lacework-global-240
1.13 Ensure API Keys Are Restricted To Use by Only Specified Hosts and Apps (Automated)
note
This rule has been changed to automated, see Automated Rules for CIS GCP 1.3.0 for details.
Profile Applicability
• Level 1
Description
Unrestricted keys are insecure because they can be viewed publicly, such as from within a browser, or they can be accessed on a device where the key resides. It is recommended to restrict API key usage to trusted hosts, HTTP referrers and apps.
Rationale
Security risks involved in using API-Keys appear below:
API keys are simple encrypted strings
API keys do not identify the user or the application making the API request
API keys are typically accessible to clients, making it easy to discover and steal an API key
In light of these potential risks, Google recommends using the standard authentication flow instead of API keys. However, there are limited cases where API keys are more appropriate. For example, if there is a mobile application that needs to use the Google Cloud Translation API, but doesn't otherwise need a backend server, API keys are the simplest way to authenticate to that API.
In order to reduce attack vectors, API-Keys can be restricted only to trusted hosts, HTTP referrers and applications.
Impact
Setting Application Restrictions
may break existing application functioning, if not done carefully.
Audit
From Console:
Go to
APIs & Services\Credentials
usinghttps://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials
In the section
API Keys
, Click theAPI Key Name
. The API Key properties display on a new page.For every API Key, ensure the section
Key restrictions
parameterApplication restrictions
is not set toNone
.
Or,
Ensure Application restrictions
is set to HTTP referrers
and the referrer is not set to wild-cards (* or *.[TLD] or *.[TLD]/*) allowing access to any/wide HTTP referrer(s)
Or,
Ensure Application restrictions
is set to IP addresses
and referrer is not set to any host (0.0.0.0 or 0.0.0.0/0 or ::0)
Remediation
From Console:
Go to
APIs & Services\Credentials
usinghttps://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials
In the section
API Keys
, Click theAPI Key Name
. The API Key properties display on a new page.In the
Key restrictions
section, set the application restrictions to any ofHTTP referrers, IP addresses, Android apps, iOS apps
.Click
Save
.Repeat steps 2,3,4 for every unrestricted API key.
note
Do not set
HTTP referrers
to wild-cards ( or .[TLD] or .[TLD]/) allowing access to any/wide HTTP referrer(s)Do not set
IP addresses
and referrer toany host (0.0.0.0 or 0.0.0.0/0 or ::0)