Gartner®: Avoid Mobile Application Security Pitfalls

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Gartner®: Avoid Mobile Application Security Pitfalls

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My SSH Credential leaked! What should I do?

What is a SSH Credential and how it is used?

An SSH credential is a secure authentication method used to access remote servers and systems securely over a network. It consists of a private key and a public key pair that allows for secure communication between the client and the server.

SSH Credentials are used for the following main use cases:

  • Authentication: SSH Credentials are used to authenticate a user or a system when connecting to a remote server securely.
  • Authorization: SSH Credentials are used to grant access to specific resources or perform certain actions on a remote server based on the user's permissions.
  • Secure File Transfer: SSH Credentials are used to securely transfer files between a local machine and a remote server using protocols like SFTP or SCP.

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1. Code snippets to prevent SSH Credential hardcoding using environment variables

Using environment variables for SSH credentials in your code is a secure practice because:

  • Environment variables are not stored in your codebase or version control system, reducing the risk of exposure.
  • Environment variables are typically stored in a separate, secure location on the server, making it harder for unauthorized users to access them.
  • By using environment variables, you can easily update or rotate your SSH credentials without having to modify your code.

How to secure your secrets using environment variables

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2. Code snippet to prevent SSH Credential hardcoding using AWS Secrets Manager

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

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3. Code snippet to prevent SSH Credential hardcoding using HashiCorp Vault

Using HashiCorp Vault for managing SSH Credentials is a great way to enhance security. Here are code snippets in five different programming languages for securely handling a SSH Credential 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 SSH Credential 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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4. Code snippet to prevent SSH Credential hardcoding using CyberArk Conjur

Using CyberArk Conjur to manage SSH Credential is a secure way to handle sensitive data. Here are code snippets in five different programming languages that demonstrate how to retrieve the SSH Credential from CyberArk Conjur.

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How to generate a SSH Credential?

To generate an SSH credential, follow these steps:

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Enter the command ssh-keygen and press Enter.
  3. Choose a location to save the SSH key pair.
  4. Enter a passphrase for added security (optional).
  5. Once the key pair is generated, you will have a public key (usually with a .pub extension) and a private key.

Make sure to keep your private key secure and do not share it with anyone. The public key can be shared with services or servers that you want to authenticate with using SSH.

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My SSH Credential leaked, what are the possible reasons?

There are several reasons why SSH credentials might have been leaked:

  • Weak or easily guessable passwords
  • Storing SSH keys in insecure locations
  • Accidental exposure of keys in public repositories
  • Sharing keys with unauthorized users
  • Failure to rotate keys regularly

What are the risks of leaking a SSH Credential

As a security trainer, it is crucial to emphasize the risks associated with leaking SSH credentials to developers. SSH credentials are used to authenticate and secure connections between servers, and their leakage can lead to severe consequences such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential financial losses.

  • Unauthorized Access: If SSH credentials are leaked, malicious actors can gain unauthorized access to servers and systems, allowing them to steal sensitive data, manipulate information, or disrupt services.
  • Data Breaches: Leaked SSH credentials can result in data breaches, exposing confidential information, customer data, and intellectual property to unauthorized individuals.
  • Financial Losses: Unauthorized access to servers through leaked SSH credentials can lead to financial losses, including theft of funds, ransom demands, or costs associated with mitigating the security incident.
  • Reputation Damage: A security incident caused by leaked SSH credentials can damage the reputation of the organization, leading to loss of customer trust, business opportunities, and credibility in the market.

Therefore, it is essential for developers to understand the importance of securely managing and protecting SSH credentials to prevent these risks and ensure the overall security of their systems and data.

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SSH Credential security best practices

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

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

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SSH Credential 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 SSH Credential was used by malicious actors

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

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Steps to revoke the SSH Credential

Generate a new SSH Credential:

  • Log into your SSH Credential 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 SSH Credential:

  • 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 SSH Credential.
  • 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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Environment Variables
Environment Variables
Environment Variables

charge

nullable string

For card errors, the ID of the failed charge.

payment_method_type

nullable string

If the error is specific to the type of payment method, the payment method type that had a problem. This field is only populated for invoice-related errors.

doc_url

nullable string

A URL to more information about the error code reported.

request_log_url

nullable string

A URL to the request log entry in your dashboard.

charge

nullable string

If the error is specific to the type of payment method, the payment method type that had a problem. This field is only populated for invoice-related errors.

Hide
Show
child attributes

type

enum

For some errors that could be handled programmatically, a short string indicating the error code reported.

charge

nullable string

If the error is specific to the type of payment method, the payment method type that had a problem. This field is only populated for invoice-related errors.

Hide
Show
child attributes

type

enum

For some errors that could be handled programmatically, a short string indicating the error code reported.

payment_intent

nullable object

The PaymentIntent object for errors returned on a request involving a PaymentIntent.

setup_intent

nullable object

The SetupIntent object for errors returned on a request involving a SetupIntent.

Hide
Show
child attributes

type

enum

For some errors that could be handled programmatically, a short string indicating the error code reported.

Hide
Show
child attributes

type

enum

For some errors that could be handled programmatically, a short string indicating the error code reported.

CLIENT LIBRARIES

$ gem install stripe
$ pip install stripe
$ composer require stripe/stripe-php
MAVEN
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.stripe</groupId>
  <artifactId>stripe-java</artifactId>
  <version>24.16.0</version>
</dependency>

GRADLE
compile "com.stripe:stripe-java:24.16.0"
$ npm install --save stripe
$ go get github.com/stripe/stripe-go/v76
$ nuget install Stripe.net
SHOW
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