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.
If an attacker gains access to a Shopify app token or a Shopify Partners token, they might be able to compromise the Shopify environment linked to
this token. As this environment typically contains both important financial data and the personal information of clients, a breach by a malicious
entity could have a serious impact on the organization.
What is the potential impact?
Shopify contains both important information about customers, as well as financial information in general. If an attacker manages to get access to
either of those through a leaked secret, they could severely impact the business in multiple ways.
Compromise of sensitive personal data
This kind of service is often used to exchange information that could include personal information, chat logs, and other private data that users
have shared on the platform. This is called Personally Identifiable Information.
The leaked app key could provide a gateway for unauthorized individuals to access and misuse this data, compromising the privacy and safety of the
application users.
In many industries and locations, there are legal and compliance requirements to protect sensitive data. If this kind of sensitive personal data
gets leaked, companies face legal consequences, penalties, or violations of privacy laws.
Furthermore, the personal identifiable information contained by the Shopify platform could be used for phishing. Not sufficiently protecting the
sensitive information of clients, such as addresses, email addresses and even financial information, can directly hurt these clients and will also
hurt the reputation of the organization.
Disclosure of financial data
When an attacker gains access to an organization’s financial information, it can have severe consequences for the organization. One of the primary
concerns is the potential leakage of sensitive financial data. This information may include bank account details, credit card information, or
confidential financial reports. If this data falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for malicious purposes such as identity theft, unauthorized
access to financial accounts, or even blackmail.
The disclosure of financial information can also lead to a loss of confidence and damage the organization’s reputation with its stakeholders.
Customers, partners, and investors place trust in organizations to protect their financial data. In case of a breach, customers may be hesitant to
continue doing business with this company, leading to a loss of revenue and market share. Similarly, partners and investors may reconsider their
long-term collaborations or investments due to concerns about the organization’s overall security posture.
