API abuse refers to the misuse of an application programming interface (API) to access, extract, or manipulate data in unauthorized or unintended ways. Attackers or malicious users may exploit vulnerabilities, bypass restrictions, or use APIs at excessive rates to gain sensitive information, disrupt services, or perform fraudulent activities. This can lead to data breaches, service outages, and financial losses for organizations. Preventing API abuse involves implementing strong authentication, rate limiting, and monitoring for unusual activity to ensure APIs are used only as intended.