Open code repositories play a significant role in collaborative software development. We’ve seen the growth of popular code-hosting platforms like GitHub, which is already widely used by software developers. These platforms, however, are vulnerable to various security threats. 

And when you’ve been victimized by such threats, they could lead to dire consequences. One of the biggest risks of open-source code repositories is that they can be exploited by exfiltration attacks. But first, let’s get into detail about what these attacks are. Then, we’ll discuss the best ways to secure your repositories against them. 

What Are Exfiltration Attacks? 

If you’re familiar with some cybersecurity terms, you might have encountered the term exfiltration at some point. When we talk about exfiltration attacks, these are threats that involve the unauthorized transfer of data from a system. In simpler terms, it’s also known as data theft. 

These attacks are carried out by cybercriminals and are done with the intent to use your data for their own gain. And when these hackers successfully steal data, there are serious ramifications. One, if the repositories contain confidential customer data, then that will certainly spell trouble. These data breaches are often publicized, which is considered bad PR for any organization. And the effects of these can be felt in the long term, from loss of consumer trust and even financial loss. 

How to Secure Open Source Code Repositories Against Exfiltration Attacks

The thought of stolen code from your repositories may indeed sound troubling, but fortunately, there are some ways to defend yourself against source code exfiltration – even if these criminals devise new schemes to steal precious data. First, it starts with learning how to protect your computer from these attacks. But, there are a few more ways to secure yourself from these threats. Here’s how: 

Choose a Trusted Code Hosting Platform

The #1 tip on our list is to choose a trusted code hosting platform. One of the more well-known ones is GitHub. When choosing the right platform in terms of security, it helps to dive deep into their website. Check the certifications that they have – this establishes their reputability. If they have other features such as two-factor authentication (2FA), then that keeps the walls much higher, therefore preventing data theft. 2FA adds a layer of protection by sending a one-time code to an authorized device when accessing your repositories. 

Encrypt Your Data

When it comes to keeping your repositories safe, trust isn’t enough. You have to keep adding extra layers of protection to ensure that data isn’t stolen. Another way to protect your code is to encrypt your data. 

There are two types of encryption: at rest and in transit. When we talk about encryption at rest, it refers to the encryption of code stored in your repository. So, let’s say in the worst-case scenario that a hacker successfully attempts to gain access to your repository, they won’t be able to read your data thanks to encryption. Another type of encryption is in-transit encryption. By the name itself, it’s implied that it’s a type of encryption that ensures data in transit is secure. This data transfer can occur between users and repositories. Encrypting transferred data is a must to prevent the intercepting of sensitive data or credentials during transit. 

Common Data Exfiltration Techniques 

You can’t fully apply these safety tactics if you have no understanding of the common data exfiltration techniques. By gaining awareness of these schemes, you’ll no longer fall prey to scams that could result in data breaches. These are some that you should watch out for: 

Phishing

Pronounced like fishing, phishing is the type of attack that occurs when attackers create an email or a website that purports itself to be legitimate. An innocent victim may input their details through this social engineering technique, helping these hackers obtain critical information. That said, it’s wise to be careful of the links you click and the websites you visit. Some phishing attempts are done quite convincingly, so be sure that you’re visiting an official website. 

Leakage of Source Code 

Occasionally, there might be vulnerabilities in a code hosting platform. And when hackers exploit them, it’s easy to gain access to the source code. The code could contain sensitive data such as API keys and other credentials. These may be used to gain access to other repositories or gain access to other systems. That’s why it’s crucial to follow one of our previously mentioned tips – choose a trusted code hosting platform. By doing so, you’ll be able to sleep at night knowing that your code is in good hands. 

In Conclusion 

Hackers just keep getting more clever. And with different types of exfiltration attacks that aim to steal confidential data, such as code from open-source repositories, you’ll see that the aftermath isn’t so pretty. Criminals can use sensitive data to gain access to other repositories or gain unauthorized access to other systems and databases. Hence, you must choose trusted platforms and encrypt your data. But, gaining awareness of how these exfiltration attacks work is just as important as it can shield you from the harsh consequences that they bring.