What are API security measures aimed at?

API security measures are primarily focused on protecting APIs from unauthorized access. APIs serve as critical gateways that allow different software applications to communicate and share data. Given their role in accessing sensitive information and performing transactions, it is vital to secure them against threats and vulnerabilities.

Securing an API involves implementing various authentication and authorization techniques to ensure that only legitimate users and systems can interact with the API. This includes practices such as using API keys, implementing OAuth tokens, and applying rate limiting to prevent abuse. Additionally, other security measures might include validating input to avoid injection attacks and using encryption to protect data in transit.

While enhancing API design, increasing speed, and ensuring compliance with data protection laws are important considerations in the overall development and management of APIs, they do not directly address the immediate focus of safeguarding APIs from unauthorized access. Therefore, the main objective of API security measures is to ensure that only authorized entities can access and manipulate the data and services exposed through the API.