42Crunch

42Crunch (42crunch.com) is an API security platform built around the OpenAPI specification, designed to catch vulnerabilities at every stage of the API lifecycle — from design in the IDE, through CI/CD pipelines, to runtime protection in production. Deployed by Fortune 500 firms and used by over 1.6 million developers globally, 42Crunch takes a developer-first and API-first approach to security, integrating directly into the tools and workflows developers already use rather than adding a separate security layer. Its January 2026 release added an API Contract Generator that converts existing Postman Collections and HAR files into OpenAPI contracts directly inside the IDE.

The platform covers three core stages: API Audit — static analysis of OpenAPI specifications with automated security scoring and remediation guidance; API Scan — dynamic conformance testing of live APIs against their contract; and API Protection — a micro API firewall deployed as a Kubernetes sidecar that enforces the OpenAPI contract at runtime using a positive security model, blocking malicious requests with sub-millisecond latency. IDE extensions for VS Code, 19+ JetBrains IDEs, and Eclipse bring all three capabilities directly into the developer's editor, with a freemium tier available without even creating an account.

How 42Crunch Works

Developers install the 42Crunch IDE extension and open any OpenAPI specification file. The extension immediately runs an audit, scoring the spec against hundreds of security checks and highlighting vulnerabilities with inline guidance. Once an API is deployed, the Scan component runs dynamic tests against the live endpoint, verifying that the actual API behaviour conforms to the contract. In CI/CD, 42Crunch integrates with GitHub Actions, GitLab, Azure Pipelines, Jenkins, Bitbucket, Bamboo, and Tekton, generating SARIF output for code scanning dashboards. For production protection, the micro firewall sidecar is deployed alongside the API service in Kubernetes, inspecting every transaction and blocking non-conforming requests before they reach the application.

Key Features

• API Audit — static security analysis of OpenAPI specifications with automated security scoring, 200+ security checks, and inline remediation guidance in the IDE
• API Scan — dynamic contract conformance testing of live APIs, verifying actual behaviour matches the OpenAPI spec and detecting runtime vulnerabilities
• Micro API Firewall — Kubernetes sidecar that enforces OpenAPI contracts at runtime with a positive security model and sub-millisecond latency overhead
• API Contract Generator — converts Postman Collections and HAR network traffic files into OpenAPI specs directly inside the IDE (added January 2026)
• IDE extensions — plugins for VS Code, 19+ JetBrains IDEs, and Eclipse; freemium tier works without an account
• CI/CD integration — GitHub Actions, GitLab, Azure Pipelines, Jenkins, Bitbucket, Bamboo, and Tekton with SARIF output
• GraphQL support — full GraphQL API security scanning and federation support added in 2026
• Security governance — policy enforcement across the API lifecycle, preventing vulnerable APIs from reaching production
• SARIF output — integrates with GitHub code scanning alerts and other SARIF-compatible security dashboards
• Free tier — IDE audit and basic scanning available at no cost, no account required for the IDE extension

42Crunch Pricing

• Free — $0/month — API Audit in the IDE, security scoring, and basic vulnerability detection. No account required for the IDE extension. Suitable for individual developers exploring API security.
• Developer — $9/month — Full API Audit and Scan capabilities, CI/CD integration, and access to the 42Crunch platform for individual developers working in production workflows.
• Team — $20/month — All Developer features plus team collaboration, shared API collections, organisation-level security governance, and policy management for teams.

Enterprise and custom plans available for large organisations with dedicated support and advanced compliance needs. Always verify current rates at 42crunch.com/pricing.

Who Should Use 42Crunch?

42Crunch is purpose-built for development and security teams at organisations that take an API-first approach and need to enforce security governance across a large API portfolio. Its IDE-first design makes it accessible to developers without a security background, while its CI/CD integration and runtime firewall satisfy enterprise security requirements. It is especially strong for teams already writing OpenAPI specifications as a standard practice. Teams without OpenAPI specs, or those looking for a full API management platform (gateway, rate limiting, developer portal), will need to combine 42Crunch with a dedicated API management tool.

Frequently Asked Questions