Case xai-key-leak-spacex-tesla-llmsModel & data leakUnited States
xAI employee leaks API key on GitHub exposing 60 private Grok models for two months
An xAI technical staffer committed an x.ai API key to a public GitHub repo; GitGuardian found it granted access to at least 60 unreleased and private models, some fine-tuned on SpaceX and Tesla data, and it stayed valid for two months.
HighAttack on AIStatus: ResolvedVerified case file
Open in the interactive mapCite this case
- Reported
- May 1, 2025
- Location
- United States
- Target
- xAI private and fine-tuned LLMs
- Severity
- High
- Triggered by
- xAI employee (accidental); found by Philippe Caturegli and GitGuardian
- Actor type
- Accidental / misconfiguration
- Reported loss
- None reported
- CVE
- None
What happened
An xAI technical staffer committed an x.ai API key to a public GitHub repo; GitGuardian found it granted access to at least 60 unreleased and private models, some fine-tuned on SpaceX and Tesla data, and it stayed valid for two months.
Impact: Access to at least 60 fine-tuned and private LLMs including unreleased Grok versions and models named for SpaceX and Tesla data; no evidence of third-party abuse was published
Who triggered it
Actor: xAI employee (accidental); found by Philippe Caturegli and GitGuardian
Attribution: Accidental commit by an xAI employee; exposure publicised by Seralys' Philippe Caturegli and scoped by GitGuardian
Motive: None; accidental secret exposure
How it happened
Attack vector: Plaintext API key in a .env file committed to a public GitHub repository, usable under the employee's identity against the x.ai API
Root cause: No pre-commit secret scanning or key rotation; the key remained valid for almost two months after GitGuardian's first alert to the employee
Timeline
- GitGuardian automatically alerts the xAI employee about the exposed key
- GitGuardian escalates to xAI security, noting the key is still valid; xAI points to its HackerOne program
- Repository containing the key is removed from GitHub hours later
- KrebsOnSecurity publishes the story; xAI does not comment
Response
Repository removed after escalation; xAI directed researchers to its bug bounty program and issued no public statement
Current status: Resolved
Sources (open in a new tab)
- KrebsOnSecurity krebsonsecurity.com
- CO/AI getcoai.com
Cite this case
xAI employee leaks API key on GitHub exposing 60 private Grok models for two months. AI Threat Watch, case xai-key-leak-spacex-tesla-llms, May 1, 2025. https://aithreat.io/cases/xai-key-leak-spacex-tesla-llms/
Permanent link: https://aithreat.io/cases/xai-key-leak-spacex-tesla-llms/