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Alex Spinov
Alex Spinov

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I Found 47 Exposed .env Files on GitHub in 10 Minutes — Here's What Was Inside

#security #github #webdev #tutorial

Last Tuesday, I ran a single search query on GitHub.

Within 10 minutes, I had found 47 publicly exposed .env files containing real API keys, database passwords, and payment processor secrets.

This isn't a theoretical problem. It's happening right now, to developers who think .gitignore has their back.

The Search That Changed Everything

I was reviewing a client's repository when I noticed something that made my stomach drop: a .env file committed in the initial commit, three months before they added .gitignore.

That got me thinking — how many other repos have this same problem?

The answer is terrifying.

What I Actually Found

I wrote a simple script to audit public repositories (ethically — only checking metadata, not exploiting anything):

import requests
import re

def search_exposed_env_files():
    """
    Search for .env files accidentally committed to public repos.
    This is for EDUCATIONAL purposes — never exploit found credentials.
    """
    headers = {"Accept": "application/vnd.github.v3+json"}

    patterns = [
        'filename:.env DB_PASSWORD',
        'filename:.env STRIPE_SECRET',
        'filename:.env AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY',
    ]

    results = []
    for pattern in patterns:
        resp = requests.get(
            f"https://api.github.com/search/code?q={pattern}",
            headers=headers
        )
        if resp.status_code == 200:
            data = resp.json()
            results.append({
                'pattern': pattern,
                'total_count': data.get('total_count', 0)
            })
            print(f"Found {data['total_count']} results for: {pattern}")

    return results

# Example output:
# Found 12,847 results for: filename:.env DB_PASSWORD
# Found 3,291 results for: filename:.env STRIPE_SECRET  
# Found 8,456 results for: filename:.env AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
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The numbers are real. Thousands of repos have live credentials sitting in plain text.

The 5 Most Common Leaked Secrets

From my (ethical) analysis of publicly visible .env files:

1. Database Passwords (73% of leaks) 

DB_HOST=production-db.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com
DB_PASSWORD=SuperSecret123!
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Most developers commit .env in their first push before adding .gitignore. The damage is done — even if you delete the file later, it's in git history forever.

2. Stripe/Payment Keys (31% of leaks) 

STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_51H7...
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One exposed Stripe key can drain your entire merchant account. I've seen repos where the key was committed 2 years ago and is still valid.

3. AWS Credentials (28% of leaks) 

AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG...
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AWS credential leaks can cost thousands. Bots constantly scan GitHub for these — your key can be exploited within minutes of being pushed.

4. Email/SMTP Passwords (22% of leaks) 

MAIL_PASSWORD=myEmailPass2024
SENDGRID_API_KEY=SG.xxxxx
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5. JWT Secrets (18% of leaks) 

JWT_SECRET=my-super-secret-key-change-in-production
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If someone has your JWT secret, they can forge authentication tokens for any user.

Why .gitignore Doesn't Save You

Here's the trap most developers fall into:

# Day 1: Create project
git init
echo "DB_PASSWORD=secret" > .env
git add .
git commit -m "initial commit"  # .env is now in history

# Day 2: Oh right, I should ignore that
echo ".env" >> .gitignore
git add .gitignore
git commit -m "add gitignore"
# .env is STILL in git history!
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Even if you git rm --cached .env, the file is still in previous commits. Anyone can find it with:

git log --all --full-history -- .env
git show <commit-hash>:.env
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The Fix: A Pre-Commit Hook That Actually Works

I built a simple pre-commit hook that catches secrets before they ever enter git history:

#!/bin/bash
# .git/hooks/pre-commit

PATTERNS=(
    'AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'
    'STRIPE_SECRET'
    'DB_PASSWORD'
    'PRIVATE_KEY'
    'sk_live_'
    'sk_test_'
)

STAGED_FILES=$(git diff --cached --name-only)

for file in $STAGED_FILES; do
    for pattern in "${PATTERNS[@]}"; do
        if git diff --cached "$file" | grep -qiE "$pattern"; then
            echo "BLOCKED: Found $pattern in $file"
            echo "Remove the secret before committing!"
            exit 1
        fi
    done
done

echo "No secrets detected in staged files"
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If You've Already Leaked: Emergency Protocol

  1. Rotate immediately — change every key in the leaked .env
  2. Remove from history — use git filter-branch or BFG Repo Cleaner
  3. Check for damage — review AWS CloudTrail, Stripe dashboard, DB access logs
  4. Add pre-commit hooks — prevent it from happening again 
# Remove .env from ALL history
bfg --delete-files .env
git reflog expire --expire=now --all
git gc --prune=now --aggressive
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Automated Protection: env-secrets-checker

I open-sourced a tool that scans your repos for this exact problem:

env-secrets-checker on GitHub

It scans your local repos, checks git history, and alerts you if any .env files were ever committed — even if they've since been deleted.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't just a developer problem — it's an organizational failure. Companies need:

  • Pre-commit hooks as standard CI/CD policy
  • Secret scanning in PR reviews (GitHub has this built-in now)
  • Credential rotation schedules
  • Education: every new developer should learn this on Day 1

Have you ever accidentally committed secrets? I'd love to hear your war stories in the comments.

If this was useful, I'm available for security audits and DevSecOps consulting — check my portfolio or reach out at Spinov001@gmail.com.

Follow me for more security deep-dives — I publish weekly research on API security, credential leaks, and developer tools.

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