Alternatives to APIsec for SREs

Try middleBrick free

What middleBrick covers

  • Black-box scanning with read-only methods under one minute
  • Risk score A–F with prioritized findings
  • Twelve categories aligned to OWASP API Top 10
  • OpenAPI 3.0/3.1 and Swagger 2.0 spec cross-reference
  • Authenticated scanning with domain verification
  • CI/CD integration via GitHub Action and MCP Server

Black-box scanning for SRE workflows

middleBrick is a self-service API security scanner that requires no agents, SDKs, or code access. You submit a target URL and receive a risk score from A to F with prioritized findings in under a minute. The scanner uses read-only methods (GET and HEAD) and text-only POST for LLM probes, making it suitable for production environments where intrusive testing is not acceptable.

Detection aligned to major standards

The scanner maps findings to three frameworks: PCI-DSS 4.0, SOC 2 Type II, and OWASP API Top 10 (2023). It detects 12 security categories including authentication bypass, BOLA and BFLA, property authorization issues, input validation flaws, rate limiting behaviors, data exposure patterns such as PII and API keys, encryption misconfigurations, SSRF indicators, inventory management gaps, and unsafe consumption surfaces. For LLM-facing APIs, it runs 18 adversarial probes across Quick, Standard, and Deep tiers, covering system prompt extraction, instruction override, jailbreaks, data exfiltration attempts, token smuggling, and multi-turn manipulation.

OpenAPI spec integration

middleBrick parses OpenAPI 3.0, 3.1, and Swagger 2.0 documents with recursive $ref resolution. It cross-references spec definitions against runtime findings to highlight undefined security schemes, sensitive field exposure, deprecated operations, and missing pagination. This helps teams validate that documented behavior matches actual runtime behavior without requiring access to source code.

Authenticated scanning and safe operations

Authenticated scanning is available in the Starter tier and above, supporting Bearer tokens, API keys, Basic auth, and cookies. Domain verification is enforced via DNS TXT records or an HTTP well-known file to ensure only domain owners can scan with credentials. The scanner uses a strict header allowlist and never sends destructive payloads. Private IPs, localhost, and cloud metadata endpoints are blocked at multiple layers, and customer data can be deleted on demand within 30 days of cancellation.

Product integrations and continuous monitoring

The Web Dashboard centralizes scans, reports, and score trend tracking, with options to download branded compliance PDFs. The CLI supports commands such as middlebrick scan <url> with JSON or text output. A GitHub Action can gate CI/CD pipelines, failing builds when scores drop below a defined threshold. The MCP Server enables scanning from AI coding assistants. Pro tier adds scheduled rescans, diff detection, email alerts at rate-limited intervals, signed webhooks, and Slack or Teams notifications.

See how middleBrick compares See all use cases

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this replace a human penetration test for high-risk systems?
No. The scanner detects and reports findings with remediation guidance, but it does not replace human pentesters for high-stakes audits or business logic vulnerabilities that require domain context.
Does the scanner perform active injection tests like SQL injection?
No. It does not perform active SQL injection or command injection, as those require intrusive payloads outside its scope.
How does authenticated scanning work?
Authenticated scanning allows Bearer, API key, Basic auth, and cookie-based authentication after domain verification. Only specific headers are forwarded, and credentials are never stored or used for model training.
What compliance frameworks does the product directly validate?
It maps findings to PCI-DSS 4.0, SOC 2 Type II, and OWASP API Top 10 (2023). For other frameworks, it helps prepare evidence and aligns with described security controls.

Related Pages

API security for SREsThe API security playbook for SREs: what to check, how often, and what to automate.API security for CTOsThe API security playbook for CTOs: what to check, how often, and what to automate.API security for VP of EngineeringsThe API security playbook for VP of Engineerings: what to check, how often, and what to automate.Alternatives to DetectifyViable alternatives to Detectify for API security — including middleBrick.Alternatives to Noname SecurityViable alternatives to Noname Security for API security — including middleBrick.Alternatives to Salt SecurityViable alternatives to Salt Security for API security — including middleBrick.