docs(security): add secret detection documentation

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# Secret Detection & Redaction
Moltbot includes built-in secret detection to protect API keys, tokens, and other sensitive credentials from being accidentally sent to AI models.
## Overview
The secret detection system:
- **Detects** high-entropy strings and known secret patterns in messages
- **Prompts** users interactively to choose how to handle detected secrets
- **Redacts** secrets based on user choice or configured defaults
- **Prevents** secrets from reaching the AI model's conversation history
## How It Works
### 1. Detection Phase
When you send a message, Moltbot automatically scans for:
- **Known patterns**: OpenAI API keys, GitHub tokens, AWS keys, JWT tokens, private keys, etc.
- **High-entropy strings**: Random-looking sequences likely to be secrets (using Shannon entropy analysis)
- **Custom patterns**: Additional regex patterns you configure
### 2. Interactive Prompt (Default Behavior)
If secrets are detected, you'll receive a security alert:
```
🔒 Security Alert
Your message contains what appears to be 1 secret or API key:
• sk-proj-Ab12...Yz56 (OpenAI API key)
Options:
1⃣ Redact - Replace with [REDACTED] before processing
2⃣ Cancel - Don't process this message
3⃣ Continue anyway ⚠️ - Send to AI as-is (not recommended)
Reply with 1, 2, or 3 (timeout in 15s)
```
**Simply reply with your choice** (1-3) and Moltbot will apply the selected action.
### 3. Actions
#### 1. Redact (Recommended)
- Replaces the secret with `[REDACTED]` in your message
- The AI sees `[REDACTED]` instead of the secret value
- Protects against accidental exposure in conversation history
#### 2. Cancel
- Blocks the message from being processed
- Nothing is sent to the AI
- Useful if you sent the message by mistake
#### 3. Continue Anyway
- Sends the message to the AI as-is, including the secret
- **Not recommended** - secrets may be stored in conversation history and logs
- Only use if you're certain the string is not actually a secret
### 4. Timeout Behavior
If you don't respond within **15 seconds** (configurable), the system applies the **default action** (redact by default).
## Configuration
### Enable/Disable Detection
```json5
{
"security": {
"secrets": {
"detection": {
"enabled": true // Default: true
}
}
}
}
```
### Interactive vs. Automatic Mode
```json5
{
"security": {
"secrets": {
"handling": {
"interactive": true, // Default: true (prompt user)
"defaultAction": "redact", // Default: "redact" (options: redact, block, allow)
"confirmationTimeoutMs": 15000 // Default: 15 seconds
}
}
}
}
```
**Non-interactive mode**: Set `interactive: false` to automatically apply `defaultAction` without prompting.
### Detection Thresholds
```json5
{
"security": {
"secrets": {
"detection": {
"minEntropyThreshold": 4.5, // Default: 4.5 (Shannon entropy)
"minLength": 24, // Default: 24 characters
"customPatterns": [
// Additional regex patterns to detect
"MYAPP-[A-Za-z0-9]{32}"
]
}
}
}
}
```
## Detected Patterns
Moltbot recognizes these secret types:
### API Keys & Tokens
- **OpenAI**: `sk-proj-...` (48+ chars), `sk-...` (48 chars legacy)
- **Anthropic**: `sk-ant-...` (95+ chars)
- **Google**: `AIza...` (39 chars)
- **GitHub**: `ghp_...`, `gho_...`, `ghs_...`, `ghr_...` (36 chars)
- **AWS**: `AKIA...` (20 chars), `aws_secret_access_key=...`
- **Slack**: `xox[baprs]-...`
- **Stripe**: `sk_live_...`, `rk_live_...`
- **Twilio**: `SK[0-9a-fA-F]{32}`
- **SendGrid**: `SG....`
- **Mailgun**: `key-...`
### Other Formats
- **Bearer tokens**: `Bearer ...`
- **JWT tokens**: `eyJ...eyJ....` (3-part base64)
- **Private keys**: `-----BEGIN ... PRIVATE KEY-----`
### Generic Patterns
- `api_key = "..."`
- `secret: "..."`
- `token = "..."`
## Security Logging
Security events are logged to the `security:events` subsystem:
- `high_entropy_detected` - When secrets are found
- `secret_redacted` - When a secret is redacted
- `secret_allowed_by_user` - When user chooses "continue anyway"
- `interactive_prompt_timeout` - When user doesn't respond in time
- `interactive_prompt_cancelled` - When user chooses "cancel"
View security logs:
```bash
moltbot logs --subsystem security:events
```
## Examples
### Example 1: Auto-Redact
**You send:**
```
Can you help me debug this API call? I'm using key sk-proj-Ab12Cd34Ef56Gh78Ij90Kl12Mn34Op56Qr78St90Uv12Wx34Yz56
```
**Moltbot responds:**
```
🔒 Security Alert
Your message contains what appears to be 1 secret or API key:
• sk-proj-Ab12...Yz56 (OpenAI API key)
Options: (reply with 1, 2, or 3)
1⃣ Redact
2⃣ Cancel
3⃣ Continue anyway ⚠️
```
**You reply:**
```
1
```
**Moltbot applies action:**
```
✓ Applying action: redact
```
**AI receives:**
```
Can you help me debug this API call? I'm using key [REDACTED]
```
### Example 2: Auto-Redact (Non-Interactive Mode)
**Config:**
```json5
{
"security": {
"secrets": {
"handling": {
"interactive": false,
"defaultAction": "redact"
}
}
}
}
```
**You send:**
```
My GitHub token is ghp_Ab12Cd34Ef56Gh78Ij90Kl12Mn34Op5678Qr
```
**AI receives immediately:**
```
My GitHub token is [REDACTED]
```
## Opting Out
To completely disable secret detection:
```json5
{
"security": {
"secrets": {
"detection": {
"enabled": false
}
}
}
}
```
**Warning**: Disabling detection means secrets may be sent to AI models and stored in conversation history.
## Future Enhancements
**Phase 4 (Planned):**
- **Secure storage**: Store detected secrets in OS keychain (macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, Linux Secret Service)
- **Secret retrieval**: CLI commands to list/retrieve stored secrets
- **Gitleaks integration**: Optional backend for enhanced detection using [Gitleaks](https://gitleaks.io/)
## Related
- [Configuration Guide](/configuration)
- [Security Audit](/security/audit)