If you’re here, you probably already know what secrets in code are and the devastating consequences of a leak. You probably also know that secrets can be found across the software development lifecycle (SDLC) in various places, including source code, build logs, version histories, IaC templates, documentation, ticketing systems, and productivity tools like Slack and Confluence (among many others).
In this article, we’ll be focusing on secrets in source code. Why? Because source code is frequently shared, reviewed, and stored in repositories where many people have access. That means secrets are more likely to be exposed in source code compared to other locations.
Keep reading to learn more about the importance of detecting secrets in source code, why traditional code reviews might fail, and the best tools and practices for effective secrets management.
Understanding Secrets in Source Code
Before we can explain how exactly to effectively detect secrets in source code, we have to discuss what secrets can be found in source code, and how they get there in the first place.
Common Types of Secrets Found in Source Code
Secrets in source code come in various forms, each crucial for different operational aspects. Common types include:
Credentials: These are used to verify the identity of a user, device, or application, and typically consist of a username and password combination. They authenticate and authorize users or systems, granting them access to resources, applications, or services.
API keys or tokens: These unique identifiers are used to authenticate requests made to an API, ensuring valid and authorized access to the API’s resources. They also help track and control API usage.
Private keys or encryption keys: These cryptographic keys are used for encrypting and decrypting data, with private keys being part of a key pair in asymmetric encryption.
Certificates: These digital documents prove the ownership of a public key, and contain information about the key, its owner, and the issuing CA. They are used to establish secure communications and authenticate identities over networks, ensuring trust and security in digital interactions.
How Do Secrets End Up in Code?
Secrets can inadvertently find their way into source code through several common practices. As we’ve seen with exposed secrets in Microsoft and Uber’s source code, most incidents aren’t a result of malicious intent or even negligence, but rather the natural complexities and challenges of the development process. For example:
- A developer might hardcode secrets directly into the source code during early development or testing, and forget to remove them before the code is committed to the repository
- Secrets code be inadvertently stored in a repository’s commit history
- Environment files including sensitive data like API keys, database credentials, and private keys might be inadvertently included in commits due to a misconfiguration
- Developers might not fully understand the risks associated with exposing secrets in the code or might not be aware of best practices for managing secrets securely
- Scripts that automate tasks like building, testing, or deploying applications might be mismanaged, and secrets could end up being hardcoded or included in logs and error messages, which might then be committed to the repository
The Importance of Secrets Detection in Source Code
As we’ve mentioned, secrets can be exposed via various places. But secrets detection in source code is especially important because once secrets are committed, they can be exposed to all users with repository access, potentially leading to widespread and uncontrolled distribution of sensitive information.
That means leaked secrets pose significant security risks, including unauthorized access, data breaches, and exploitation by attackers. For example, an exposed API key can allow an attacker to make unlimited requests to a third-party service, potentially incurring substantial costs and disrupting operations.
Protecting sensitive information is also a legal necessity, which means secrets detection is important for compliance purposes.
Want to learn more about how secrets can be exposed in source code, and the consequences of a leak? We’ve pulled together an overview of the top 25 source code leaks in the last 4 years.
Why Do Code Reviews Fail at Finding Secrets in Source Code?
Code reviews are a cornerstone of the software development process, offering numerous benefits such as improving code quality, catching bugs early, and ensuring adherence to coding standards. They foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members, enhancing the overall quality and maintainability of the codebase.
But, despite these advantages, code reviews often fail to detect secrets hidden in the source code, leaving significant security gaps.
Here’s why:
- Human Error and oversight
- Lack of Specialized training
- Time Constraints and prioritization
Secrets might also be introduced through automated scripts or overlooked configuration files, which are not always subject to thorough manual review.
Fortunately, there are several modern tools and techniques that teams can leverage to supplement code reviews.
Tools and Techniques for Detecting Secrets in Source Code
Over time, secrets detection tools have evolved significantly, becoming more sophisticated and efficient at identifying sensitive information within codebases. Initially, basic scripts and manual checks were used to find secrets, but these methods were error-prone and labor-intensive. But still, effective secrets detection requires a combination of automated tools and manual techniques.
