Mercedes-Benz reportedly suffered a security incident that exposed confidential source code on an Enterprise Git server. The incident occurred due to a compromised GitHub exposed by an employee. Although the incident occurred on September 29, 2023, it wasn’t discovered until January 11, 2024. A cybersecurity firm discovered the token during an internet scan and informed Mercedes-Benz, which quickly revoked it.

The exposure of proprietary source code can be a nightmare. The worst-case scenario is when malicious code is injected into an application and then shipped to consumers, as happened in the SolarWinds data breach.

This incident emphasizes the importance of embedding security in the development of code to prevent leakage of data and intellectual property by developers. Reviewing processes used by developers is essential to minimize the risk of inadvertent disclosure of confidential company information.