Page 156 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2025

Conclusion: From Shadow to Spotlight

Every enterprise is now an API enterprise. APIs are the currency of modern business, regardless of
whether you're developing SaaS integrations, mobile apps, or microservices.

However, APIs turn into liabilities in the absence of visibility. Shadow APIs are the covert backdoor that
compromises application security; they are not a specialized issue.

The way forward necessitates:

1. A discovery-first mentality: you cannot safeguard what you do not understand.
2. Integration with DevSecOps: security needs to be a part of the pipeline, not after deployment.
3. Shared responsibility: architects, security engineers, and developers all have a part to play.

Speed-driven APIs shouldn't be used as entry points for security flaws. We promote innovation without
compromising trust by exposing shadow APIs.

About the Author

Sandeep Dommari is a Senior Cybersecurity Architect and IAM Strategist
with over 18 years of experience designing secure access frameworks
across Fortune 100 enterprises. His work focuses on application security,
adaptive identity, and building secure-by-design architectures for critical
industries.

Sandeep can be reached online at [email protected]

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2025 Edition 156
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