Infrastructure Secrets in Version Control

Critical Risk Infrastructure Security
secretsversion-controlgitcredentialsapi-keysinfrastructure-as-codeterraformkubernetes

What it is

Sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, certificates, and configuration secrets accidentally committed to version control systems. This exposure can lead to unauthorized access to infrastructure, services, and data, especially when repositories are public or accessed by unauthorized individuals.

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

ℹī¸ Configuration Fix

Configuration changes required - see explanation below.

💡 Explanation

Why it happens

Developers directly embedding secrets in source code, configuration files, or Infrastructure-as-Code templates without using external secret management

Root causes

Direct Secret Hardcoding

Developers directly embedding secrets in source code, configuration files, or Infrastructure-as-Code templates without using external secret management

Inadequate Git Hygiene

Lack of pre-commit hooks, secret scanning tools, or proper .gitignore configurations to prevent secrets from being committed

Environment File Exposure

Accidentally committing environment files (.env), configuration files, or backup files containing sensitive information

Infrastructure-as-Code Mismanagement

Including secrets directly in Terraform variables, Kubernetes manifests, or deployment scripts instead of using secret management solutions

Fixes

1

Implement Secret Management Solutions

Use dedicated secret management tools like HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, or Kubernetes Secrets for storing sensitive information

2

Enable Pre-commit Secret Scanning

Deploy tools like GitLeaks, TruffleHog, or detect-secrets as pre-commit hooks to prevent secrets from being committed to repositories

3

Use Environment Variable Injection

Reference secrets through environment variables or external configuration providers rather than hardcoding them in source code

4

Regular Repository Auditing

Implement automated scanning of existing repositories to identify and remediate any previously committed secrets

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