What is an API, what is the risk to corporations and what is a better alternative?

API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of protocols, tools, and standards for building software applications. It allows different software applications to communicate with each other and exchange information often at core database level.  APIs are widely used in modern web development, mobile app development, and cloud computing. However, using APIs comes with certain risks that need to be considered. In this blog, we will discuss what an API is, the risks of using it, and why Microsoft Data Factory is a better and more secure alternative. We will also provide examples of data breaches due to API and explain why corporations should avoid using APIs.

What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of protocols and tools for building software applications. APIs allow different software applications to communicate with each other and exchange information. For example, if you want to integrate your website with a payment gateway, you can use the payment gateway's API to connect your website to the payment gateway and process payments.
APIs can be public or private. Public APIs are available to anyone who wants to use them, while private APIs are only available to authorized users. APIs can also be RESTful (Representational State Transfer) or SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). RESTful APIs use HTTP protocols and are lightweight and flexible, while SOAP APIs use XML and are more rigid and complex.

What are the risks of using APIs?

Using APIs comes with certain risks that need to be considered. Some of the risks include:

• Security Risks: APIs can be vulnerable to security risks such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyber attacks. This is because APIs expose data and functionality to external parties, which can be exploited by hackers.
• Integration Risks: Integrating APIs into your software application can be complex and time-consuming. It requires technical expertise and may involve changes to your software architecture.
• Maintenance Risks: APIs can require regular maintenance and updates to ensure that they are secure and compatible with other software applications.
• Vendor Lock-In Risks: If you use a third-party API provider, you may become dependent on their services and may not be able to switch to another provider without significant costs.
  
  

What is Microsoft Data Factory?

Microsoft Data Factory is a cloud-based data integration service that allows you to create, schedule, and orchestrate data pipelines across various sources and destinations. Data Factory provides a managed environment for data integration and transformation, making it easier to manage data workflows and ensure data quality.
Data Factory uses connectors to connect to various data sources and destinations, such as Azure Blob Storage, Azure Data Lake Storage, and Azure SQL Database. It also provides visual tools for building and debugging data pipelines, making it easier to design and maintain data workflows. Right now, Data Factory provides over 900 direct data integrations across all major corporate applications and data systems.

Microsoft Data Factory is a better and more secure alternative to using APIs for several reasons:

• Managed Environment: Microsoft Data Factory provides a managed environment for data integration, which reduces the complexity and maintenance required for data workflows.
• Centralized Management: Microsoft Data Factory provides centralized management for data pipelines, making it easier to manage and monitor data workflows.
• Security: Microsoft Data Factory provides built-in security features, such as Azure Active Directory authentication and encryption, to ensure that your data is secure.
• Scalability: Microsoft Data Factory is designed to scale to meet your data integration needs, allowing you to process large volumes of data quickly and efficiently.
• Cost-Effective: Microsoft Data Factory is a cost-effective solution for data integration, with flexible pricing options based on your data integration needs.

Why should corporations avoid using APIs?

Corporations should avoid using APIs because they can be vulnerable to security risks and data breaches. APIs expose data and functionality to external parties, which can be exploited by hackers. Corporations should also avoid using APIs because
they can be complex to integrate, require regular maintenance, and may lead to vendor lock-in. Additionally, if a corporation's software application is integrated with multiple APIs, it can become difficult to manage and maintain.

Examples of data breaches due to API

Several high-profile data breaches have occurred due to vulnerabilities in APIs. For example, in 2018, a vulnerability in a Google+ API exposed the data of up to 500,000 users. In 2019, a vulnerability in a Capital One API exposed the data of over 100 million customers.
In both cases, the vulnerabilities were caused by misconfigurations and errors in the APIs, highlighting the risks associated with using APIs for data integration.

In Conclusion

Microsoft Data Factory is a better and more secure alternative to using APIs for data integration. It provides a managed environment for data integration, centralized management for data workflows, built-in security features, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
Corporations should consider using Microsoft Data Factory instead of APIs for data integration to reduce the risks of security breaches and data loss. When evaluating SaaS providers that use APIs, corporations should ask questions about security, vendor lock-in, and data privacy to ensure that their data is protected and that their business operations are not disrupted by unexpected changes to the API.
In conclusion, the use of APIs for data integration poses significant risks to corporations, and Microsoft Data Factory should be the data connection of choice.

For this reason, Expede does not provide any API integration, but instead provides robust connection of data through Microsoft Data Factory with over 900 'out-the-box' integrations, therefore providing the majority of corporate integration needs in a far more secure environment.  Read more: Microsoft Data Factory.