Lnav secrets detection

Lnav was no longer just a log viewer. It had become the first line of defense.

Lnav secrets detection is the fastest path to spotting sensitive data leaking in plain sight. While many developers use Lnav for quick filtering and navigation, few realize it can scan live or archived logs for API keys, tokens, passwords, and private certificates. When configured with pattern-based detection, Lnav flags matches instantly. This means you can catch a secret before it moves downstream into a build, deployment, or public repository.

The process is simple:

1. Define regex rules for your environment.
2. Load them into Lnav’s configuration.
3. Use the search and watch commands to monitor log streams.

You can integrate Lnav secrets detection into a CI/CD pipeline, or run it during incident response to isolate compromised credentials. When used with tailing mode, it gives you real-time alerts directly in your session, without extra tools or web dashboards. Power comes from the speed and local focus—no network calls, no external storage, no lag.

For deeper control, combine Lnav’s SQL query support with your detection patterns. Queries can scan structured log fields for secrets or anomalous entries tied to security misconfigurations. Add color highlights to surface high-risk entries instantly. Advanced users can map detection events to external scripts for auto-revocation or webhook notifications.

Unlike generic scanning tools, Lnav stays close to the source. It works offline, respects system boundaries, and operates at the pace of your logs. The right patterns and workflows turn it from viewer to guardian in minutes.

Test Lnav secrets detection now. See how you can integrate live secret scanning into your logs with zero overhead. Go to hoop.dev and see it running in minutes.