Private key file committed
Part of Security, which counts for 30% of the overall score. When this check fires it deducts 25 points from that category, once per scan, no matter how many places it turns up.
What it detects
Certificate or private key files (.pem, .key, id_rsa, etc.) should never be committed to source control.
Why it matters
A committed private key lets anyone with the repo impersonate your server, decrypt traffic, or SSH into machines that trust it. Unlike passwords, key files rarely expire on their own, so an old leak stays exploitable for years. Git history keeps the file even after you delete it.
How to fix it
Remove the key files from the repo (git rm), add their extensions to .gitignore, and regenerate the keys, since the committed ones must be treated as compromised. Load keys at runtime from a secret manager or a mounted path outside the repo. If a flagged file is actually a public certificate with no private material, it can stay, but keep every private key out.
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