Snowflake Password Detection

Learn how to detect passwords in Snowflake environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for NIST 800-53 compliance.

unauthorized access

NIST 800-53

snowflake

Why It Matters

The core goal is to identify every location where passwords or password-like strings are stored within your Snowflake environment, so you can remediate unintended exposures before they become security incidents. Scanning for passwords in Snowflake is a priority for organizations subject to NIST 800-53, as it helps you prove you've discovered and secured all authentication credentials—mitigating the risk of unauthorized access through compromised passwords.

Primary Risk: Unauthorized access through compromised passwords

Relevant Regulation: NIST 800-53 Security Controls Framework

A thorough scan delivers immediate visibility into password exposures, laying the foundation for automated policy enforcement and ongoing credential security compliance.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • Snowflake ACCOUNTADMIN or SECURITYADMIN role
  • USAGE privileges on databases and schemas
  • SELECT privileges on target tables

External Tools

  • Snowflake CLI or SnowSQL
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • API credentials

Prior Setup

  • Snowflake account provisioned
  • Network policies configured
  • Authentication methods defined
  • Resource monitors established

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 identifies password patterns, credential strings, and authentication tokens stored in Snowflake tables and views, ensuring you stay ahead of unauthorized access risks and meet NIST 800-53 compliance requirements in real time.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Configure your Snowflake connection

Ensure proper authentication is set up and create service credentials with the minimum required privileges to access target databases and schemas.

snowsql -c myconnection -r SECURITYADMIN

2
Enable scanning workflows

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Integrations → DSPM → Add new. Select Snowflake, provide your account URL and service credentials, then define the scan scope to include databases where passwords might be stored.

3
Integrate with third-party tools

Configure webhooks or streaming exports to push password detection results into your SIEM or Security Hub. Link findings to existing ticketing systems like Jira or ServiceNow for immediate remediation workflows.

4
Validate results and tune policies

Review the initial password detection report, prioritize tables with clear-text or weakly hashed passwords, and adjust detection rules to reduce false positives from test data. Schedule recurring scans to maintain continuous visibility.

Architecture & Workflow

Snowflake Information Schema

Source of metadata for tables and columns

Cyera Connector

Samples data and applies NLP models for password detection

Cyera AI Engine

Applies pattern recognition and risk scoring

Reporting & Remediation

Dashboards, alerts, and automated workflows

Data Flow Summary

Enumerate Tables → Send to Cyera → Apply AI Detection → Route Findings

Best Practices & Tips

Performance Considerations

  • Start with high-risk databases and schemas
  • Use column sampling for large tables
  • Schedule scans during off-peak hours

Tuning Detection Rules

  • Create allowlists for test environments
  • Adjust confidence thresholds for password patterns
  • Fine-tune regex patterns for your organization

Common Pitfalls

  • Overlooking shared databases with external parties
  • Missing temporary tables with credential data
  • Forgetting to scan query history for exposed passwords

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔧 Fix: Secure and remediate exposed passwords 🛡️ Prevent: Implement password protection policies