Web developers can sometimes put companies at risks by not protecting their secrets sufficiently, inside Gitlab repositories. When one is compromised, it can cost millions to a firm. In fact, a study by IBM has shown that the average costs, when a data breach occurs, was numbered at $3,86M in 2020. That should be a sufficient reason for developers to acquire a security scan to protect secrets held in Gitlab repositories.

​What are the Secrets that can be found inside Gitlab Repositories?

When a company can be found online, or communicates throught this virtual world, it will have to install the information it uses somewhere. To understand the idea better, think of it as a bank. If you walk in, you won’t be seeing the safe where they keep the money. However, it has to be somewhere in the building, well protected and away from the eyes of potential burglars. It is the same online, except that instead of being dollars, euros or pounds that criminals are looking to get, it is information. Particularly, the one stored inside Gitlab repositories (the virtual safe, in this case).

However, although it is quite easy to notice if the door of the safe has been left open, it is not so obvious with the virtual one. Therefore, a developer may forget to fully lock everything inside the vault, before placing the content online. That is a recipe for disaster that can easily be avoided if they use the security scan software, developed by GitGuardian, to protect Gitlab secrets. It is a unique tool that covers every need regarding the safety of the secrets held inside Gitlab repositories.

​What can happen if a Developer doesn’t use a Security Scan for Secrets?

Today, most companies provide access to their clients account on the web, through the use of a username linked to a password. This information has to be stored somewhere, since it needs to be available for the users, when they log in. These data are naturally highly confidential. If anyone other than the member came into contact with them, they could use their account for any transaction they may like. In the case of a bank account, they could rob the money deposited, and inside a commercial boutique, they could steal the private and financial information of the customer. That information resides inside Gitlab repositories, so that it is accessible, yet protected.

But how can you be sure that you have “locked all the doors” to the Gitlab repositories? There is only one sure way, and that is to scan it for secrets. What the software will do is to try to enter into the Gitlab repositories and get the information that should be locked away safely inside. If the coding is perfect, then the scan will be unfruitful. However, if there is a breach, then it will find it and indicate to the developer what data is in danger of begin stolen. He will then be able to solve the issue, before relaunching the scan, to make sure that the problem does not exist anymore. Only once that is done, can he feel safe about providing the final product to the customer.

​Part of the Essential Kit of a Web Developer

A security scan software such as GitGuardian needs to be found inside the basic developer kit. Otherwise, his job would be like building safes, without having a key to lock it. Since this all takes place virtually, there cannot be a physical element confirming that the vault is locked: Therefore, the use of a security scan software is the only solution that can guarantee the safety of the data found inside Gitlab repositories. So, to render passwords, API keys and the CI pipeline full-proof and away from hackers, the toolkit needs this only element, which can do so. Otherwise, the danger looming could be very costly.