AWS-Key-Hunter is an open-source tool released to automatically scan public GitHub repositories for exposed AWS access keys.
The tool, which leverages continuous monitoring and Discord-based alerts, aims to mitigate risks associated with accidental credential leaks in version control systems.
According to the security engineer, Anmol Singh Yadav, AWS-Key-Hunter employs a multi-layered scanning approach, analyzing Git commits for both plaintext AWS keys (e.g., AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=AKIA…) and base64-encoded variants.
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The tool’s architecture combines repository crawling with pattern matching against AWS’s key format specifications.
Unlike entropy-based detectors like TruffleHog, which may generate false positives, AWS-Key-Hunter focuses on structural validation through regular expressions tailored to AWS IAM key patterns. The Scanning Workflow operates through:
- Commit Retrieval: Periodic API calls to GitHub’s event endpoint to track repository activity
- Content Analysis: File diff inspection using AWS’s key format regex (/^AKIA[0-9A-Z]{16}$/)
- Validation: Programmatic verification of detected keys via AWS STS GetCallerIdentity API calls.
Real-Time Alerting via Discord Webhooks
The tool integrates with Discord’s webhook API to deliver instant notifications through a configured channel. When valid credentials are detected, AWS-Key-Hunter triggers a POST request containing repository metadata and partial key details.
Security teams can customize alert thresholds and implement automated key rotation workflows through AWS Lambda integrations.
Comparative Analysis With Existing Solutions
While GitHub’s native secret scanning covers AWS keys for verified organizations, AWS-Key-Hunter provides broader coverage for public repositories.
The tool outperforms static dorking techniques (filename:credentials aws_access_key_id) through automated commit tracking and reduces false positives compared to entropy-based scanners.
Key differentiators include:
- Base64 Detection: Decodes Base64-encoded environment variables in YAML/JSON files
- Contextual Analysis: Correlates keys with IAM permission levels using AWS API calls
- Containerization: Docker deployment minimizes dependency conflicts
Implementation Considerations
To deploy AWS-Key-Hunter:
- Generate GitHub personal access token with repo scope
- Configure Discord webhook URL in .env
- Launch via Docker
Build the Docker image
Run the container
Security teams should combine this with AWS security best practices, such as enabling CloudTrail logging for API activity monitoring, implementing IAM policies based on least-privilege principles, and rotating credentials via the AWS Secrets Manager interface.
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