My Bitbucket Key leaked! What should I do?

What is a Bitbucket Key and how it is used?

A Bitbucket Key is a unique identifier used to authenticate and authorize access to Bitbucket repositories, allowing developers to securely manage and share code.

When it comes to understanding the Bitbucket Key, developers should be aware of the following main use cases:

• Authentication: The Bitbucket Key is used for authenticating and authorizing access to repositories and other resources on Bitbucket. It serves as a secure way to verify the identity of users and applications accessing the platform.
• Integration with CI/CD tools: Developers can use the Bitbucket Key to integrate their Bitbucket repositories with continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) tools. This allows for automated building, testing, and deployment processes to be securely connected to Bitbucket repositories.
• Secure communication: The Bitbucket Key is also utilized for encrypting and decrypting communication between Bitbucket and external services or applications. This ensures that data transmitted between different systems remains confidential and secure.

How to generate a Bitbucket Key?

To generate a Bitbucket key, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Bitbucket account.
2. Click on your profile icon in the bottom left corner and select "Bitbucket settings".
3. Under "Access keys", click on "Generate key".
4. Follow the prompts to generate your key.

For more detailed instructions and information, you can refer to the official Bitbucket documentation on generating SSH keys: Set up an SSH key in Bitbucket

My Bitbucket Key leaked, what are the possible reasons?

There are several reasons why a Bitbucket Key might have been leaked:

• Improper handling of sensitive information: Developers may accidentally expose their Bitbucket Key by including it in code that is shared publicly or by storing it in a repository without proper access controls.
• Weak security practices: Developers may use weak or easily guessable passwords for their Bitbucket accounts, making it easier for attackers to gain unauthorized access and steal the key.
• Phishing attacks: Attackers may use phishing emails or websites to trick developers into revealing their Bitbucket credentials, allowing them to access and leak the key.
• Compromised systems: If a developer's computer or network is compromised by malware or other security threats, attackers may be able to steal the Bitbucket Key stored on that system.

What are the risks of leaking a Bitbucket Key

It is crucial for developers to understand the risks of leaking a Bitbucket Key. This key is a sensitive piece of information that, if exposed, can lead to serious security breaches and compromise the integrity of your codebase. Here are some specific risks associated with leaking a Bitbucket Key:

• Unauthorized access to your repositories: A leaked Bitbucket Key can allow malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to your repositories, potentially leading to data theft or manipulation.
• Exposure of sensitive information: Your Bitbucket Key may be linked to other sensitive information or credentials, such as API keys or passwords, which can be exploited if exposed.
• Compromised security of your development environment: Leaking a Bitbucket Key can compromise the security of your development environment, putting your entire project at risk.
• Reputation damage: A security breach resulting from a leaked Bitbucket Key can damage your reputation as a developer and erode trust with your users or clients.

It is essential to follow best practices for secret management and detection to prevent the leakage of sensitive information like Bitbucket Keys. By raising awareness about the risks and implementing proper security measures, developers can protect their projects and maintain a secure development environment.

Bitbucket Key security best practices

• Avoid embedding the secret directly in your code. Instead, use environment variables or secrets managers‍
• Secure storage: store the Bitbucket Key in a secure location, such as a password manager or a secrets management service.
• Regular rotation: periodically rotate the API key to minimize the risk of long-term exposure.
• Restrict permissions: apply the principle of least privilege by only granting the key the minimum necessary permissions.
• Monitor usage: regularly check the usage logs for any unusual activity or unauthorized access attempts.
• Implement access controls: limit the number of users who have access to the secret and enforce strong authentication measures.
• Use a secrets manager: utilize secret management tools like CyberArk or AWS Secrets Manager for enhanced security.

By adhering to the best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk associated with Bitbucket Key usage and improve the overall security of your Bitbucket Key implementations.

Exposing secrets on GitHub: What to do after leaking Credential and API keys

Bitbucket Key leak remediation: what to do

What to do if you expose a secret: How to stay calm and respond to an incident [cheat sheet included]

How to check if Bitbucket Key was used by malicious actors

• Review Access Logs: Check the access logs of your Bitbucket Key account for any unauthorized access or unusual activity. Pay particular attention to access from unfamiliar IP addresses (if you haven’t set up a specific allow list) or at odd hours.
• Monitor Usage Patterns: Look for anomalies in the usage patterns, such as unexpected spikes in data access or transfer.
• Check Active Connections and Operations: Review the list of active connections and recent operations on your database. Unusual or unauthorized operations might indicate malicious use.
• Audit API Usage: If possible, audit the usage of your API key through any logging or monitoring services you have integrated with Bitbucket Key. This can give insights into any unauthorized use of your key.

Steps to revoke the Bitbucket Key

Generate a new Bitbucket Key:

• Log into your Bitbucket Key account.
• Navigate to the API section and generate a new API key.

Update Services with the new key:

• Replace the compromised key with the new key in all your services that use this API key.
• Ensure all your applications and services are updated with the new key before deactivating the old one.

Deactivate the old Bitbucket Key:

• Once the new key is in place and everything is functioning correctly, deactivate the old API key.
• This can typically be done from the same section where you generated the new key.

Monitor after key rotation:

• After deactivating the old key, monitor your systems closely to ensure that all services are running smoothly and that there are no unauthorized access attempts.

How to understand which services will stop working

• Inventory of services: keep an inventory of all services and applications that utilize your Bitbucket Key.
• Communication and documentation: Ensure that your team is aware of which services are dependent on the key. Maintain documentation for quick reference.
• Testing: before deactivating the old key, test your services with the new key in a staging environment. This helps in identifying any services that might face issues post rotation.
• Fallback strategies: Have a fallback or emergency plan in case a critical service fails after the key rotation. This might include temporary measures or quick rollback procedures.

In summary, the remediation process involves identifying potential misuse, carefully rotating the key, and ensuring minimal disruption to services. Being proactive and having a well-documented process can greatly reduce the risks associated with a compromised API key.

What about other secrets?

GitGuardian helps developers keep 350+ types of secrets out of source code. GitGuardian’s automated secrets detection and remediation solution secure every step of the development lifecycle, from code to cloud:

• On developer workstations with git hooks (pre-commit and pre-push);
• On code sharing platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket;
• In CI environments (Circle CI, Travis CI, Jenkins CI, GitHub Actions, and many more);
• In Docker images.