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HockeyApp Token

HockeyApp tokens are credentials used to authenticate and interact with the HockeyApp service, which is a platform for app distribution, crash reporting, and user feedback. These tokens allow developers to manage their applications, access crash reports, and distribute new app versions. Exposure of a HockeyApp token can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive app data and potentially harmful modifications to app configurations.

How Does It Look​

HockeyApp tokens can appear in various contexts, such as:

  • Environment variables:

    export HOCKEYAPP_TOKEN="abcd1234efgh5678ijkl9012mnop3456"

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

    {
      "hockeyapp": {
        "token": "abcd1234efgh5678ijkl9012mnop3456"
      }
    }

  • Code snippets:

    const hockeyAppToken = "abcd1234efgh5678ijkl9012mnop3456";

  • Connection strings (if applicable): Not applicable for HockeyApp tokens.

Severity​

  • 🟠 High

The severity of a HockeyApp token exposure is high because it grants access to app distribution and crash reporting features. An attacker with this token can access sensitive app data, modify app configurations, and potentially distribute malicious app versions. The blast radius includes all applications associated with the exposed token.

What Can an Attacker Do?​

With immediate access to a HockeyApp token, an attacker can perform several malicious actions:

  • Access crash reports: View sensitive information about app crashes (if the token has read permissions).
  • Modify app configurations: Change app settings or configurations (if the token has write permissions).
  • Distribute unauthorized app versions: Upload and distribute malicious app versions (if the token allows app distribution).
  • Access user feedback: Read user feedback and potentially sensitive user data (if feedback access is enabled).

An attacker can also use the token to escalate their access or move laterally within the organization's app ecosystem, potentially compromising other applications or services.

Real-World Impact​

The exposure of a HockeyApp token poses significant business risks, including:

  • Data Exposure: Access to crash reports and user feedback (if the token has read access to sensitive data).
  • Financial Loss: Potential costs associated with unauthorized app distribution and user data breaches (if app distribution is permitted).
  • Operational Disruption: Interruption of app services due to unauthorized configuration changes (if the attacker has modify permissions).
  • Reputational Damage: Loss of user trust and brand reputation due to compromised app integrity.

In the worst-case scenario, an attacker could distribute a malicious app version, leading to widespread user impact and significant reputational harm.

Prerequisites for Exploitation​

To exploit a HockeyApp token, an attacker needs:

  • Network access to the HockeyApp API
  • Knowledge of the specific app or account associated with the token
  • No IP restrictions or multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforced on the account

How to Verify If It's Active​

To verify if a HockeyApp token is active, use the following command:

curl -H "X-HockeyAppToken: [TOKEN]" https://api.hockeyapp.net/v2/apps

Valid credential response: A list of apps associated with the token is returned.

Invalid/expired credential response: An error message indicating invalid credentials or unauthorized access.

Detection Patterns​

Common Variable Names:

  • HOCKEYAPP_TOKEN
  • HOCKEY_TOKEN
  • APP_TOKEN
  • HOCKEY_API_KEY
  • HOCKEY_SECRET
  • HOCKEYAPP_API_KEY

File Locations:

  • .env
  • config.json
  • settings.yaml
  • app_config.js
  • credentials.txt

Regex Pattern:

[a-zA-Z0-9]{32}

Remediation Steps​

  1. Revoke immediately - Go to HockeyApp > Account Settings > API Tokens and delete the compromised token.
  2. Audit access logs - Review HockeyApp access logs for unauthorized actions or data access during the exposure window.
  3. Assess blast radius - Identify all applications and environments that used the exposed token.
  4. Rotate credential - Generate a new token in HockeyApp with least-privilege permissions.
  5. Update dependent systems - Deploy the new token to all applications and update CI/CD pipelines securely.
  6. Harden access controls - Enable IP allowlisting in HockeyApp and require TLS connections.
  7. Implement secrets management - Migrate tokens 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 token 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​