Are Your Company Secrets Safe on GitHub? Here's Why You Need to Request a Complimentary Audit
Tags: github, opensource, cybersecurity, osint
Published: 2023-06-27 18:39:09

As a company with a large number of developers, it's highly likely that some of your company secrets (API keys, tokens, etc.) are publicly exposed on GitHub without your knowledge.

Here are 5 reasons why you should [request your complimentary audit](https://www.gitguardian.com/complimentary-audit-secrets-leaks-public-github?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) of secrets leaks on GitHub.com from GitGuardian.

💡[Snowflake](https://www.snowflake.com/en/?ref=blog.gitguardian.com), [BSH](https://www.bsh-group.com/?ref=blog.gitguardian.com), and [Talend](https://www.talend.com/?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) have requested a free audit from GitGuardian to assess their GitHub attack surface for potential secret leaks.

![Talend testimonial
](https://blog.gitguardian.com/content/images/2023/05/image-3.png)

## 1\. Many developers = many leaked secrets

If your company has a significant number of developers, chances are high that some of your confidential information, such as API keys and tokens, may be publicly available on GitHub. This implies that anyone on the Internet can access them, posing a significant security threat.

Our annual report, [the State of Secrets Sprawl](https://www.gitguardian.com/files/the-state-of-secrets-sprawl-report-2023?ref=blog.gitguardian.com), aims to increase awareness about the extent of the threat posed by secrets sprawl. In 2022, we detected 10 million instances of leaked secrets, which represents a 67% increase from the previous year. Shockingly, one in ten code authors exposed a secret, resulting in an average of 5.5 commits out of every 1000 that revealed at least one secret.

It’s important to acknowledge that even if your company doesn't do open source, chances are your developers do. And a corporate secrets or source code leak on a personal GitHub repo probably has happened in the past – multiple times! None is immune to mistakes, and even experienced developers are often leaking without realizing it. Our [audit](https://www.gitguardian.com/complimentary-audit-secrets-leaks-public-github?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) can help you identify any potential vulnerabilities.

## 2\. Put a number on the problem

Obtaining a complimentary audit can help you evaluate with your company's own data the size of the problem and decide on its priority.

To drive decisions, data is primordial. Cybersecurity is a busy domain, and we know that choices have to be made.

Having visibility is essential for prioritizing, gaining peer approval, and effectively addressing a particular issue. This is precisely why we offer a free audit - to provide you with quick insights that will give you a comprehensive understanding of the problem's actual scope. Your report will resemble the following:

![](https://blog.gitguardian.com/content/images/2023/05/Expanded----Complimentary-Report-__-Slide-2.png)

![](https://blog.gitguardian.com/content/images/2023/05/Expanded----Complimentary-Report-__-Slide-3.png)

Key metrics are highlighted, such as:

-   **Active developers in your perimeter**: Developers who mentioned your company name on their GitHub profile or use their company email address when pushing code publicly on GitHub.
-   **Secrets leaked publicly on GitHub**: Secrets are digital authentication credentials granting access to systems or data. These are most commonly API keys or usernames and passwords.
-   **Valid secrets present on GitHub**: Secrets that can be exploited by persons with malicious intent.
-   **Commits scanned:** All activity on GitHub is linked to a commit email. We can tie such commit emails to GitHub accounts and hence monitor that account activity.
-   **Secrets breakdown by category:** Percentage of secrets leaks per category: Private key, Version control platform, Cloud provider, Messaging system, Data storage, etc.
-   **Public events:** A public event occurs when a private repository is made public. Such an event is sensitive as it discloses the entire history of a repository where sensitive data could be found.

We are confident that security teams are increasingly aware of the severity of sprawled and exposed credentials, but to back up claims, nothing beats data.

Remember that, unlike other application security vulnerabilities, [hardcoded credentials accumulate in time](https://blog.gitguardian.com/why-its-urgent-to-deal-with-your-hard-coded-credentials/). The faster you can take action and stop the bleeding, the less costly for the organization (you can also try our [simulator](https://www.gitguardian.com/value-calculator?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) to estimate the cost of doing nothing over time).

Requesting a complimentary audit allows you to evaluate if this is a real priority for your company with your company's data.

## 3\. Benefit from the detection capability of the #1 security app on the GitHub marketplace

Our solution goes beyond just detecting incidents; it is a comprehensive platform for monitoring and resolving incidents.

Based on our experience, most AppSec and Threat intel teams prefer to start tackling secrets sprawl by using their own detection tool, often built on open-source technology. While these DIY solutions can be helpful at first, they often become [difficult to maintain at scale, rely on a specific SCM provider, are hard for developers to use, and have siloed remediation processes.](https://blog.gitguardian.com/secrets-detection-build-vs-buy/)

By requesting a [complimentary report](https://www.gitguardian.com/complimentary-audit-secrets-leaks-public-github?ref=blog.gitguardian.com), you can quickly compare your previous findings with GitGuardian's and make an informed decision. This service is **completely free and non-committal**, allowing you to compare our solution to any open-source alternatives you may have implemented.

## 4\. Revamp your Vulnerability Disclosure Program with a leaked secrets report that can supercharge your efforts

While scanning repositories for vulnerabilities, you may come across numerous hard-coded secrets that require efficient triaging. However, a vulnerability disclosure program (VDP) may not be the most effective tool in this scenario.

VDPs can only recover a few leaks of secrets at a time and at a high cost. To remediate hard-coded secrets, you need a single platform that can quickly identify the issues and resolve them. [Our audit](https://www.gitguardian.com/complimentary-audit-secrets-leaks-public-github?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) can save you valuable time and money by providing you with a comprehensive report in just a few hours.

We can automatically identify valid secrets and triage them accordingly, giving you the full picture in one go.

## 5\. The best way to establish your GitHub security perimeter

To begin securing your GitHub attack surface, the first step is to get an audit. This report will give you a quick overview of your current security status on GitHub.com. Once you receive the report, which typically takes 1-2 business days, the next step is to set up your customized GitGuardian Public Monitoring Dashboard. Check out our demo video for more information:

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sSagJ5U9Ago?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" title="GitGuardian Public Monitoring demo – protect your attack surface on GitHub" name="fitvid0"></iframe>

Our team of code security experts can guide you through this process and provide a tailored analysis to help you focus on the most relevant security incidents affecting your company.

With the GitGuardian platform, you can prioritize and remediate incidents at your own pace. To get started, sign up for a complimentary audit and start securing your most critical secrets or managing those not reported by your existing solutions.

## Conclusion

Requesting a complimentary audit of your secrets leaks on GitHub from GitGuardian is a smart decision for any company with a large number of developers.

The audit can help you accurately determine your developer perimeter on GitHub, evaluate the extent of the secrets sprawl problem, and prioritize accordingly.

GitGuardian's solution goes beyond just detection and can save time and money by providing a comprehensive overview in a matter of hours.

It is the ideal way to begin the journey towards secrets-free code and take control of the detection, remediation, and prevention cycle at your own pace. To take the first step towards a more secure GitHub environment, [request your audit](https://www.gitguardian.com/complimentary-audit-secrets-leaks-public-github?ref=blog.gitguardian.com) today without delay!