The landscape of API security is evolving rapidly, driven by increasing complexities in IT environments, the proliferation of third-party APIs, and the rise of generative AI applications. These factors are expanding the attack surface and introducing new vulnerabilities that traditional security measures struggle to address. The 2025 State of API Security Report by Traceable AI highlights these challenges, revealing that 57% of organizations have suffered API-related breaches in the past two years, with many experiencing multiple incidents. This comprehensive study, based on insights from over 1,500 IT and cybersecurity professionals, underscores the urgent need for more robust, purpose-built API security solutions.
The new 2025 State of API Security Report provides a detailed analysis of the latest trends, challenges, and best practices in API security. It examines the increasing prevalence of bot attacks and fraud, the risks associated with third-party APIs, and the security implications of generative AI applications. The report also highlights the inadequacy of traditional security solutions like Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and API gateways in protecting against these evolving threats. By offering a thorough overview of how organizations are addressing these critical security challenges, the report aims to equip security leaders with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and prioritize their API security efforts effectively.
Key Findings:
- API-Related Data Breaches Remain a Major Issue: Over the past two years, 57% of organizations experienced an API-related data breach, with 73% of these facing three or more incidents. Alarmingly, 41% reported five or more breaches, highlighting a widespread failure in API defenses and underscoring the need for dedicated API security solutions.
- Traditional Security Measures Fall Short for API Protection: Despite the use of various security tools, including legacy WAFs, CDNs, and Gateways, only 19% of organizations consider their defenses to be highly effective. Additionally, 53% acknowledge that traditional solutions like WAFs and WAAPs are inadequate for detecting or preventing fraud at the API level.
- Generative AI Applications Introduce New Security Challenges: A significant 65% of organizations believe that generative AI applications pose a serious to extreme risk to their APIs. Furthermore, 60% indicate that the additional API integrations required for these applications increase their attack surface, with the same percentage expressing concerns about sensitive data exposure and unauthorized access.
- Bot Attacks and Fraud are Pervasive: More than half (53%) of organizations have encountered one or more bot attacks targeting their APIs, and 44% identify bot mitigation as a primary challenge. Fraud is also a major concern, ranking as the second most common cause of API-related data breaches among respondents.
- Third-Party APIs Present Significant Risks: Organizations now utilize an average of 131 third-party APIs, a slight increase from last year’s 127. However, only 16% report a high capability to mitigate these external risks, leaving a substantial portion of their attack surface vulnerable.
Traceable’s annual research provides a comprehensive overview of the constantly changing API security landscape, highlighting key risks and emerging trends. By meticulously tracking these developments, the report hopes to guide security leaders with critical insights needed to make strategic decisions and address the most pressing security challenges. The goal is to ensure that as APIs remain integral to business operations, organizations are equipped with the knowledge to effectively safeguard their vital assets.
