Shippo is a multi-carrier shipping platform that helps businesses streamline their shipping processes. It provides a unified API and dashboard that
allows businesses to connect with multiple shipping carriers. Shippo API tokens are used for authentication and authorization purposes when making API
requests.
Secret leaks often occur when a sensitive piece of authentication data is stored with the source code of an application. Considering the source
code is intended to be deployed across multiple assets, including source code repositories or application hosting servers, the secrets might get
exposed to an unintended audience.
Why is this an issue?
In most cases, trust boundaries are violated when a secret is exposed in a source code repository or an uncontrolled deployment environment.
Unintended people who don’t need to know the secret might get access to it. They might then be able to use it to gain unwanted access to associated
services or resources.
The trust issue can be more or less severe depending on the people’s role and entitlement.
What is the potential impact?
If a Shippo API token is leaked, it can have several consequences:
Financial Loss
If the leaked API token is used to generate shipping labels or make shipping-related transactions, it can result in financial loss. Unauthorized
individuals may exploit the token to generate fraudulent labels or make unauthorized shipments, leading to additional shipping costs or potential
chargebacks. ==== Data Breach
If the leaked API token is associated with a user account that has access to sensitive customer or business data, it can result in a data breach.
This can lead to the exposure of personal information, shipping addresses, payment details, or other confidential data, potentially causing harm to
your customers and your business reputation.
How to fix it
Revoke the secret
Revoke any leaked secrets and remove them from the application source code.
Before revoking the secret, ensure that no other applications or processes are using it. Other usages of the secret will also be impacted when the
secret is revoked.
Analyze recent secret use
When available, analyze authentication logs to identify any unintended or malicious use of the secret since its disclosure date. Doing this will
allow determining if an attacker took advantage of the leaked secret and to what extent.
This operation should be part of a global incident response process.
Use a secret vault
A secret vault should be used to generate and store the new secret. This will ensure the secret’s security and prevent any further unexpected
disclosure.
Depending on the development platform and the leaked secret type, multiple solutions are currently available.
Code examples
Noncompliant code example
Shippo.setApiKey('shippo_live_258d9b4c41a8cb88ca7fb4b12c65083f658435ac'); // Noncompliant
HashMap<String, Object> addressMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
addressMap.put("name", "Mr. Hippo");
addressMap.put("company", "Shippo");
addressMap.put("street1", "215 Clayton St.");
addressMap.put("city", "San Francisco");
addressMap.put("state", "CA");
addressMap.put("zip", "94117");
addressMap.put("country", "US");
addressMap.put("phone", "+1 555 341 9393");
addressMap.put("email", "support@goshipppo.com");
Address createAddress = Address.create(addressMap);
Compliant solution
Shippo.setApiKey(System.getenv("SHIPPO_API_TOKEN"));
HashMap<String, Object> addressMap = new HashMap<String, Object>();
addressMap.put("name", "Mr. Hippo");
addressMap.put("company", "Shippo");
addressMap.put("street1", "215 Clayton St.");
addressMap.put("city", "San Francisco");
addressMap.put("state", "CA");
addressMap.put("zip", "94117");
addressMap.put("country", "US");
addressMap.put("phone", "+1 555 341 9393");
addressMap.put("email", "support@goshipppo.com");
Address createAddress = Address.create(addressMap);
Resources
Standards
