Because it is easy to extract strings from an application source code or binary, credentials should not be hard-coded. This is particularly true for applications that are distributed or that are open-source.

In the past, it has led to the following vulnerabilities:

• CVE-2019-13466
• CVE-2018-15389

Credentials should be stored outside of the code in a configuration file, a database, or a management service for secrets.

This rule flags instances of hard-coded credentials used in database and LDAP connections. It looks for hard-coded credentials in connection strings, and for variable names that match any of the patterns from the provided list.

Ask Yourself Whether

• Credentials allow access to a sensitive component like a database, a file storage, an API or a service.
• Credentials are used in production environments.
• Application re-distribution is required before updating the credentials.

There is a risk if you answered yes to any of those questions.

Recommended Secure Coding Practices

• Store the credentials in a configuration file that is not pushed to the code repository.
• Store the credentials in a database.
• Use your cloud provider’s service for managing secrets.
• If a password has been disclosed through the source code: change it.

Sensitive Code Example

val params = "password=xxxx" // Sensitive
val writer = OutputStreamWriter(getOutputStream())
writer.write(params)
writer.flush()
...
val password = "xxxx" // Sensitive
...

Compliant Solution

val params = "password=${retrievePassword()}"
val writer = OutputStreamWriter(getOutputStream())
writer.write(params)
writer.flush()
...
val password = retrievePassword()
...

See

• OWASP - Top 10 2021 Category A7 - Identification and Authentication Failures
• OWASP - Top 10 2017 Category A2 - Broken Authentication
• CWE - CWE-798 - Use of Hard-coded Credentials
• CWE - CWE-259 - Use of Hard-coded Password
• Derived from FindSecBugs rule Hard Coded Password