Active

API Security Framework

The organization shall establish an API security framework that defines the structures, processes, and practices for securing application programming interfaces. The framework shall articulate how APIs are authenticated, authorized, and protected, and how API security is governed, providing the foundation for all API security activities.

Requirement ID
APP-008-R001
Parent Control
APP-008
Domain Code
APP

Requirement Details & Guidance

APP-008-R001 · APP-008
Why This Requirement Exists

APIs expose application functionality and data directly and are frequent targets for unauthorized access, abuse, and data exposure.

Implementation Guidance

Apply authentication, authorization, input validation, rate limiting, schema validation, secure transport, logging, and lifecycle controls to APIs.

Practical Application & Audit Readiness

APP-008-R001 · Field Guidance

Business Examples

    Common Audit Findings

      Common Mistakes

        Best Practices & Ownership

        APP-008 · Recommended Approach

        Recommended Practices

          Typical Owner

          Cross-Mapped Regulatory Frameworks

          Harmonized Control Mappings
          FRAMEWORK CODE FRAMEWORK NAME & DETAILS FAMILY / CATEGORY VERSION ACTION
          IRDAI IRDAI Information & Cyber Security Guidelines IRDAI information and cyber-security requirements... Clause: §2.5-3.1.2 – Application security standards
          India
          Guideline
          		 vLatest View →
          RBI-CSF RBI Cyber Security Framework / Master Directions RBI cyber-security requirements and directions set... Clause: 6) Application Security Life Cycle (ASLC) – 6.4 Security requirements for access, authentication, authorization, integrity, logging, audit trail, sessions and exceptions; 8) User Access Control / Management – 8.4 Centralised authentication/authorization, strong passwords, MFA, least privilege and segregation of duties
          India
          Regulation
          		 vLatest View →
          SEBI-CSCRF SEBI Cyber Security & Cyber Resilience Framework SEBI’s Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framewor... Clause: 3.1 PR.AA: Identity Management, Authentication, and Access Control; 3.4 PR.IP: Information Protection Processes and Procedures
          India
          Regulation
          		 vLatest View →
          DORA Digital Operational Resilience Act The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act establis... Clause: Article 9(4)(c) – Logical/physical access limitation and access-rights administration Article 9(4)(d) – Strong authentication, cryptographic keys and encryption
          EU
          Regulation
          		 vCurrent View →
          ISO27002 ISO/IEC 27002 ISO/IEC 27002 is a guidance standard containing a... Clause: 8.26 – Application security requirements
          ISO
          Standard
          		 v2022 View →
          NIS2 NIS2 Directive The NIS2 Directive establishes EU-wide cybersecuri... Clause: Article 21(2)(i) – Human resources security, access control policies and asset management
          EU
          Directive
          		 vCurrent View →
          PCI-DSS PCI DSS PCI DSS is an industry security standard maintaine... Clause: 6.2.1 – Bespoke and custom software are developed; 6.2.4 – Software engineering techniques or other; 6.4.1 – For public-facing web applications, new threats; 6.4.2 – For public-facing web applications, an
          PCI
          Standard
          		 v4 View →
          COBIT2019 COBIT COBIT is an enterprise governance and management f... Clause: 4.3 – Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI) > BAI03 – Managed Solutions Identification and Build > BAI03.05 – Build solutions.
          COBIT
          Governance Framework
          		 v2019 View →
          NIST-CSF NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides high-lev... Clause: PR.PS – Platform Security | PR.PS-06 – Secure software development practices are integrated, and their performance is monitored throughout the software development life cycle PR.PS – Platform Security | PR.PS-01 – Configuration management practices are established and applied DE.CM – Continuous Monitoring | DE.CM-09 – Computing hardware and software, runtime environments, and their data are monitored to find potentially adverse events
          NIST
          Framework
          		 v2 View →
          NIST80053 NIST SP 800-53 NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 presents control families, i... Clause: 3.1 – ACCESS CONTROL, 3.7 – IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION, 3.19 – SYSTEM AND INFORMATION INTEGRITY; AC-3 – ACCESS ENFORCEMENT, IA-2 – IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION (ORGANIZATIONAL USERS), SI-10 – INFORMATION INPUT VALIDATION
          NIST
          Control Catalog
          		 vRev. 5 View →
          NPCI-ISR NPCI Information Security Requirements NPCI information-security requirements define cont... Clause: Security Measures / Controls; Application Security – API and POS Security
          India
          Standard
          		 vLatest View →
          SOC2 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria SOC 2 is an independent examination and reporting... Clause: CC6.1 – Logical and Physical Access Controls – The entity implements logical access security software, infrastructure, and architectures over protected information assets to protect them from security events to meet the entity's objectives. CC6.3 – Logical and Physical Access Controls – The entity authorizes, modifies, or removes access to data, software, functions, and other protected information assets based on roles, responsibilities, or the system design and changes, giving consideration to the concepts of least privilege and segregation of duties, to meet the entity’s objectives. CC6.7 – Logical and Physical Access Controls – The entity restricts the transmission, movement, and removal of information to authorized internal and external users and processes, and protects it during transmission, movement, or removal to meet the entity’s objectives.
          AICPA
          Audit Framework
          		 vLatest View →

          Parent Domain Context

          Governance Domain Baseline
          Domain Name:
          Application Security (APP)
          Purpose:
          To ensure the security of internally developed and acquired applications.
          Scope:
          Enterprise
          View

          Parent Control Context

          Control Baseline
          Control Name:
          API Security (APP-008)
          Summary:
          Establishes API security including authentication, authorization, input validation, rate limiting, monitoring, testing, reporting, review, and continuous improvement for API protection.
          Business Description:
          Establish and maintain security controls to protect Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) through authentication, authorization, input validation, encryption, monitoring, and security testing.
          View