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ReadMe API Key

A ReadMe API Key is a credential used to authenticate requests to the ReadMe API, which is a platform for creating and managing developer documentation. This key allows applications and users to interact with ReadMe's services, such as updating documentation, managing users, and accessing analytics. Exposure of this API key can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive documentation and user data, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the information hosted on the platform.

How Does It Look​

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

  • Environment variables:

    export README_API_KEY="rmk_1234567890abcdef"

  • Configuration files (JSON):

    {
      "apiKey": "rmk_1234567890abcdef"
    }

  • Code snippets:

    const apiKey = "rmk_1234567890abcdef";

  • Connection strings:

    https://api.readme.com?api_key=rmk_1234567890abcdef

Severity​

  • 🟠 High

The severity of a ReadMe API Key exposure is high because it can provide access to sensitive documentation and user data. An attacker with this key can modify or delete documentation, potentially leading to misinformation or loss of critical information. The blast radius includes all projects and documentation managed under the compromised account.

What Can an Attacker Do?​

With immediate access to a ReadMe API Key, an attacker can perform several malicious actions:

An attacker can immediately access and manipulate documentation, potentially leading to misinformation or data loss.

Key actions an attacker can perform:

  • Modify documentation: Change or delete existing documentation (if the key has write permissions).
  • Access user data: View user analytics and sensitive information (if the account has access to user data).
  • Disrupt service: Delete or alter API endpoints, causing service interruptions (if the key has administrative permissions).
  • Extract sensitive information: Download documentation and analytics data (if read access is enabled).

Additionally, an attacker could use the compromised key to escalate privileges or move laterally within the organization by exploiting other connected services or APIs.

Real-World Impact​

The exposure of a ReadMe API Key poses significant business risks, including:

The primary impact is the potential compromise of documentation integrity and user data privacy.

Potential consequences include:

  • Data Exposure: Unauthorized access to sensitive documentation and user data (if the credential has read access to sensitive data).
  • Financial Loss: Costs associated with service disruption and data recovery efforts (if billing/resource creation is permitted).
  • Operational Disruption: Service outages or misinformation due to altered documentation (if the attacker has delete/modify permissions).
  • Reputational Damage: Loss of trust from users and stakeholders due to compromised documentation integrity.

In the worst-case scenario, the exposure could lead to cascading effects, such as further breaches of connected systems or services.

Prerequisites for Exploitation​

To exploit a ReadMe API Key, an attacker needs:

  • Network access: Ability to send requests to the ReadMe API endpoint.
  • Additional context: Knowledge of the specific API endpoints and account structure.
  • Rate limits: Awareness of any rate limits or restrictions that might hinder exploitation.

How to Verify If It's Active​

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

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer [API_KEY]" https://api.readme.com/v1/docs

Valid credential response: A successful response will return a list of documentation entries or a confirmation message.

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

Detection Patterns​

Common Variable Names:

  • README_API_KEY
  • API_KEY
  • README_KEY
  • DOCS_API_KEY
  • RM_API_KEY
  • README_SECRET

File Locations:

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

Regex Pattern:

rmk_[a-zA-Z0-9]{16,32}

Remediation Steps​

  1. Revoke immediately - Go to ReadMe's API settings and delete the compromised API key.
  2. Audit access logs - Review ReadMe access logs for unauthorized changes or data access 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 API key in ReadMe with least-privilege permissions.
  5. Update dependent systems - Deploy the new credential to all applications and update CI/CD pipelines securely.
  6. Harden access controls - Enable IP allowlisting in ReadMe and require secure connections.
  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​