Hardcoded JWT Secret Key Detected

[MasoudAbdaal]

Description

A hardcoded secret key for signing JWT tokens has been identified in the source code. This poses a significant security risk as it allows attackers to potentially forge or tamper with JWTs, leading to unauthorized access to protected resources or sensitive data.

Impact

1. Token Forgery: An attacker with access to the hardcoded key can create valid JWTs, bypassing authentication and authorization mechanisms.
2. Replay Attacks: The same key across environments (e.g., development, staging, production) increases the risk of replay attacks.
3. Lack of Key Rotation: Hardcoding the key prevents secure key rotation practices, a critical aspect of maintaining token security.

Recommendation:

1. Remove the hardcoded key from the source code.
2. Use environment variables or a secure secrets management system (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager, Vault) to store and retrieve the secret key dynamically.
3. Implement regular key rotation policies and ensure minimal exposure of secrets in logs or configuration files.
4. Add validation to verify keys are loaded securely at runtime and handle errors gracefully.

If you need assistance or further clarification on how to fix this issue, feel free to reach out.

Best regards,
Masoud Abdaal