During PCI audit API security check
What middleBrick covers
- Black-box API scanning with no agents or code access
- Authentication and JWT misconfiguration detection
- OWASP API Top 10 and PCI-DSS 4.0 aligned findings
- LLM security probes with read-only adversarial checks
- OpenAPI spec parsing and runtime cross-reference
- Continuous monitoring with diff and compliance reporting
Purpose and scope during PCI audit preparation
During a PCI audit, the focus is on how cardholder data moves through your APIs and what controls are verifiable. This scanner operates as a black-box assessment of public-facing endpoints, mapping observable behaviors against PCI-DSS 4.0 relevant requirements. It does not replace a Qualified Security Assessor, but it supplies consistent, repeatable evidence about authentication, data exposure, and access controls for review cycles.
Authentication and authorization checks
The scanner evaluates authentication mechanisms and authorization boundaries using only read-only methods. It checks JWT configurations such as alg=none, weak algorithms, expired tokens, missing claims, and whether sensitive data appears in claims. It also probes security headers and WWW-Authenticate compliance to surface weaknesses in how access is granted and enforced.
- Bearer, API key, Basic auth, and Cookie handling
- Header allowlist enforcement for forwarded credentials
- Domain verification to ensure credentials are tested only with owner consent
OWASP API Top 10 coverage and PCI-DSS alignment
The assessment covers 12 categories aligned to OWASP API Top 10 (2023), which maps findings to PCI-DSS 4.0 controls where applicable. Detection includes Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA/IDOR), Broken Function Level Authorization (BFLA) and privilege escalation, over-exposed properties, and unsafe input validation such as CORS wildcards and dangerous HTTP methods. Sensitive data exposure checks include PII patterns, API key formats, and error leakage, while encryption checks validate HTTPS redirects, HSTS, and cookie flags.
LLM and API inventory considerations
The scanner includes specific checks for LLM/AI security with adversarial probes focused on prompt extraction, instruction override, and data exfiltration patterns. Inventory management checks identify missing versioning, legacy paths, and server fingerprinting that can aid reconnaissance. Each probe is read-only and designed to avoid destructive or intrusive payloads, respecting the boundary of safe, observable behavior.
Reporting, monitoring, and integration for audit evidence
Findings are delivered through a web dashboard with trend tracking and the ability to download branded compliance PDFs that describe identified risks and remediation guidance. Pro tier options add scheduled rescans, diff detection across scans, and email or webhook alerts to track resolution over time. The scanner provides artifacts useful for audit evidence, while clearly stating it does not certify or guarantee compliance with any regulation.