.env Information Leak

.env Information Leak

Reference

Plugin Id: 40034 | CWE: 215

Remediation

To remediate the “.env Information Leak” vulnerability, follow these steps:

  1. Secure sensitive information: Remove any sensitive information from the .env files, such as infrastructure or administrative account credentials, API or APP keys, or other sensitive configuration information. Replace them with placeholders or dummy values.

  2. Restrict access: Ensure that the .env files are not accessible to unauthorized users. Set appropriate file permissions to restrict access to these files. Only allow access to the necessary users or processes.

  3. Move sensitive information to secure storage: Consider using a secure configuration management system or a secrets management service to store sensitive information securely. These tools provide encryption and access control mechanisms to protect sensitive data.

  4. Regularly review and update .env files: Periodically review the .env files to ensure that they do not contain any sensitive information. Update the files as necessary, removing any unnecessary or outdated configuration values.

About

The “.env Information Leak” vulnerability occurs when one or more .env files are located on the server. These files are commonly used to store configuration variables for applications. However, if not properly secured, they can expose sensitive information.

Risks

The presence of .env files on the server poses several risks:

  1. Exposure of sensitive information: .env files often contain infrastructure or administrative account credentials, API or APP keys, or other sensitive configuration information. If these files are accessible to unauthorized users, it can lead to unauthorized access or misuse of sensitive data.

  2. Compromise of application security: If an attacker gains access to the .env files, they can extract sensitive information and use it to compromise the security of the application or the underlying infrastructure. This can lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, or other malicious activities.

  3. Impact on compliance: Depending on the nature of the exposed information, the presence of .env files with sensitive data may violate regulatory requirements or industry standards. This can result in legal and financial consequences for the organization.