Let’s face it—there are some API security questions that your team is too scared to ask. Not because they don’t want the answers, but because these are the tough questions that make you question everything you’ve been doing. You know the ones.
So, let’s stop dodging the elephant in the room and address them head-on.
1. “Are we actually securing our APIs, or just compliant?”
Compliance is important, right? You’ve got those certificates and ticking all the boxes on your audits. But compliance doesn’t guarantee security. At all.
Sure, meeting standards like GDPR, NDPR, HIPAA, or whatever other regulations you’re bound to sounds great in a meeting, but that doesn’t mean your APIs are bulletproof.
Many teams get complacent, thinking they’re secure because they meet compliance requirements. But what happens when someone finds a vulnerability you didn’t anticipate? Compliance doesn’t protect against zero-day exploits, misconfigurations, or human error.
So, the real question is: Are you securing your APIs because you have to, or because you actually want to protect your business and customers?
2. “Can we recover if our API is breached?”
We all hope that a breach never happens to us. But the truth is, it probably will. Cybercriminals are smarter, more persistent, and better funded than ever before. So, the question is: if it happens, what’s your game plan?
Think you’ll just call your vendor and hope they’ve got your back? Think again. How long will it take to detect the breach? How long will it take to mitigate the damage? And, most importantly, how will you communicate this to customers?
If you don’t have a clear, actionable incident response plan that’s been tested and rehearsed—then no, you’re not secure. You’re crossing your fingers hoping it doesn’t hit.
Let’s be real: You can’t just hope to prevent it; you need a plan to recover. Have you run a tabletop exercise? Do you know exactly what needs to happen from the second the breach is detected? If not, your team’s not ready.
3. “Are our API vendors lying to us?”
This one hurts. Because who wants to think their vendor, the one you trust to keep your API secure, might not have your best interests at heart? But let’s not kid ourselves—vendors are in it to make money, and that sometimes means cutting corners.
You’ve heard the pitch: “We have the best security, we do regular audits, we follow industry best practices.” Sounds like a dream. But how do you really know they’re being truthful? Do you have visibility into their processes? Can you confirm they’re actually doing the things they said they’d do?
The sad reality is that security vendors, like anyone, can make promises they don’t always keep. They might not be malicious, but it’s easy for companies to say they have “great security” without really backing it up. Are they doing regular penetration tests? Do they provide you with detailed security reports? Are they transparent when issues arise?
Ask the tough questions: How are you protecting our data? What’s your track record? Can we independently verify your security claims?
You need to know if you’re getting a shiny pitch or a real, solid security solution. Anything less could put your business at risk.
4. “Why does securing our APIs always feel like it slows us down?”
This is the big one. You’re trying to move fast—innovate, release new features, make things happen. And then security comes along slamming the brakes on everything.
You’ve probably heard this complaint before: “Security slows us down.” But here’s the question: is that really true? Or is it that your security processes aren’t aligned with your business goals?
The reality is, good security doesn’t have to slow you down. In fact, when implemented well, it should enable your team to work faster and more confidently. The key is building security into your DevOps pipeline (DevSecOps) and automating where possible.
If security feels like a roadblock, it’s time to reassess how you’re approaching it. Is it built into your workflows from the start, or are you treating it like an afterthought? Security should empower your teams, not slow them down.
5. “Are we focused on the right API threats?”
There’s always a new threat out there—new vulnerabilities, new attack vectors, new tactics. But with so many threats flying around, how do you know which ones to prioritize?
The truth is, not every threat is worth losing sleep over. Some risks are inevitable, others are just noise. If you’re spending all your energy reacting to every single vulnerability without considering your unique risk profile, you’re probably missing the bigger picture.
The key here is to focus on the threats that matter most to you. Ask yourself: What’s most likely to happen to our business? What’s the potential impact? And then, prioritize based on those answers—not on the latest “scary headline” in the cybersecurity news.
Are you responding to the right threats, or are you getting sidetracked by the noise?
The Unspoken Truth
These are the hard questions that most security leaders avoid asking—because they don’t want to hear the answers. But ignoring them won’t keep your company safe. The truth is, security is about being proactive, staying vigilant, and knowing exactly what happens if things go south.
Don’t wait for a breach to force you to ask these questions. Let’s tackle them now, while you still have time to make sure your strategy is strong enough to handle whatever comes next.
If you’re ready to tackle these tough questions and build a security strategy that actually works, let’s talk.
👉 Book a free consultation here
👉 Follow me on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date with the latest in API security.
About Author
