RASP Secrets-in-Code Scanning: Detecting Leaks at Runtime

The alert fired at 2:14 a.m. A secret key was hardcoded deep in the repository. It had been there for months. No one saw it until RASP secrets-in-code scanning caught it mid-execution.

RASP (Runtime Application Self-Protection) changes the game for secrets detection. Instead of scanning only at commit or build time, it runs inside the application, with full context of code, environment, and runtime behavior. Secrets scanning at runtime means you detect exposure the moment it happens—no stale results, no blind spots from dynamic loading or obfuscated imports.

Secrets-in-code scanning with RASP works by instrumenting the runtime. It inspects strings, variables, API calls, and outbound requests against high-confidence secret patterns. This includes API tokens, OAuth credentials, private keys, database passwords, and other sensitive values. The scan happens inline, so any match is tied directly to the code path and stack trace that triggered it.

Static analysis detects some leaks, but it misses secrets generated at runtime, pulled from environment variables, or injected by third-party modules. RASP secrets scanning closes that gap. It watches for misuse in real execution, across all code paths, including rare error states and conditional branches. This is critical in modern distributed systems, where services exchange secrets dynamically and perimeter security is thin.

Deploying RASP with secrets scanning also gives instant triage. The detection event can block the request, redact the data, or alert your team with exact source location. Integrations with CI/CD pipelines, ticketing, and incident response tools make remediation faster.

If you want to prevent secret sprawl, you need visibility where it matters: inside the app, at runtime, watching code and data as they move. RASP secrets-in-code scanning delivers that visibility with precision.

See it live in minutes at hoop.dev and stop secrets from slipping into production.