API Security Testing & BOLA Penetration Testing
Manual offensive security testing for REST, GraphQL, and gRPC APIs. We uncover Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA/IDOR), authentication bypasses, tenant isolation failures, and business logic flaws that automated scanners overlook.
SaaS, FinTech, and AI engineering teams with high-value API endpoints.
Manual authorization, BOLA/BFLA, JWT validation, and multi-tenant isolation.
Reproducible PoCs, remediation code snippets, executive summary & 30-day retest.
Who We Help
We partner with engineering leaders who need deep verification of their API access controls and multi-tenant security boundaries before going to market or closing enterprise deals.
Multi-Tenant SaaS Platforms
Ensure Tenant A can never query or manipulate Tenant B data through object-level parameter manipulation (BOLA/IDOR).
FinTech & Payment APIs
Harden financial transaction APIs, webhook callback integrity, ledger balance triggers, and banking integrations.
AI & LLM Data Gateways
Validate authentication, vector database tenant filtering, and API key governance on AI microservice endpoints.
Mobile Backend APIs
Protect mobile client endpoints against token forging, rate-limiting bypasses, and unverified data dumps.
What We Test in Your APIs
Our testing evaluates the complete OWASP API Security Top 10 with human-led exploitation of logic boundaries.
Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA / IDOR)
Systematically testing path and query parameters (e.g., GET /api/v1/workspaces/{id} or /invoices/{uuid}) by swapping authenticated tokens between users to verify that database queries strictly enforce session ownership.
Broken Authentication & Token Hygiene
Testing JWT signature enforcement, algorithm confusion (such as 'none' or asymmetric/symmetric mismatches), OAuth 2.0 grant flows, session invalidation, and credential stuffing defenses.
Broken Object Property Authorization (Mass Assignment)
Testing request payloads and parameter binding to ensure regular users cannot alter sensitive properties such as role assignments ('role': 'admin'), subscription tiers, or verified account statuses.
Broken Function Level Authorization (BFLA)
Testing horizontal and vertical privilege boundaries by attempting to invoke administrative, audit, or partner-level endpoints using low-privilege standard user session tokens.
Multi-Tenant Isolation & Query Scoping
Verifying that database access layers and shared connection pools maintain strict tenant isolation, preventing Customer A from accessing Customer B's records under parameter tampering.
Business Logic & Workflow Integrity
Evaluating multi-step workflow manipulation, transaction race conditions, out-of-order state transitions, coupon stacking, and payment verification bypasses that automated scanners cannot model.
GraphQL Resolver & Query Depth Security
Testing circular query recursion, batch query abuse, schema introspection exposure, and field-level authorization resolvers to protect sensitive nested objects.
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) & Webhooks
Fuzzing webhook callbacks, URL import mechanisms, and document parsers to prevent internal network scanning and cloud instance metadata (169.254.169.254) exfiltration.
What You Receive from TrustLayerLabs
Actionable engineering documentation designed for rapid remediation and verification for stakeholders.
Detailed Technical Penetration Test Report
Complete vulnerability breakdown with CVSS v3.1 scoring, affected endpoints, root cause analysis, and risk levels.
Developer-Ready PoCs & Reproduction Steps
Raw HTTP request/response logs, step-by-step reproduction scripts, and curl commands for every validated issue.
Code-Level Remediation Guidance
Practical fix examples and secure code snippets tailored for Node.js, Python, Go, Java, and API gateway configurations.
Executive Summary for Stakeholders
A concise risk summary for CTOs, founders, enterprise procurement teams, and compliance auditors.
Engineering Debrief Call
Direct collaborative walkthrough with our lead offensive practitioner to answer developer questions and guide patches.
30-Day Retest & Verification Letter
Re-evaluation of fixed endpoints and issuance of a formal Retest Verification Letter confirming remediation.
Securing financial APIs, payment gateways, or banking integrations? Explore our dedicated FinTech API Security Testing services.
FinTech VAPT →Auditing APIs serving iOS or Android applications? Explore our Mobile Application VAPT services.
Mobile VAPT →API Security Testing FAQs
Q:What is API penetration testing and how does it differ from automated scanning?
API penetration testing is a hands-on security assessment where practitioners manually evaluate REST, GraphQL, and gRPC endpoints to uncover vulnerabilities that automated scanners miss. While scanners detect static signatures and known CVEs, human testers examine authorization boundaries, session lifecycles, and business logic. For example, an automated scanner cannot determine whether substituting a workspace ID in an export request leaks another customer's data.
Q:What is the difference between authentication and authorization in API security?
Authentication verifies identity—confirming who the caller is via tokens, keys, or passwords. Authorization verifies permissions—determining whether that authenticated identity has the right to view, modify, or delete a specific resource. Most severe API breaches occur when authentication succeeds, but the application fails to verify object-level authorization before executing an action.
Q:What is BOLA (Broken Object Level Authorization) in API security?
BOLA (OWASP API1:2023), formerly referred to as IDOR, occurs when an endpoint accepts a resource identifier (such as a UUID, database ID, or username) from user input without verifying that the requesting identity owns or is authorized to access that resource. Attackers exploit BOLA by simply altering the identifier in the request path or body to access other users' private records.
Q:What does a complete API security assessment include?
Our API security assessments cover all OWASP API Security Top 10 categories, object and function-level authorization, token lifecycle validation, tenant isolation, and business logic flows. You receive an executive summary, detailed technical report with CVSS scores, verified curl reproduction steps, code remediation guidance, and complimentary 30-day retesting.
Q:What prerequisites are required to scope an API security assessment?
We typically require API documentation (Postman collection, OpenAPI/Swagger JSON, or endpoint list), staging environment access, test accounts representing different user roles (e.g., Tenant A User vs. Tenant B Admin), and mutual NDA execution.
Q:How long does an API security assessment take?
A standard API penetration test takes 5 to 7 business days depending on endpoint count, authentication complexity, and custom business logic. For urgent customer security reviews, preliminary critical findings can be shared within 48 to 72 hours.
Q:Is retesting included after our engineering team patches the findings?
Yes. Every assessment includes one complimentary retest within 30 days of report delivery. Once your developers deploy fixes to staging, our practitioners re-test the identified vectors and issue an updated report and Retest Verification Letter.
Ready to Scope Your API Security Assessment?
Schedule a 30-minute scoping review with our lead security architects under mutual NDA. We will evaluate your endpoint surface and provide a transparent, fixed proposal.
Initiate Your Security Assessment
Request a scope review or connect directly with our offensive security practitioners. Mutual NDA executed upfront.
Connect with us for scoping advice, security assessment enquiries, or to execute a mutual NDA before technical discussions.
📍 Distributed Team: Remote-First Security Assessments
Jurisdiction: Govt. of India Registered MSME · UDYAM-AP-21-0044317
30-Minute Confidential Security Review
Speak directly with an offensive security architect. Choose your time slot with real-time calendar synchronization.