Automated Detection Tools
Automated tools are essential for thorough secrets detection, leveraging advanced pattern matching and analysis techniques to identify sensitive information in source code. Robust scanning tools like Cycode do more than just identify secrets, though. They also help developers prioritize secrets based on the potential impact of exposure and support remediation efforts through ticketing tool integrations and automated workflows.
Integrating Detection in CI/CD Pipelines
Integrating secrets detection into CI/CD workflows is crucial for maintaining continuous security monitoring throughout the development process. This integration ensures that automated scans run at various stages of the pipeline, including during code commits, builds, and deployments.
The result? Real-time alerts and feedback.
For example, if a secret is detected during a code commit, the developer is immediately notified, allowing for quick remediation before the code progresses further down the pipeline. This instant feedback loop minimizes the risk of secrets being exposed by catching them early in the development cycle.
Manual Detection Techniques
Manual methods (though less scalable) are still valuable. Regular code reviews with a focus on identifying secrets can complement automated tools. Additionally, using regular expressions to search for patterns indicative of secrets in the codebase can help identify vulnerabilities that automated tools might miss.
Ready to start evaluating solutions? Discover how to choose the right secret detection tool.
Best Practices for Effective Secrets Detection and Preventing Secrets Exposure
Preventing secrets from being exposed is crucial for maintaining a secure codebase, but teams often face challenges. It can be difficult to ensure consistent application of best practices across diverse development environments, and teams struggle to manage a secrets detection tool amidst what we call “AppSec Chaos”.
These tips will help:
Use Environment Variables
Store secrets in environment variables instead of hardcoding them in the source code. Ensure these environment variables are correctly configured across development, staging, and production environments to maintain security consistency.
Apply Version Control Best Practices
Prevent secrets from being committed to version control by using .gitignore files to exclude sensitive files. Set up pre-commit hooks to scan for secrets and stop them from being added to the repository, ensuring they never enter the version history.
Build a Security-Conscious Development Culture
Security is a team sport, but 90% of security professionals say the relationship between security and developers needs to improve.
That’s why it’s so important to foster a security-conscious culture within your development teams by regularly training developers on the risks of exposed secrets and secure coding practices. Establish and enforce security policies that mandate the use of secrets detection tools and best practices, and encourage shared responsibility for security.
Conduct Post-Incident Analysis
After detecting a secret, conduct a thorough analysis to understand how it was exposed and address the root cause. Implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, such as refining secrets management practices and updating detection tools.
Embrace Continuous Improvement
Regularly audit code repositories to ensure no secrets are exposed. Keep detection tools updated to benefit from the latest features and security improvements. Provide continuous training for developers on secure coding practices and the importance of secrets management to reinforce a security-conscious culture.
Leverage a Complete Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) Solution
Unlike point solutions that address individual aspects of security, Complete ASPM platforms like Cycode offer end-to-end visibility and control over the entire development lifecycle. By integrating code scanning, secrets detection, and policy enforcement into a single platform, ASPM solutions provide a complete and efficient way to manage security risks, streamline workflows, and ensure compliance across all environments. This holistic approach reduces complexity and enhances the overall security posture of your applications.
Get Peace Of Mind With Cycode’s Complete ASPM
Cycode’s complete ASPM platform provides visibility, prioritization, and remediation to help security, developers, and DevOps teams to detect secrets in code and prevent secrets exposure.
- Visibility: Cycode’s comprehensive scanning capabilities detect secrets across source code, build logs, infrastructure, Kubernetes clusters, version history, and productivity tools like Slack and Confluence.
- Prioritization: Cycode’s risk scoring prioritizes remediation based on the criticality, location, and likelihood of exposure, helping teams focus on the most impactful issues.
- Remediation: Cycode’s developer-friendly workflows prevent secrets from entering codebases, while providing tools to find and fix leaks within developers’ native environments.
- Custom Policies and Alerts: Cycode supports custom secrets and policies, promptly notifies users of public source code exposure, and integrates workflows to send alerts, create tickets, and automatically resolve exposures, ensuring comprehensive and tailored security management.
- Prevention: Cycode’s secret scanning and secrets detection capabilities prevent secrets from entering code or being exposed and leaked.
