Resources | ParrotRouter - LLM API Guides, Tutorials & Comparisons

Critical Security Notice

According to the OWASP API Security Top 10¹, exposed API keys are one of the most common causes of data breaches. A single exposed LLM API key can cost thousands in unauthorized usage. See OpenAI's security guidelines².

critical

Never Expose Keys in Code

Keep API keys out of source code, especially client-side code

Never hard-code keys in your application
Don't commit keys to version control
Avoid keys in client-side JavaScript
Use server-side proxy for API calls

high

Use Environment Variables

Store keys in environment variables, not in code files

Use .env files for local development
Add .env to .gitignore
Use platform-specific env configs in production
Never log environment variables

high

Implement Key Rotation

Regularly rotate API keys to minimize exposure risk

Rotate keys every 90 days minimum<sup>4</sup>
Immediate rotation on compromise
Automate rotation where possible
Test new keys before revoking old ones

high

Restrict Key Permissions

Apply principle of least privilege to API keys

Limit keys to specific operations
Restrict by IP address when possible
Use separate keys per environment
Assign keys per service/application

Quick Security Test

Test your API key security knowledge

Is this API key secure?

sk-proj-***************

Never expose real API keys, even partially! This is just an example.

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Critical Security Notice

Storage & Access

Permissions & Restrictions

Monitoring & Maintenance

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