Overview

Google, IBM & Meta Certificates – 40% Off

One plan covers every Professional Certificate on Coursera.

This course features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. Dive into the world of API security testing with this comprehensive course designed for both aspiring bug hunters and penetration testers. You’ll gain hands-on experience with key API vulnerabilities, understand attack surfaces, and learn methods to detect and exploit weaknesses while strengthening your security mindset. This course equips you with actionable skills that are highly relevant in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Starting with a solid foundation, the course introduces API concepts, explains their importance in modern applications, and walks you through the different API types including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL. You’ll explore lab setups using vAPI and Docker, learn to work with Swagger UI and OpenAPI specifications, and practice configuring secure API requests for testing purposes. The course then moves into advanced, practical exercises with the OWASP Top 10 API vulnerabilities. Through interactive labs using Postman, you’ll learn to identify and exploit broken object-level authorization, excessive data exposure, mass assignment, security misconfigurations, and more. You’ll also gain insight into using fuzzers, parsing JSON outputs, and applying AI techniques in API pentesting. This course is ideal for ethical hackers, penetration testers, bug bounty hunters, and security enthusiasts who want to strengthen their API testing skills. No prior advanced experience is required, though a basic understanding of web technologies is helpful. Difficulty level is intermediate, suitable for learners looking to bridge theory and hands-on security practice. By the end of the course, you will be able to confidently identify API vulnerabilities, set up secure lab environments, leverage tools like Postman and Swagger UI for testing, and apply advanced techniques including fuzzing and AI-assisted pentesting to real-world API security challenges.

Syllabus

Introduction

In this module, we will provide an overview of the course structure, its objectives, and the core concepts of API security testing. You will gain clarity on what to expect and how to navigate the content. This sets the foundation for an effective learning journey in pentesting APIs.

Introduction to API Security

In this module, we will introduce the essential principles of API security and why it matters for organizations and testers. You will explore the critical attack surfaces APIs expose. By the end, you’ll understand the risks and significance of securing APIs.

Understanding APIs for Bug Bounties

In this module, we will focus on how APIs are targeted in bug bounty programs. You will learn to find HackerOne API reports and understand API functionality. This knowledge will sharpen your skills for practical bug hunting exercises.

Deep Dive into APIs

In this module, we will take a deep dive into various API types, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL. You will explore their architectures, security challenges, and use cases. This knowledge equips you to identify and assess vulnerabilities effectively.

Lab Setup using vAPI

In this module, we will guide you through setting up a practical lab for API security testing. You will learn to use Docker, OpenAPI, and Swagger UI for real-world testing scenarios. This ensures you have a safe and effective environment to practice pentesting.

OWASP Top 10 Practical Test Cases

In this module, we will cover hands-on testing of the OWASP Top 10 API security risks. You will learn to use Postman, fuzzers, and AI-assisted tools for practical vulnerability assessment. By the end, you’ll be able to identify, exploit, and mitigate API security flaws professionally.