AWS API Keys & Secrets Detection

Learn how to detect API keys, secrets, and tokens in AWS environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for SOC 2 compliance.

insecure APIs

SOC 2

aws

Why It Matters

The core goal is to identify every location where API keys, secrets, and tokens are stored within your AWS environment, so you can remediate exposed credentials before they become attack vectors. Scanning for secrets in AWS is a priority for organizations subject to SOC 2, as it helps you prove you've discovered and secured all authentication assets—mitigating the risk of insecure APIs and unauthorized system access.

Primary Risk: Insecure APIs and unauthorized access through exposed credentials

Relevant Regulation: SOC 2 Type II Security Controls

A thorough scan delivers immediate visibility into hardcoded secrets, laying the foundation for automated remediation and ongoing security posture management.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • AWS IAM admin or security auditor role
  • CloudTrail, CodeCommit, S3 read permissions
  • Ability to configure AWS Config rules

External Tools

  • AWS CLI configured
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • API credentials for integrations

Prior Setup

  • AWS organization or account access
  • CloudTrail logging enabled
  • AWS Config service active
  • Cross-region scanning permissions

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. By leveraging advanced AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, Cyera automatically detects API keys, secrets, and tokens across your AWS infrastructure—from code repositories to configuration files—ensuring you stay ahead of credential exposure and meet SOC 2 audit requirements in real time.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Configure AWS scanning permissions

Create an IAM role with necessary permissions for scanning S3 buckets, CodeCommit repositories, Lambda functions, and EC2 instances. Enable CloudTrail for comprehensive API activity monitoring.

aws iam create-role --role-name CyeraSecretsScanRole --assume-role-policy-document file://trust-policy.json

2
Enable comprehensive secret scanning

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Integrations → Cloud Platforms → Add AWS. Provide your role ARN and configure scanning scope to include code repositories, configuration files, environment variables, and storage buckets.

3
Set up detection rules and alerts

Configure detection patterns for common secret formats (AWS access keys, database passwords, API tokens). Set up real-time alerts for newly discovered credentials and integrate with your SIEM or incident response tools.

4
Validate findings and prioritize remediation

Review the initial detection report, classify secrets by criticality and exposure risk, and create remediation workflows. Schedule automated scanning to maintain continuous visibility as your AWS environment evolves.

Architecture & Workflow

AWS Resources

S3, CodeCommit, Lambda, EC2, and configuration sources

Cyera Scanner

AI-powered credential detection and classification

Pattern Recognition

NLP models for identifying secret formats and contexts

Alerting & Response

Real-time notifications and remediation workflows

Data Flow Summary

Scan AWS Resources → Apply AI Detection → Classify & Score → Alert & Remediate

Best Practices & Tips

Performance Considerations

  • Start with high-risk repositories and services
  • Use incremental scanning for large codebases
  • Schedule resource-intensive scans during off-hours

Tuning Detection Rules

  • Maintain allowlists for test/demo credentials
  • Adjust entropy thresholds for secret detection
  • Create custom patterns for proprietary API formats

Common Pitfalls

  • Missing secrets in container environment variables
  • Overlooking CloudFormation template parameters
  • Failing to scan archived or backup repositories

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔧 Fix: Remediate exposed API keys and secrets 🛡️ Prevent: Implement secrets management controls