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Source Code Exposure

Source Code Exposure is a new category within the threat exposure management framework that addresses the risks associated with the discovery of source code that has been unintentionally exposed. These incidents can pose significant risks to an organization, including the potential exposure of intellectual property, sensitive credentials, or leakage of information about internal systems and resources. The sub-identifiers in this category further detail the different types of source code discovered, each presenting unique risks to the organization.

Common Methods of Discovery​

Source code is typically found exposed in the following ways:

  • Publicly Posted on SCM Tools: Code repositories on tools such as GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab may have been made public either unintentionally or without proper security measures in place.
  • Exposure on Public Forums: Source code may be pasted on public forums like Stack Overflow as part of troubleshooting requests, exposing potentially sensitive components.
  • Pastes Made Publicly Available: Snippets of code may be posted on paste services (e.g., Pastebin) and inadvertently made available to the public, leading to exposure of sensitive data.

Risks and Impact​

The exposure of source code can lead to a number of significant risks, including:

  • Intellectual Property Exposure: Proprietary source code, algorithms, or business logic may be disclosed, allowing competitors or attackers to reverse-engineer and exploit the technology.
  • Credential Leakage: Hard-coded credentials such as API keys, database connection strings, or passwords may be found in exposed code, giving attackers direct access to systems.
  • Information Leakage: The exposed source code may contain configuration details, such as internal hostnames, CI/CD pipeline scripts, or network information, which can be leveraged by attackers to map the organization’s infrastructure and identify potential targets.

Key Considerations for Threat Exposure Management​

Managing source code exposure requires a proactive approach focused on prevention, monitoring, and quick remediation:

  • Access Control and Review: Ensure source code repositories have appropriate access controls in place, and conduct regular reviews to confirm that no unintended exposure has occurred.
  • Credential Scanning: Implement automated tools that scan source code for hard-coded credentials before allowing it to be published, and ensure credentials are stored securely outside the codebase.
  • Employee Training: Educate developers on the risks of sharing source code in public forums and emphasize best practices for managing sensitive information within code.
  • Monitoring and Detection: Continuously monitor the internet, including source code management tools and public forums, for any instances of exposed code that may be related to your organization.

Source code exposure incidents present a serious risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and security of an organization's systems. Proactive threat exposure management, combined with strong access controls and employee education, can significantly reduce the likelihood of such incidents occurring and minimize their impact.