Configuration Management / Exposure of .git directory

Description

The exposure of a .git directory, which is commonly used by version control systems like Git, represents a significant security vulnerability. The .git directory contains sensitive information about the versioned code, including the entire history of changes, configuration files, and potentially credentials.

Risk

• Source Code Exposure: Exposure of source code can lead to intellectual property theft, unauthorized code modifications, and the potential identification of vulnerabilities.
• Credentials and Configuration Exposure: Unauthorized access to credentials and configuration files can lead to account compromise, unauthorized access, or misuse of services.
• Security Misconfigurations: Misconfigurations can lead to security weaknesses, making it easier for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the application or infrastructure.

Solution

• Prevent Directory Listing: Disable directory listing on web servers to prevent the automatic exposure of the .git directory contents.
• Gitignore Configuration: Ensure that sensitive files and directories, including the .git directory, are included in the project's .gitignore file. This prevents them from being inadvertently committed to the repository.
• Web Server Configuration: Configure web servers to deny access to the .git directory and its contents. This can be achieved by using server configuration files (e.g., Apache's .htaccess or Nginx configuration).
• Regular Audits and Scans: Conduct regular security audits and scans of the codebase to identify any unintentional exposure of sensitive directories, including .git. Automated tools can help in detecting and fixing such issues.
• Access Control: Implement strict access controls on the repository, ensuring that only authorized individuals have read or write access to the .git directory and its contents.
• Remove Sensitive Information: Avoid committing sensitive files, such as configuration files with credentials, directly into the repository. Instead, use environment variables or configuration files that are excluded from version control.