My Sumo Logic Key leaked! What should I do?

What is a Sumo Logic Key and how it is used?

A Sumo Logic Key is a unique identifier used to authenticate and authorize access to the Sumo Logic platform, enabling users to securely manage and analyze their logs and metrics.

Here are the main use cases for the Sumo Logic Key:

• Securely authenticate and authorize access to Sumo Logic resources
• Encrypt and decrypt sensitive data within Sumo Logic
• Integrate with third-party tools and services for secure communication

How to generate a Sumo Logic Key?

To generate a Sumo Logic Key, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Sumo Logic account.
2. Click on your username in the top right corner and select "Preferences".
3. Under the "Preferences" tab, click on "Access Keys".
4. Click on the "Add Access Key" button.
5. Enter a name for your access key and click "Save".
6. Your access key will be generated and displayed. Make sure to copy and securely store it.

My Sumo Logic Key leaked, what are the possible reasons?

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

• Improper storage: Storing the Sumo Logic Key in plaintext in code repositories or configuration files can lead to accidental exposure.
• Weak access controls: Inadequate access controls on the storage location of the Sumo Logic Key can allow unauthorized users to access and misuse it.
• Sharing credentials: Sharing the Sumo Logic Key with team members or third parties without proper encryption or secure channels can increase the risk of leakage.
• Phishing attacks: Falling victim to phishing attacks can result in the disclosure of sensitive information, including Sumo Logic Keys.
• Insufficient monitoring: Lack of monitoring for unauthorized access or unusual activities related to the Sumo Logic Key can delay the detection of a leak.

What are the risks of leaking a Sumo Logic Key

As a security trainer, it is crucial for developers to understand the risks associated with leaking a Sumo Logic Key. This key is a sensitive piece of information that, if exposed, can lead to serious security breaches and compromises. Below are some of the risks that developers should be aware of:

• Unauthorized access to sensitive data: A leaked Sumo Logic Key can provide attackers with access to sensitive data stored in your Sumo Logic account, potentially leading to data breaches and privacy violations.
• Financial implications: If attackers gain access to your Sumo Logic account using a leaked key, they may misuse the resources and incur significant costs, impacting your organization financially.
• Reputation damage: A security breach resulting from a leaked Sumo Logic Key can tarnish your organization's reputation and erode customer trust, leading to long-term consequences.
• Legal and compliance issues: Data breaches caused by leaked keys can result in legal liabilities, regulatory fines, and compliance violations, putting your organization at risk of legal action.

It is essential for developers to prioritize the protection of Sumo Logic Keys and follow best practices for secret management to mitigate these risks and safeguard their organization's sensitive information.

Sumo Logic Key security best practices

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

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

Sumo Logic 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 Sumo Logic Key was used by malicious actors

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

Steps to revoke the Sumo Logic Key

Generate a new Sumo Logic Key:

• Log into your Sumo Logic 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 Sumo Logic 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 Sumo Logic 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.