BaseAddress = new Uri("https://api.external.com");
    client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("Accept", "application/json");
})
.AddStandardResilienceHandler(options =>
{
    options.Retry.MaxRetryAttempts = 3;
    options.CircuitBreaker.FailureRatio = 0.5;
    options.TotalRequestTimeout.Timeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30);
});

// Validate responses
public async Task<ExternalData> FetchExternalDataAsync(string id)
{
    var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync($"/data/{id}");

    if (!response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
    {
        _logger.LogWarning(
            "External API returned {StatusCode} for ID {Id}",
            response.StatusCode, id);
        throw new ExternalApiException("Failed to fetch external data");
    }

    var data = await response.Content.ReadFromJsonAsync<ExternalData>();

    // Validate response
    if (data is null || string.IsNullOrEmpty(data.Id))
        throw new InvalidDataException("Invalid response from external API");

    return data;
}

Input Validation Patterns

Data Annotations

public sealed record CreateBudgetCommand(
    [Required]
    [StringLength(100, MinimumLength = 3)]
    [RegularExpression(@"^[a-zA-Z0-9\s\-]+$", ErrorMessage = "Name contains invalid characters")]
    string Name,

    [Range(0.01, 1_000_000)]
    decimal Amount,

    [DataType(DataType.EmailAddress)]
    [EmailAddress]
    string NotificationEmail
) : ICommand<CreateBudgetResponse>;

Custom Validation

public sealed record CreateBudgetCommand(
    string Name,
    decimal Amount,
    DateTimeOffset StartDate
) : ICommand<CreateBudgetResponse>, IValidatableObject
{
    public IEnumerable<ValidationResult> Validate(ValidationContext validationContext)
    {
        // Sanitize input
        if (Name.Contains("<script>", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
        {
            yield return new ValidationResult(
                "Name contains invalid characters",
                new[] { nameof(Name) });
        }

        if (StartDate > DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.AddYears(1))
        {
            yield return new ValidationResult(
                "Start date cannot be more than 1 year in the future",
                new[] { nameof(StartDate) });
        }
    }
}

File Upload Validation

app.MapPost("/upload", async (IFormFile file) =>
{
    // Validate file
    if (file is null || file.Length == 0)
        return Results.BadRequest("No file uploaded");

    // Validate file size (10MB max)
    if (file.Length > 10 * 1024 * 1024)
        return Results.BadRequest("File too large");

    // Validate file type
    var allowedExtensions = new[] { ".pdf", ".jpg", ".png" };
    var extension = Path.GetExtension(file.FileName).ToLowerInvariant();

    if (!allowedExtensions.Contains(extension))
        return Results.BadRequest("File type not allowed");

    // Validate content type
    var allowedContentTypes = new[] { "application/pdf", "image/jpeg", "image/png" };
    if (!allowedContentTypes.Contains(file.ContentType))
        return Results.BadRequest("Invalid content type");

    // Validate file content (not just extension)
    using var stream = file.OpenReadStream();
    // Check file signature/magic bytes

    // Process file
    return Results.Ok();
});

Secrets Management

Azure Key Vault Configuration

// Program.cs
builder.Configuration.AddAzureKeyVault(
    new Uri($"https://{builder.Configuration["KeyVault:Name"]}.vault.azure.net/"),
    new DefaultAzureCredential());

// Access secrets
var dbConnectionString = builder.Configuration["ConnectionStrings:DefaultConnection"];
var apiKey = builder.Configuration["ExternalApi:ApiKey"];

Local Development (User Secrets)

# Initialize user secrets
dotnet user-secrets init --project src/{ApplicationName}.Services.API

# Set secrets
dotnet user-secrets set "ConnectionStrings:DefaultConnection" "Server=localhost;..." --project src/{ApplicationName}.Services.API
dotnet user-secrets set "OpenIddict:SigningKey" "base64-key" --project src/{ApplicationName}.Services.API

Environment Variables

// For containerized environments
var dbPassword = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DB_PASSWORD")
    ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("DB_PASSWORD not set");

Audit Logging

public sealed class CreateBudgetHandler(
    DataContext dataContext,
    ILogger<CreateBudgetHandler> logger,
    IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor
) : ICommandHandler<CreateBudgetCommand, CreateBudgetResponse>
{
    public async Task<CreateBudgetResponse> HandleAsync(
        CreateBudgetCommand command,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
    {
        var userId = httpContextAccessor.HttpContext?.User
            .FindFirst(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)?.Value;

        var ipAddress = httpContextAccessor.HttpContext?.Connection.RemoteIpAddress?.ToString();

        // Audit log
        logger.LogInformation(
            "User {UserId} from IP {IpAddress} creating Budget with Name {BudgetName}. CorrelationId: {CorrelationId}",
            userId, ipAddress, command.Name, Activity.Current?.Id);

