Phishing Api Keys in Adonisjs with Dynamodb

When AdonisJS applications store or reference AWS credentials, and those credentials are used to access DynamoDB, a misconfiguration or insecure handling flow can expose API keys to phishing. This typically occurs when the application embeds keys in JavaScript bundles, logs, or error responses that an attacker can reach via a crafted link or compromised subdomain.

In AdonisJS, environment variables are commonly loaded via .env and consumed through Env helper. If an attacker can cause the application to echo or serialize configuration (for example through a debug route, verbose error page, or insecure admin endpoint), keys may be reflected in responses that are then phished via email or in-browser social engineering. DynamoDB usage often increases the phishing surface because access patterns require long-term credentials with broad table permissions, and developers may inadvertently ship these keys to the client or embed them in frontend code.

Attackers may combine this with insecure CORS or open redirect behavior in AdonisJS routes to host credential-harvesting pages that look like internal tooling. Because DynamoDB operations in AdonisJS often use the AWS SDK directly, any exposed key can be reused to perform low-and-slow data exfiltration or table enumeration. The risk is compounded when the same key is used across environments or when key rotation is infrequent.

middleBrick detects scenarios where API keys appear in unauthenticated response bodies or are referenced in client-reachable artifacts by scanning the unauthenticated attack surface. Its LLM/AI Security checks include system prompt leakage patterns and active prompt injection probes that can surface endpoints that unintentionally echo secrets, which is relevant when an AdonisJS app exposes DynamoDB-related configuration through debug or status endpoints.

To map findings to compliance frameworks, middleBrick aligns results with OWASP API Top 10 (A01: Broken Object Level Authorization, A07: Logging and Monitoring Failures) and common SOC2 control objectives. The scanner does not fix or block; it provides prioritized findings with severity and remediation guidance so teams can rotate keys and tighten configuration.

Remediation focuses on removing hardcoded keys from AdonisJS runtime artifacts and ensuring DynamoDB access follows least privilege. Use IAM roles or temporary credentials rather than embedding keys, and isolate DynamoDB usage to server-side code paths that are not exposed to the client.

1. Avoid exposing keys in responses or logs

Ensure no route or error handler echoes configuration. For example, instead of returning environment variables for debugging, return sanitized status objects.

// Bad: exposes sensitive configuration
Route.get('/debug', async ({ config }) => {
  return { env: config.get('env') };
});

// Better: return only necessary operational status
Route.get('/health', async () => {
  return { status: 'ok' };
});

2. Use AWS SDK with temporary credentials in AdonisJS services

Create a DynamoDB service file that configures the SDK without hardcoded keys. Rely on process-level environment variables or IAM roles assigned to the host (e.g., EC2 instance profile, ECS task role, or Lambda execution role).

// services/DynamoService.js
const { DynamoDBClient, GetItemCommand } = require('@aws-sdk/client-dynamodb');
const { marshall } = require('@aws-sdk/util-dynamodb');

class DynamoService {
  constructor() {
    this.client = new DynamoDBClient({ region: process.env.AWS_REGION });
  }

  async getItem(tableName, key) {
    const command = new GetItemCommand({
      TableName: tableName,
      Key: marshall(key),
    });
    const response = await this.client.send(command);
    return response.Item;
  }
}

module.exports = DynamoService;

3. Restrict IAM policy to least privilege

Define an IAM policy scoped to specific tables and actions. Avoid dynamodb:* in production. Attach the policy to the role used by the AdonisJS runtime environment.

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action": [
        "dynamodb:GetItem",
        "dynamodb:Query"
      ],
      "Resource": "arn:aws:dynamodb:us-east-1:123456789012:table/MyAppTable"
    }
  ]
}

4. Centralize key management and rotate regularly

Use AWS Secrets Manager or Parameter Store to retrieve credentials at runtime, and rotate keys on a defined schedule. In AdonisJS, load secrets via a provider or task during app bootstrap, ensuring they are never written to disk or source control.

// providers/SecretsProvider.js
const { SecretsManager } = require('@aws-sdk/client-secrets-manager');

class SecretsProvider {
  async getDdbCredentials() {
    const client = new SecretsManager({ region: process.env.AWS_REGION });
    const { SecretString } = await client.getSecretValue({ SecretId: 'prod/ddb/credentials' });
    return JSON.parse(SecretString);
  }
}

module.exports = SecretsProvider;

5. Secure CORS and validate inbound requests in AdonisJS

Prevent open redirects and ensure only trusted origins can invoke endpoints that interact with DynamoDB. Use AdonisJS middleware to enforce strict CORS rules and validate input before constructing SDK calls.

// start/hooks.ts
import { cors } from '@ioc:Adonis/Addons/Cors';

export const corsConfig = cors({
  origin: 'https://app.mycompany.com',
  methods: ['GET', 'POST'],
  allowHeaders: ['Authorization', 'Content-Type'],
});