An example of API is google weather app, using the weather channel's API to collect accurate weather data and broadcast it on goggle weather app, so google doesn't have to do it their selves API stands for application programming interface, which is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications or components to communicate and exchange data. Using an API would be the best way to acquire data from a cloud-based vulnerability assessment solution for both the configuration management database and the governance risk and compliance tool, because it would allow automated and standardized data transfer between different systems. CSV export, SOAR, or machine learning are not methods of data acquisition, but rather formats or tools that can be used for data analysis or processing. Reference: https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/api/what-are-application-programming-interfaces