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Claude Code Exposes Secrets in Public GitHub Repositories

Claude Code Exposes Secrets in Public GitHub Repositories

First seen 7 Nov 2026, 19:47 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •November 7, 2026 at 19:47 UTC
  • •Claude Code saves secrets in public GitHub files when users approve commands.
  • •1,122 public copies of the .claude/settings.local.json file contain sensitive data.
  • •63 organizations, mostly software companies, are affected by this security issue.

Research by Apiiro revealed that Claude Code, an AI coding assistant, has inadvertently saved sensitive information such as passwords and API keys in a hidden file (.claude/settings.local.json) within public GitHub repositories. This issue affects 1,122 copies of the file across 1,994 repositories, with at least 2,539 real secrets identified, including database passwords and cloud keys. The problem arises when users select 'Yes, and don't ask again' while executing commands, causing the assistant to save the command verbatim, including any secrets. The file is not marked as private, leading to its inclusion in commits. Apiiro's findings indicate that 63 organizations, primarily software companies, are impacted, with one organization confirming that its key was live. The researchers recommend rotating all exposed secrets and cleaning up the repositories, as older versions of the file remain in git history. As of November 7, 2026, the secrets are still present in the repositories.

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Timeline

2026-11-07
Apiiro reports on Claude Code vulnerabilities
Apiiro disclosed that Claude Code saves sensitive information in public GitHub repositories, affecting 1,122 files.
Databreaches
2026-11-07
Research findings published
Apiiro's research identified 2,539 real secrets in 1,994 public repositories, including critical database passwords and cloud keys.
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Common questions

How many repositories are affected?
Apiiro found 1,994 public GitHub repositories affected by the issue.
What types of secrets are exposed?
Exposed secrets include database passwords, cloud keys, API tokens, and SSH logins.
What should organizations do now?
Organizations should rotate all exposed secrets and clean up their repositories to remove sensitive data.