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My Finicity Authentication Key leaked! What should I do?

What is a Finicity Authentication Key and how it is used?

The Finicity Authentication Key is a unique identifier used to authenticate and authorize access to Finicity's APIs for secure communication and data exchange.

When it comes to the Finicity Authentication Key, developers should understand its main use cases:

• Securely authenticate and authorize access to Finicity APIs
• Protect sensitive financial data during transmission and storage
• Ensure the integrity and confidentiality of data exchanged with Finicity services

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1. Code snippets to prevent Finicity Authentication Key hardcoding using environment variables

Using environment variables for storing sensitive information like Finicity Authentication Key is considered secure for the following reasons:

• Environment variables are stored outside of the codebase, reducing the risk of accidental exposure through version control systems.
• Environment variables are not accessible to users or clients of the application, providing an additional layer of security.
• Environment variables can be easily managed and updated without the need to modify the code, minimizing the chances of exposing the sensitive key.

How to secure your secrets using environment variables

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2. Code snippet to prevent Finicity Authentication Key hardcoding using AWS Secrets Manager

Using AWS Secrets Manager to manage Finicity Authentication Keys is a secure way to handle sensitive data. Here are code snippets in five different programming languages that demonstrate how to retrieve the Finicity Authentication Key from AWS Secrets Manager.

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3. Code snippet to prevent Finicity Authentication Key hardcoding using HashiCorp Vault

Using HashiCorp Vault for managing Finicity Authentication Keys is a great way to enhance security. Here are code snippets in five different programming languages for securely handling a Finicity Authentication Key using HashiCorp Vault.

Remember to replace the VAULT_ADDR and VAULT_TOKEN with your Vault server address and authentication token. The snippets assume that the Finicity Authentication Key is stored under the api_key field within Vault. The specifics of the Vault path and field names should be adjusted to match your Vault setup.

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How to generate a Finicity Authentication Key?

To generate a Finicity Authentication Key, developers need to follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the Finicity Developer Portal.
2. Create a new application by providing the necessary details like name, description, and callback URLs.
3. Once the application is created, navigate to the "Keys" section in the developer portal.
4. Click on the "Generate New Key" button to create a new Authentication Key for your application.
5. Copy the generated Authentication Key and securely store it for use in your application.

For more detailed information and guidance on generating a Finicity Authentication Key, you can refer to the official Finicity documentation: Authentication Keys Documentation.

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My Finicity Authentication Key leaked, what are the possible reasons?

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

• Improper storage: Developers may have stored the key in a public repository or hardcoded it in their code, making it easily accessible to anyone.
• Weak access controls: Insufficient access controls on the server or the application itself could have allowed unauthorized users to retrieve the key.
• Phishing attacks: Developers may have fallen victim to phishing attacks, where malicious actors trick them into revealing sensitive information such as authentication keys.
• Insider threat: An insider with access to the key may have leaked it intentionally or unintentionally.
• Third-party breaches: If a third-party service or vendor that had access to the key was breached, the key could have been exposed as well.

What are the risks of leaking a Finicity Authentication Key

Developers need to be aware of the risks associated with leaking a Finicity Authentication Key. This key is a crucial piece of information that should be kept secure at all times. Here are some of the potential risks of leaking a Finicity Authentication Key:

• Unauthorized access: If a malicious actor gains access to the Finicity Authentication Key, they can potentially access sensitive financial data and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the user.
• Data breaches: Leaking the Finicity Authentication Key can lead to data breaches, exposing sensitive information to unauthorized parties and putting users at risk of identity theft and fraud.
• Financial loss: A leaked Finicity Authentication Key can be used to perform fraudulent transactions, leading to financial loss for both the users and the organization.
• Reputation damage: In case of a security incident resulting from a leaked Finicity Authentication Key, the organization's reputation can be significantly damaged, leading to loss of customer trust and business opportunities.

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Finicity Authentication Key security best practices

• Avoid embedding the secret directly in your code. Instead, use environment variables or secrets managers‍
• Secure storage: store the Finicity Authentication 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 Finicity Authentication Key usage and improve the overall security of your Finicity Authentication Key implementations.

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

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Finicity Authentication 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 Finicity Authentication Key was used by malicious actors

• Review Access Logs: Check the access logs of your Finicity Authentication 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 Finicity Authentication Key. This can give insights into any unauthorized use of your key.

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Steps to revoke the Finicity Authentication Key

Generate a new Finicity Authentication Key:

• Log into your Finicity Authentication 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 Finicity Authentication 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.

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How to understand which services will stop working

• Inventory of services: keep an inventory of all services and applications that utilize your Finicity Authentication 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.

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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.

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