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Generic URI with Credentials

A URI with embedded credentials is a Uniform Resource Identifier that includes sensitive information such as usernames and passwords. These URIs are often used to authenticate access to services like databases, APIs, or other network resources. The exposure of such URIs is a significant security concern because it can grant unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data, potentially leading to data breaches or service disruptions.

How Does It Look​

URIs with embedded credentials can appear in various contexts, such as:

  • Environment variables:

    export DATABASE_URL="mongodb://user:password@host:port/dbname"

  • Configuration files (JSON, YAML, .env):

    database:
      uri: "postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbname"

  • Code snippets:

    connection_string = "mysql://user:password@host:3306/dbname"

  • Connection strings:

    redis://user:password@host:6379

Severity​

  • 🔴 Critical

The severity of exposing a URI with embedded credentials is critical because it often provides direct access to sensitive systems such as databases or APIs. The blast radius can be extensive, potentially affecting all data and services accessible through the compromised credential. Unauthorized access can lead to data theft, service disruption, and further exploitation of connected systems.

What Can an Attacker Do?​

With immediate access to the service, an attacker can perform a variety of malicious actions:

  • Read or exfiltrate data (if the credential has read permissions), potentially leading to data breaches.
  • Delete or modify data (if the credential has write permissions), which can disrupt operations or corrupt data.
  • Access billing information (if the account has billing scope enabled), leading to financial exploitation.
  • Spin up resources for cryptomining (if compute permissions are granted), resulting in unexpected costs.

Additionally, attackers can use the compromised access to escalate privileges or move laterally within the network, targeting other systems and services that trust the compromised service.

Real-World Impact​

The exposure of a URI with credentials poses significant business risks, including:

  • Data Exposure: Sensitive customer or business data could be accessed (if the credential has read access to sensitive data).
  • Financial Loss: Unauthorized resource usage could incur significant costs (if billing/resource creation is permitted).
  • Operational Disruption: Critical services could be interrupted or degraded (if the attacker has delete/modify permissions).
  • Reputational Damage: Loss of customer trust and brand reputation could occur if a breach becomes public.

In the worst-case scenario, the exposure could lead to cascading effects, such as regulatory fines, legal actions, and long-term damage to the organization's market position.

Prerequisites for Exploitation​

To exploit a URI with embedded credentials, an attacker typically needs:

  • Network access to the service endpoint.
  • Additional context such as account IDs or specific endpoints to target.
  • No rate limits or restrictions that would prevent repeated access attempts.

How to Verify If It's Active​

To verify if a URI with credentials is active, use a safe command with placeholders:

curl -u [USER]:[PASSWORD] [HOST]:[PORT]/[ENDPOINT]

Valid credential response: Successful connection or expected data response.

Invalid/expired credential response: Authentication error or access denied message.

Detection Patterns​

Common Variable Names:

  • DATABASE_URL
  • CONNECTION_STRING
  • REDIS_URI
  • MONGO_URI
  • POSTGRES_URI
  • MYSQL_URI

File Locations:

  • .env
  • config.json
  • settings.yaml
  • appsettings.json
  • database.yml

Regex Pattern:

[a-zA-Z]+:\/\/[a-zA-Z0-9]+:[a-zA-Z0-9]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+:[0-9]+\/[a-zA-Z0-9]+

Remediation Steps​

  1. Revoke immediately - Remove the compromised URI from all configurations and systems.
  2. Audit access logs - Review service logs for unauthorized access attempts or data exports during the exposure window.
  3. Assess blast radius - Identify all systems, applications, and environments that used the exposed credential.
  4. Rotate credential - Generate a new URI with updated credentials and least-privilege permissions.
  5. Update dependent systems - Deploy the new credential to all applications and update CI/CD pipelines securely.
  6. Harden access controls - Implement IP allowlisting and require secure connections (e.g., TLS).
  7. Implement secrets management - Migrate credentials to a secrets manager (HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager) to prevent hardcoding.
  8. Add detection controls - Set up pre-commit hooks and repository scanning to catch credential leaks before they reach production.

Credential exposures often go undetected for extended periods, increasing the window for exploitation. As a long-term strategy, plan to establish an internal process or engage an external vendor for continuous external exposure monitoring. This helps identify leaked secrets across public repositories, paste sites, dark web forums, and other external sources before attackers can leverage them. Proactive detection and rapid response are essential to minimizing the impact of credential leaks.

References​