How to find exposed API keys in frontend code

The fastest way to find exposed API keys in frontend code is to review shipped JavaScript, inspect source maps when available, and validate any suspicious key with surrounding context before deciding it is a real issue.

Step 1: Review what the browser already gets

Start with the assets delivered to the browser: JavaScript bundles, referenced source maps, and public config fragments. This is where exposed keys often surface.

Step 2: Scan for suspicious patterns

Use structured rules to surface API key-like strings, tokens, and other secret patterns more efficiently than manual searching alone.

Step 3: Validate context

Ask whether the key is intended to be public, whether it is restricted, and what actions or cost it could enable. That context determines whether a finding is meaningful.

Where Source Detector fits

Source Detector helps you discover source maps, scan frontend assets, and preserve evidence for manual validation.