Skip to main content

Google API Key

Google API Keys are credentials used to authenticate requests to Google's suite of APIs, such as Google Maps, Google Cloud, and YouTube Data API. These keys allow applications to interact with Google's services, enabling functionalities like data retrieval, service integration, and more. Exposure of a Google API Key can lead to unauthorized access to these services, potentially resulting in data breaches, service misuse, and unexpected charges.

How Does It Look​

Google API Keys can appear in various contexts, such as:

  • Environment variables:

    export GOOGLE_API_KEY="AIzaSyD-EXAMPLEKEY1234567890"

  • Configuration files (JSON):

    {
      "apiKey": "AIzaSyD-EXAMPLEKEY1234567890"
    }

  • Code snippets:

    const apiKey = "AIzaSyD-EXAMPLEKEY1234567890";

  • Connection strings:

    https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway&key=AIzaSyD-EXAMPLEKEY1234567890

Severity​

  • 🟠 High

The severity of a Google API Key exposure is high because it can provide access to various Google services, depending on the permissions associated with the key. Unauthorized use can lead to significant financial costs due to service misuse and potential data exposure if the API has access to sensitive information.

What Can an Attacker Do?​

With immediate access to a Google API Key, an attacker can exploit the associated services:

An attacker can perform the following actions:

  • Consume API resources: Generate excessive requests to Google APIs, leading to increased billing (if the key has access to billable services).
  • Access sensitive data: Retrieve data from APIs like Google Maps or YouTube (if the API key has read permissions).
  • Manipulate service usage: Alter service configurations or data (if the API key has write permissions).
  • Bypass rate limits: Use the key to circumvent restrictions on API usage (if rate limits are not enforced).

Additionally, attackers can use the API Key to explore further vulnerabilities within the associated Google services, potentially leading to lateral movement or privilege escalation within the compromised environment.

Real-World Impact​

The exposure of a Google API Key poses significant business risks:

The primary impact includes unauthorized access to Google services, leading to potential misuse and financial implications.

Potential consequences include:

  • Data Exposure: Access to sensitive data such as location information or user activity (if the API key has read access to sensitive data).
  • Financial Loss: Increased billing due to unauthorized API calls (if billing/resource creation is permitted).
  • Operational Disruption: Service interruptions or degraded performance due to resource exhaustion (if the attacker generates excessive requests).
  • Reputational Damage: Loss of trust and brand impact due to unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

In worst-case scenarios, the exposure could lead to cascading effects, such as further exploitation of interconnected systems and services.

Prerequisites for Exploitation​

To exploit a Google API Key, an attacker needs:

  • Network access: Ability to send requests to Google APIs.
  • Additional context: Knowledge of specific API endpoints and parameters.
  • Rate limits: Awareness of any restrictions that might limit the number of requests.

How to Verify If It's Active​

To verify if a Google API Key is active, use the following command:

curl -X GET "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway&key=[API_KEY]"

Valid credential response: A successful response will return JSON data with geolocation information.

Invalid/expired credential response: An error message indicating an invalid or expired API key.

Detection Patterns​

Common Variable Names:

  • GOOGLE_API_KEY
  • API_KEY
  • GOOGLE_KEY
  • GCP_API_KEY
  • MAPS_API_KEY
  • YOUTUBE_API_KEY

File Locations:

  • .env
  • config.json
  • settings.yaml
  • appsettings.json
  • credentials.txt

Regex Pattern:

AIza[0-9A-Za-z-_]{35}

Remediation Steps​

  1. Revoke immediately - Go to Google Cloud Console > APIs & Services > Credentials and delete the compromised API Key.
  2. Audit access logs - Review Google Cloud audit logs for unauthorized API calls or unusual activity during the exposure window.
  3. Assess blast radius - Identify all systems, applications, and environments that used the exposed API Key.
  4. Rotate credential - Create a new API Key in Google Cloud Console with least-privilege permissions.
  5. Update dependent systems - Deploy the new API Key to all applications and update CI/CD pipelines securely.
  6. Harden access controls - Enable API restrictions in Google Cloud Console to limit the key's usage to specific services and IP addresses.
  7. Implement secrets management - Migrate API Keys 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​