--- name: api-credentials-hygiene description: Audits and hardens API credential handling (env vars, separation, rotation plan, least privilege, auditability). Use when integrating services or preparing production deployments where secrets must be managed safely. --- # API credentials hygiene: env vars, rotation, least privilege, auditability ## PURPOSE Audits and hardens API credential handling (env vars, separation, rotation plan, least privilege, auditability). ## WHEN TO USE - TRIGGERS: - Harden the credentials setup for this integration and move secrets into env vars. - Design a key rotation plan for these APIs with minimal downtime. - Audit this service for least-privilege access and document what each key can do. - Create an environment variable map and a secure .env template for this project. - Set up credential separation for dev versus prod with clear audit trails. - DO NOT USE WHEN… - You want to obtain keys without authorization or bypass security controls. - You need legal/compliance sign-off (this outputs technical documentation, not legal advice). ## INPUTS - REQUIRED: - List of integrations/APIs and where credentials are currently stored/used. - Deployment context (local dev, server, container, n8n, etc.). - OPTIONAL: - Current config files/redacted snippets (.env, compose, systemd, n8n creds list). - Org rules (rotation intervals, secret manager preference). - EXAMPLES: - “Keys are hard-coded in a Node script and an n8n HTTP Request node.” - “We have dev and prod n8n instances and need separation.” ## OUTPUTS - Credential map (service → env vars → scopes/permissions → owner → rotation cadence). - Rotation runbook (steps + rollback). - Least-privilege checklist and audit log plan. - Optional: `.env` template (placeholders only). Success = no secrets committed or embedded, permissions minimized, rotation steps documented, and auditability defined. ## WORKFLOW 1. Inventory credentials: - where stored, where used, and who owns them. 2. Define separation: - dev vs prod; human vs service accounts; per-integration boundaries. 3. Move secrets to env vars / secret manager references: - create an env var map and update config plan (no raw keys in code/workflows). 4. Least privilege: - for each API, enumerate required actions and reduce scopes/roles accordingly. 5. Rotation plan: - dual-key overlap if supported; steps to rotate with minimal downtime; rollback. 6. Auditability: - define what events are logged (auth failures, token refresh, key use where available). 7. STOP AND ASK THE USER if: - required operations are unknown, - secret injection method is unclear, - rotation cadence/owners are unspecified. ## OUTPUT FORMAT Credential map template: ```text CREDENTIAL MAP - Integration: - Env vars: - : (secret/non-secret) - Permissions/scopes: - Used by: - Storage: - Rotation: | | - Audit: ``` If providing a template, output `assets/dotenv-template.example` with placeholders only. ## SAFETY & EDGE CASES - Never output real secrets, tokens, or private keys. Use placeholders. - Read-only by default; propose changes as a plan unless explicitly asked to modify files. - Avoid over-broad scopes/roles unless justified by a documented requirement. ## EXAMPLES - Input: “n8n HTTP nodes contain API keys.” Output: Env var map + plan to move to n8n credentials/env vars + rotation runbook. - Input: “Need dev vs prod separation.” Output: Two env maps + naming scheme + access boundary checklist.

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