Security Alert: Exposed OPENROUTER API Key In GitHub

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Security Alert: Exposed OPENROUTER API Key in GitHub

Hey guys,

This is a serious heads-up! A recent security scan has detected a valid OPENROUTER API key that's been publicly exposed in your repository. This means someone could potentially use this key to access your OPENROUTER resources, which is a big no-no. Let's dive into the details and how to fix it.

The Issue: API Key Exposure

An automated security scan has detected a valid OPENROUTER API key that is publicly exposed in this repository.

Key Exposure Details

Validation Confirmation

This key was validated as active against the OPENROUTER API:

  • Total Usage: 0.0
  • Remaining Credits: 0.0
  • Total Credits: 0.0

Why is this a problem?

Having an exposed API key is like leaving your front door wide open. Anyone who finds it can use it to access your OPENROUTER account and resources. This could lead to:

  • Unauthorized access: Someone could use your API key to make requests on your behalf, potentially racking up costs or accessing sensitive data.
  • Data breaches: If your OPENROUTER account is linked to other services, an exposed API key could be a gateway to even more significant security breaches.
  • Service disruption: Malicious actors could abuse your API key to disrupt your services or even shut them down.

It's crucial to address this issue ASAP to prevent any potential damage.

Immediate Actions Required: Secure Your API Key Now!

Okay, time to get to work! Here's what you need to do right away to secure your OPENROUTER API key:

  1. REVOKE THIS KEY IMMEDIATELY: Head over to your OPENROUTER account/dashboard and revoke the exposed API key. This will prevent anyone from using it.
  2. Generate a New API Key: Create a new API key with the appropriate permissions for your application. Make sure to store it securely (more on that later).
  3. Remove the Key from the File and Git History: Get rid of the exposed key from the feature-search/build.gradle.kts file and, more importantly, from your Git history. This is crucial to prevent anyone from finding it in past commits.
  4. Use Environment Variables or Secret Management: Stop hardcoding API keys in your code! Instead, use environment variables or a dedicated secret management service to store sensitive credentials.
  5. Rotate Other Credentials: If one key was exposed, it's a good idea to rotate any other credentials that might be at risk. Better safe than sorry!

Let's break down each of these steps in more detail.

Step-by-Step Remediation Guide

Let's walk through the steps to fix this, nice and easy. We'll cover removing the key from your Git history and securing your credentials for the future.

  1. Revoke the Exposed API Key:

    • Log in to your OPENROUTER account.
    • Navigate to the API key management section.
    • Locate the exposed key (it might be helpful to check the creation date or other identifying information).
    • Revoke the key immediately. This will render it useless and prevent further unauthorized access.

  2. Generate a New API Key:

    • In the same API key management section, generate a new API key.
    • Make sure to set the appropriate permissions for the key, limiting its access to only the resources it needs.
    • Store the new key securely. Do not hardcode it in your code!

  3. Remove the Key from Git History:

This is a crucial step to prevent the key from being accessed in your commit history. There are two main ways to do this:

*   **Using `git filter-repo` (Recommended):**

    This is the more modern and recommended approach. If you don't have it installed, you might need to install it separately (e.g., `brew install git-filter-repo` on macOS).

    ```bash
    git filter-repo --path feature-search/build.gradle.kts --invert-paths
    ```

    This command rewrites your Git history, removing the specified file (`feature-search/build.gradle.kts`) from all commits. The `--invert-paths` option tells `git filter-repo` to keep everything *except* the specified path.

*   **Using BFG Repo-Cleaner:**

    BFG Repo-Cleaner is another popular tool for removing sensitive data from Git history. You can download it from [https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/](https://rtyley.github.io/bfg-repo-cleaner/).

    ```bash
    bfg --delete-files feature-search/build.gradle.kts
    git reflog expire --expire=now --all && git gc --prune=now --aggressive
    ```

    This command deletes the specified file from your Git history. The `git reflog expire` and `git gc` commands clean up the repository and remove any dangling commits.

**Important:** After running either of these commands, you'll need to force-push your changes to the remote repository:

```bash
git push origin --force --all
git push origin --force --tags
```

This will overwrite the remote history with your cleaned-up version. **Be careful** when using `--force`, as it can overwrite changes made by others. Make sure everyone on your team is aware of this and has backed up their work if necessary.

  1. Secure Storage Best Practices:

    Now that you've removed the exposed key, let's talk about how to store credentials securely in the future. Here are some best practices:

    • Store Keys in .env Files (and Add to .gitignore):

      Create a .env file in your project's root directory and store your API keys and other sensitive information there. Add .env to your .gitignore file to prevent it from being committed to your repository.

      OPENROUTER_API_KEY=YOUR_NEW_API_KEY

      Then, in your code, you can access the environment variable using `System.getenv(