diff --git a/checkov/openapi/checks/resource/generic/SecurityOperations.py b/checkov/openapi/checks/resource/generic/SecurityOperations.py
index 0b92ed07e4b..dfa17a1d8d3 100644
--- a/checkov/openapi/checks/resource/generic/SecurityOperations.py
+++ b/checkov/openapi/checks/resource/generic/SecurityOperations.py
@@ -16,8 +16,12 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
                          block_type=BlockType.DOCUMENT)
 
     def scan_entity_conf(self, conf: dict[str, Any], entity_type: str) -> tuple[CheckResult, dict[str, Any]]:  # type:ignore[override]  # return type is different than the base class
-        self.evaluated_keys = ['paths']
+        self.evaluated_keys = ['security', 'paths']
 
+        # Check if security field is present and not empty at the root level
+        root_security = conf.get('security')
+
+        # If security field is not present or empty at the root level, check within each operation
         paths = conf.get('paths', {}) or {}
         if isinstance(paths, dict):
             for path, http_method in paths.items():
@@ -30,12 +34,14 @@ def scan_entity_conf(self, conf: dict[str, Any], entity_type: str) -> tuple[Chec
                         self.evaluated_keys = ['security']
                         if not isinstance(op_val, dict):
                             continue
-                        if 'security' not in op_val:
+                        op_security = op_val.get("security")
+                        if op_security is not None and not op_security:
+                            # fails when security field is set as empty list
                             return CheckResult.FAILED, conf
 
-                        security = op_val['security']
-                        if not security:
-                            return CheckResult.FAILED, paths
+                        if op_security is None and not root_security:
+                            # no security field for the operation and not in the root
+                            return CheckResult.FAILED, conf
 
         return CheckResult.PASSED, conf
 
diff --git a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.json b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.json
index adb94d6be15..4e55d60d5d2 100644
--- a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.json
+++ b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "swagger": "2.0",
+  "openapi": "3.0.0",
   "info": {
     "title": "example",
     "version": "1.0.0",
diff --git a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.yaml b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.yaml
index a9ec6590ab9..56b31b527d5 100644
--- a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.yaml
+++ b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass2.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-swagger: "2.0"
+openapi: 3.0.0
 info:
   title: example
   version: 1.0.0
@@ -27,4 +27,4 @@ paths:
                 type: string
             required:
               - code
-              - message
\ No newline at end of file
+              - message
diff --git a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.json b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..89ed1dde57a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.json
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+{
+  "openapi": "3.0.3",
+  "info": {
+    "title": "example",
+    "version": "1.0.0",
+    "contact": {
+      "name": "contact",
+      "url": "https://www.google.com/",
+      "email": "user@gmail.com"
+    }
+  },
+  "security": [
+    {
+      "ApiKeyAuth": []
+    }
+  ],
+  "paths": {
+    "/": {
+      "get": {
+        "operationId": "id",
+        "summary": "example",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "200 response",
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "code": {
+                  "type": "integer",
+                  "format": "int32"
+                },
+                "message": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "code",
+                "message"
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "components": {
+    "securitySchemes": {
+      "ApiKeyAuth": {
+        "type": "apiKey",
+        "in": "header",
+        "name": "X-API-KEY"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.yaml b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..340957dbf32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/example_SecurityOperations/pass3.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+openapi: "3.0.3"
+info:
+  title: example
+  version: 1.0.0
+  contact:
+    name: contact
+    url: https://www.google.com/
+    email: user@gmail.com
+security:  
+  - ApiKeyAuth: []
+paths:
+  "/":
+    get:
+      operationId: id
+      summary: example
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          description: 200 response
+          schema:
+            type: object
+            properties:
+              code:
+                type: integer
+                format: int32
+              message:
+                type: string
+            required:
+              - code
+              - message
+components:
+  securitySchemes:
+    ApiKeyAuth:
+      type: apiKey
+      in: header
+      name: X-API-KEY
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/test_SecurityOperations.py b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/test_SecurityOperations.py
index 05ce403b60b..6f677bda049 100644
--- a/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/test_SecurityOperations.py
+++ b/tests/openapi/checks/resource/generic/test_SecurityOperations.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ def test_summary(self):
             "/pass1.json",
             "/pass2.yaml",
             "/pass2.json",
+            "/pass3.yaml",
+            "/pass3.json",
         }
         failing_resources = {
             "/fail1.yaml",