Alternatives to Astra in IoT / OT

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What middleBrick covers

  • Black-box API scanning with under one minute runtime
  • Read-only methods to ensure safe execution
  • Authentication support for Bearer, API key, Basic, and Cookie
  • OpenAPI 3.0/3.1/Swagger 2.0 parsing with $ref resolution
  • Detection aligned to OWASP API Top 10 (2023)
  • CI/CD integration with GitHub Action and MCP server

Purpose and scope for IoT and OT API assessment

This tool focuses on API surface analysis for IoT and OT environments. It inspects HTTP APIs used by devices, gateways, and management systems to surface risks that could affect operational technology networks. The scanner performs black-box requests only and does not interact with device firmware or fieldbus protocols.

Detection coverage aligned to standards

Findings map to OWASP API Top 10 (2023) and support audit evidence for SOC 2 Type II and PCI-DSS 4.0. Detection includes authentication bypass attempts, JWT misconfigurations, IDOR patterns, privilege escalation probes, data exposure indicators such as API keys and PII patterns, and common injection vectors relevant to API interfaces in IoT/OT settings. The scanner also highlights CORS misconfigurations, unsafe HTTP methods, and error leakage that can assist security reviews.

Scan methodology and constraints

Each scan runs under one minute using read-only methods (GET and HEAD) plus text-only POST for LLM probes. OpenAPI 3.0, 3.1, and Swagger 2.0 specs are parsed with recursive $ref resolution and compared against runtime behavior. The tool does not perform active SQL injection or command injection testing, does not attempt to exploit business logic, and does not conduct blind SSRF testing. It is not a replacement for a human pentester in high-stakes audits.

Authentication support and safe forwarding

Authenticated scanning supports Bearer tokens, API keys, Basic auth, and cookies. Domain verification is enforced so only domain owners can scan with credentials. Header forwarding is limited to Authorization, X-API-Key, Cookie, and X-Custom-* headers. This design reduces risk when assessing device management APIs while maintaining read-only safety.

Continuous monitoring and integrations

Pro tier features scheduled rescans, diff detection across runs, and email alerts rate-limited to one per hour per API. Findings can be surfaced via HMAC-SHA256 signed webhooks that auto-disable after five consecutive failures. The scanner integrates with CI/CD through a GitHub Action that can fail builds based on score thresholds, and an MCP server enables scanning from AI-assisted coding tools. Results can be managed through a web dashboard with trend tracking and downloadable compliance reports.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can this tool replace a formal audit for IoT/OT environments?
No. The tool detects API-level issues and supports audit evidence but does not replace human review for business logic or safety-critical OT assessments.
Does the tool test with destructive payloads against IoT devices?
No. Only read-only methods are used and destructive payloads are never sent.
What authentication methods are supported for authenticated scans?
Bearer tokens, API keys, Basic auth, and cookies, with domain verification required.
How are new findings compared across scans?
Continuous monitoring produces diffs that highlight new findings, resolved findings, and score drift across scheduled scans.
Does the tool provide compliance certifications?
It does not certify compliance. It maps findings to frameworks and supports audit evidence collection.

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