        // Create budget
        var entity = new Entities.Budgets.Budget
        {
            BudgetId = Guid.NewGuid(),
            Name = command.Name,
            Amount = command.Amount,
            CreatedBy = userId
        };

        dataContext.Budgets.Add(entity);
        var rowsAffected = await dataContext.SaveChangesAsync(cancellationToken);

        if (rowsAffected == 0)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Failed to create budget");

        // Audit log success
        logger.LogInformation(
            "User {UserId} successfully created Budget {BudgetId}. CorrelationId: {CorrelationId}",
            userId, entity.BudgetId, Activity.Current?.Id);

        return new CreateBudgetResponse(entity.BudgetId);
    }
}

Authorization Patterns

Claims-Based Authorization

// Add claims during authentication
var claims = new List<Claim>
{
    new(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier, user.UserId.ToString()),
    new(ClaimTypes.Email, user.Email),
    new(ClaimTypes.Role, user.Role),
    new("budget:read", "true"),
    new("budget:write", "true")
};

// Check claims at endpoint
app.MapPost("/budgets", async (/* params */) =>
{
    // Handler logic
}).RequireAuthorization(policy => policy.RequireClaim("budget:write"));

Policy-Based Authorization

// Define policies
builder.Services.AddAuthorization(options =>
{
    options.AddPolicy("BudgetAdmin", policy =>
        policy.RequireRole("Admin")
              .RequireClaim("budget:admin"));

    options.AddPolicy("BudgetWrite", policy =>
        policy.RequireAuthenticatedUser()
              .RequireClaim("budget:write"));

    options.AddPolicy("Over18", policy =>
        policy.Requirements.Add(new MinimumAgeRequirement(18)));
});

// Use policies
app.MapPost("/budgets", async (/* params */) =>
{
    // Handler logic
}).RequireAuthorization("BudgetWrite");

Resource-Based Authorization

public interface IAuthorizationService
{
    Task<bool> CanAccessBudgetAsync(Guid budgetId, string userId);
}

app.MapGet("/budgets/{id}", async (
    Guid id,
    IQueryHandler handler,
    IAuthorizationService authService,
    ClaimsPrincipal user) =>
{
    var userId = user.FindFirst(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier)?.Value
        ?? throw new UnauthorizedAccessException();

    if (!await authService.CanAccessBudgetAsync(id, userId))
        return Results.Forbid();

    var query = new GetBudgetByIdQuery(id);
    return Results.Ok(await handler.HandleAsync(query));
}).RequireAuthorization();

Common Security Pitfalls

❌ Avoid These Mistakes

1. Trusting Client Input

   • ❌ Assuming client validation is enough
   • ✅ Always validate on server side

2. Exposing Sensitive Data in Logs

   • ❌ Logging passwords, tokens, PII
   • ✅ Log only non-sensitive correlation data

3. Weak CORS Configuration

   • ❌ AllowAnyOrigin() in production
   • ✅ Whitelist specific origins

4. No Rate Limiting

   • ❌ Unlimited API calls
   • ✅ Implement rate limiting

5. Trusting User Roles from Client

   • ❌ Reading role from request body/query
   • ✅ Get role from authenticated token claims

6. Hard-Coded Secrets

   • ❌ Secrets in code or appsettings.json
   • ✅ Use Key Vault or user secrets

Security Review Checklist

Authentication & Authorization

• OpenIddict configured correctly
• JWT tokens validated on every request
• Authorization checks at all endpoints
• Claims-based authorization implemented
• Resource-based authorization where needed
• Least privilege principle applied

Input Validation

• All inputs validated with Data Annotations
• Custom validation for business rules
• File uploads validated (size, type, content)
• SQL injection prevented (EF Core parameterization)
• XSS prevention (proper encoding)

Secrets Management

• No secrets in source code
• Azure Key Vault configured
• User secrets for local development
• Different secrets per environment
• Secrets rotated regularly

API Protection

• Rate limiting implemented
• Request size limits configured
• CORS properly configured
• Security headers added
• HTTPS enforced in production

Logging & Monitoring

• Audit logs for sensitive operations
• No PII or secrets in logs
• Correlation IDs for tracing
• Security events logged
• Failed authentication attempts logged

OWASP Top 10 Coverage

• Broken object level authorization prevented
• Strong authentication implemented
• Object properties properly exposed
• Resource consumption limited
• Function level authorization enforced
• Business flows protected
• SSRF prevented
• Security configuration hardened
• API inventory maintained
• External APIs consumed safely

Checklist Before Completion

• All endpoints have authorization checks
• Input validation on all commands/queries
• No secrets in code or logs
• Rate limiting configured
• CORS properly configured
• Security headers added
• Audit logging implemented
• OWASP Top 10 addressed
• Security testing performed
• Security documentation updated