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Database

Config Files Hardcoded Secrets In Configs

Description

Detects hardcoded JWT tokens within configuration files. Having JWT tokens embedded in configuration files poses a security risk as these tokens could be exposed to unauthorized users and potentially used to gain unauthorized access to protected resources.

Weakness:

009 - Sensitive information in source code

Category: Information Collection

Detection Strategy

    • Search through configuration files line by line

    • Look for strings matching JWT token format (base64 encoded strings separated by periods)

    • Validate each potential match to confirm it follows JWT structure

    • Report vulnerability if valid JWT tokens are found hardcoded in the file

    • Only process lines less than 1000 characters to avoid false positives on large encoded data

Vulnerable code example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<con:soapui-project id="example-project" name="API Test">
<con:settings>
<con:setting id="auth-config">
<![CDATA[<xml-fragment>
  <!-- Vulnerable: Hardcoded JWT bearer token exposed in plaintext -->
  <con:entry key="Authorization" value="Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzdWIiOiIxMjM0NTY3ODkwIn0.dozjgNryP4J3jVmNHl0w5N_XgL0n3I9PlFUP0THsR8U"/>
</xml-fragment>]]>...

✅ Secure code example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<con:soapui-project id="example-project" name="API Test">
<con:settings>
<con:setting id="auth-config">
<![CDATA[<xml-fragment>
  <!-- Secure: Using environment variable for JWT token instead of hardcoding -->
  <con:entry key="Authorization" value="Bearer ${#Env#AUTH_TOKEN}"/>
</xml-fragment>]]>...