> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/appsec-rules/iac-security/public-exposure/appsec-openapi-20.md).

# API keys transmitted over cleartext misconfiguration detected in code

## Rule Details

|                        |                        |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- |
| Cortex AppSec Rule ID  | APPSEC\_OPENAPI\_20    |
| Category - Subcategory | Public Exposure - APIs |
| Provider               | OTHER                  |
| Severity               | HIGH                   |
| Framework              | OpenAPI                |

## Impact

This rule is essentially checking for instances where API keys may be sent over unencrypted, plain text. The danger or risk associated with violation of this rule is that it could lead to potential security breaches. If API keys are sent over clear text, it could potentially be intercepted and inappropriately used by malicious third parties, leading to unauthorized access, data theft or other harmful malicious activities.

## How to Fix

To fix this issue in your OpenAPI (Swagger) file, define security scopes that allow you to set the level of access for each API operation. Specifically, include each security scope within the `securityDefinition` block.

## In the above code, `my_oauth` defines an OAuth security scheme where 'read:stuff' and 'write:stuff' are the specific scopes. The 'read:stuff' and 'write:stuff' scopes indicate the actions that can be performed when a user is granted these permissions. This structure ensures that API consumers understand what specific authorizations are required to access each operation. This is a strong practice in securing your API as it provides granularity in access control for each operation in your API specification. \[source,go]

## securityDefinitions: my\_oauth: type: oauth2 scopes: 'read:stuff': Read access to the stuff 'write:stuff': Write access to the stuff flow: implicit authorizationUrl: <https://oauth.example.com/authorize>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/appsec-rules/iac-security/public-exposure/appsec-openapi-20.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.