APIs are the Language of AI. Protecting them is Critical. In this discussion, A10 Networks security experts Jamison Utter and Carlo Alpuerto explore the emerging impact of Agentic AI on the API security landscape. They delve into how AI agents, as new API consumers, are driving an explosion in endpoints and exacerbating existing security issues, pushing API protection higher up the security practitioners' priority list. The conversation begins by establishing that AI APIs, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, are, in fact, standard JSON APIs. Still, their rise will lead to a massive increase in both connectivity and outbound traffic from AI agents that control and automate various systems. Key Discussion Points: ▪️ The Amplification Effect of AI Carlo and Jamison agree that Agentic AI does not necessarily change the security landscape as much as it exacerbates existing issues, creating an amplification effect of complexity and risk. ▪️ The Explosion of Shadow APIs: The increased likelihood of unknown, insecure, or outdated "zombie" APIs being spontaneously used or even created by AI agents poses a significant challenge to API identification and management. ▪️ The Asymmetric Nature of AI Traffic Jamison points out the unprecedented asymmetry in AI-related data exchange, where a small prompt request can result in a massive data response, like a 30-minute video, complicating network security analysis. ▪️ Beyond Visibility Contextual Security. They discuss simple visibility, emphasizing that without context about the use, vulnerability, and business impact of an API, a long list of possible threats can be overwhelming and ineffective for a Security Operations Center SOC. ▪️ Protecting the Business vs Stopping all Commerce: The importance of focusing security efforts on threats that pose a probable and catastrophic impact to the business, rather than trying to halt all communication or fix every trivial vulnerability. ▪️ The Importance of Specialized SOCs Jamison argues that generalized SOCs are less effective than highly specialized security teams that focus on specific protocol groups, like the A10 Networks specialized SOC, enabling them to more quickly understand and respond to the particular threats in their domain. ▪️ Fix it, don't just respond to it. A crucial takeaway is the need for proper remediation. Responding to an attack means the breach has already occurred, so security must focus on fixing the root vulnerability to prevent the attack from happening again. Watch as these industry experts navigate the challenges and discuss the necessary focus and specialization required for adequate API security in the age of Agentic AI. Learn more here: #ai #agenticai #soc #apisecurity #aiagents