How to protect API credentials

What this guide covers

Treat every secret key as a powerful credential: isolate it, limit access, rotate it, and prevent accidental logging. Work through each step in order, preserve safe reference details, and stop before repeating an action if the original result is still unclear.

Step-by-step

1. Keep keys on trusted servers or managed secret stores; never embed them in websites, mobile applications, or public repositories.
2. Use separate credentials for environments and grant only the permissions each service needs.
3. Prevent headers and environment variables from appearing in application logs, crash reports, or support attachments.
4. Rotate keys on a schedule appropriate to your risk and immediately after suspected exposure.
5. Review repository history and deployment logs during incident response because deleting a visible key may not remove every copy.

Troubleshooting

• If a key was committed, revoke it before rewriting history so it cannot be used during cleanup.
• If production and sandbox credentials are confused, verify host and environment configuration separately.
• Unexpected usage should trigger rotation, log review, access review, and support escalation.

If the result changes after a check, record what changed and the exact time. That detail is often more useful than repeating every step.

Before contacting support

Prepare the smallest set of information needed to explain the issue. Redact passwords, one-time codes, API keys, authorization headers, CVVs, full card numbers, and full bank account details.

• Credential identifier, never the secret
• Environment and approximate exposure time
• Actions already taken

State the expected outcome, observed outcome, current impact, and whether the issue is ongoing or intermittent.