Secret scanning tools identify and protect sensitive information that may be exposed within software assets. Developers often embed secrets like API keys, database credentials, and encryption keys in source code—but if left unprotected, these can serve as direct entry points for attackers.
Failing to secure sensitive information has led to significant security breaches for large organizations. For instance, in June 2024, a hacker known as IntelBroker breached Advanced Micro Devices's systems and sold data that included source code and financial records.
A secret scan reduces risks and defends against vulnerabilities. Here are some common tools to know, along with why Legit Security tops the list.
Secret scanning is the automated process of detecting sensitive information within codebases, logs, or configuration files.
Developers sometimes leave secrets in their code, either by oversight or for convenience. But without secure storage and proper access controls, they become vulnerable. For example, a leaked hardcoded secret like an API key could allow unauthorized access to a cloud service, leading to data theft or service disruptions.
A secret scanning tool automates vulnerability detection by continuously monitoring repositories and building a pipeline for exposed secrets. These tools can identify specific formats, like hardcoded passwords, using advanced pattern recognition and even machine learning. Once it detects a secret, the tool provides actionable insights to remediate the issue.
Many secret scanning tools integrate directly into development workflows so it’s easier to catch and fix problems during the coding process rather than after deployment.
A secret scanner addresses risks before they can be exploited. By integrating these tools into development workflows, you reduce incident response times and make codebases more secure.
Below are the key benefits of implementing secret scanning:
The right secrets scanner should identify exposed data and fit into your team's workflow without interrupting development cycles. Here are six options to choose from:
Legit Security’s AI-powered tools take secrets scanning to the next level. Legit provides enterprise-grade performance, giving you the visibility, prevention, and remediation capabilities you need to secure secrets across the entire development lifecycle.
Legit Security offers real-time monitoring for secrets within repositories and third-party dependencies. It also enforces secure development policies across teams so that exposed secrets are detected and addressed during the earliest stages of development. Plus, Legit’s integration with CI/CD tools like Jenkins and GitLab enables automated security checks throughout the development process.
Advanced secret scanning tools like Legit don’t just scan repositories. They also analyze build logs, where secrets often leak due to misconfigurations. Not every tool does this, and attackers frequently exploit exposed credentials in these areas to compromise software supply chains.
GitGuardian provides secret detection for both public and private codebases. Its detection algorithms identify over 350 types of secrets, including API keys, private certificates, and proprietary tokens, in real time.
AWS Secrets Manager stores and retrieves sensitive information. While it’s primarily a storage solution, it complements secret scanning by checking that credentials are not hardcoded into apps. This tool is best for organizations heavily invested in the AWS ecosystem.
TruffleHog is an open-source tool designed for deep repository scanning. It supports regex pattern matching and entropy-based detection to identify high-entropy strings like cryptographic keys. Plus, TruffleHog analyzes both real-time and historical commits, allowing it to detect past secrets—even if they’ve since been removed from the code.
Doppler combines secret scanning with secret management, acting as a hub for storing and distributing sensitive information. It simplifies workflows by integrating directly with development environments and CI/CD tools. However, its scanning capabilities are less advanced than dedicated tools like Legit, which actively searches for exposed credentials in codebases. Doppler is best alongside a dedicated secret scanning tool.
GitLeaks is an open-source command-line tool that detects hardcoded secrets in Git repositories. It scans both current and historical commits and supports custom rules to detect API keys and other sensitive data.
GitLeaks works well for development teams looking for a lightweight, easily configurable solution. However, it lacks real-time scanning and primarily relies on regex patterns, which can result in a high number of false positives.
A good secret scanning tool must monitor all areas and detect leaked credentials across the SDLC. It should also have:
SAST, which stands for static application security testing, analyzes static code to identify vulnerabilities before deployment. Secret scanning may be part of SAST, but it’s a different process.
There are three main types of vulnerability scanners:
Legit Security uses smart technology to find and protect secrets across all your development tools and processes. Unlike basic scanning tools that just look at code, Legit Security checks everything—your development tools, system settings, and the way your teams work together to build software.
Legit provides enterprise-grade performance, giving you the visibility, prevention, and remediation capabilities you need to secure secrets across the entire SDLC. Book a demo now.