API Misconfiguration Exploitation

API Misconfiguration Exploitation represents a critical attack vector within the Expanding Control phase, specifically under Exploitation of Remote Services, where adversaries target poorly configured APIs to extend their reach across an environment. Attackers exploit common API security misconfigurations such as insufficient authentication, broken object-level authorization, improper rate limiting, or excessive data exposure to gain unauthorized access to systems, escalate privileges, or pivot to connected resources. Unlike traditional service exploitation that may focus on software vulnerabilities, this sub-technique specifically targets architectural and configuration weaknesses in API design and implementation that allow attackers to bypass security controls through legitimate API channels. These misconfigurations may include exposed admin endpoints, insufficient credential validation, improper CORS settings, or missing input validation that enables attackers to send malformed requests that the API processes in unintended ways. Once exploited, these misconfigurations can allow an attacker to move laterally through interconnected services, extract sensitive data, or gain persistent access to additional systems connected through the API ecosystem.