Niagara Networks and L7 Defense team up for API security

Niagara Networks Inc. and L7 Defense Ltd. have teamed up in an effort to bring zero-trust security to API communications running across an organization's network.

The L7 Defense application, Ammune API Defense, runs on Niagara Networks' Open Visibility Platform. This provides full access to network traffic.

Ammune monitors and analyzes the risk of requests made through an API exchange. It does not take identity of source into account, which creates a zero-trust model. It also uses machine learning to determine irregular behaviors within API communication.

The Open Visibility Platform uses a Packetron powered network packet broker. According to Niagara Networks, this creates an intelligence-driven visibility layer. Niagara Networks captures traffic from anywhere in the network and provides full visibility to Ammune for risk inspection to provide API security.

Ammune API Defense is based on three main components: discover, detect and defend.

• Discover: Ammune uses autodiscovery of the web, mobile and API-based applications to identify potential attacking surfaces for API attacks.
• Detect: There is also autodetection, which finds anomalies in API behavior based on the Ammune multi-profile model.
• Defend: Ammune can be used for proactive responses or in a monitoring mode, which would alert security organizations to potential threats.

While APIs have been around for decades, the number has grown exponentially as technology has evolved. As the number has grown, so has the attack surface vulnerable to hackers. Companies from Facebook and Google to Salesforce and Twitter use APIs to provide access to the application's functions. Not protecting APIs can put thousands of users at risk.

Ammune API Defense by L7 is offered as an integrated product on the Niagara Network's Packet Broker.