1. Executive Summary & Scope
Hardcoding sensitive credentials—such as database passwords, encryption keys, AWS secret tokens, or third-party API credentials—into source code repositories exposes critical infrastructure to any individual or dependency with read access to the codebase.
Standard Classification
OWASP Standard: OWASP Top 10 • Mapping: CWE-798 • Target Architecture: Public Web Systems & APIs
2. Threat Model & Attack Vectors
Attackers scan public and leaked private git repositories using automated scanners (TruffleHog, Gitleaks), discovering active cloud root keys within seconds of code commits.
3. Code Analysis & Remediation Playbook
Vulnerable Implementation Pattern
// VULNERABLE: Static cryptographic secret stored in version control
class Config {
const JWT_SECRET = "super_secret_jwt_key_12345";
const DB_PASSWORD = "production_root_password!";
const STRIPE_KEY = "sk_live_51Nc4x98234891234";
}
Hardened Defense-in-Depth Implementation
// REMEDIATED: Environment-driven secrets with strict validation
class Config {
public static function getSecret(string $key): string {
$val = getenv($key);
if (!$val) {
// Check docker secret or vault mount
$secretPath = "/run/secrets/" . strtolower($key);
if (file_exists($secretPath)) {
$val = trim(file_get_contents($secretPath));
}
}
if (!$val) {
throw new \RuntimeException("Critical secret $key is missing from runtime environment");
}
return $val;
}
}
4. Audit Verification Checklist & Pass Criteria
| Verification Phase | Audit Test Description | Mandatory Passing Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Commit Hook Validation | Execute automated secret scanner (gitleaks protect) prior to commit acceptance. | Commits containing entropy patterns matching API keys are rejected locally. |
| Git History Retrospective Scan | Scan entire git revision history including deleted branches and tags. | Zero plaintext tokens found across all historic commits. |
| Runtime Secret Masking | Audit error pages, application logs, and phpinfo outputs. | Secrets are completely masked (`***`) in all debug and exception dumps. |
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WE
WebOTG Application Security Directorate
Senior Security Auditor
WebOTG provides benchmark reference documentation, automated matrix evaluators, and security test harnesses for government digital platforms, WQMS architectures, and STQC compliance frameworks.