Nessus Agent Key detected in code

Rule Details

Cortex AppSec Rule ID	APPSEC_SECRET_269
Category	Secrets
Severity	MEDIUM
Framework	Git

Impact

The Nessus Agent Key is used by an Agent to link itself to the Manager console for vulnerability scanning.

Exposure grants an attacker the ability to impersonate a legitimate agent or gain insights into the organization's vulnerability scanning schedule and results.

How to Fix

To remediate exposed API & Service Keys:

1. Log in to the service provider's dashboard.
2. Navigate to the API or credentials settings to locate the exposed key.
3. Rotate or regenerate the compromised key immediately.
4. Update your application configuration or environment variables with the new key.

Next, remove the secret from your codebase:

1. Locate the exposed key in your codebase.
2. Replace the hardcoded value with a secure variable or reference.

Finally, clean your version control history:

1. Permanently remove the sensitive data from your version control history to ensure it cannot be retrieved.