Stripe API Key Security

Stripe handles sensitive payment data, making API key security critical. This guide covers key types, security requirements, and compliance considerations for payment processing.

Key Types and Their Uses

• Publishable keys - pk_ prefix, safe for client-side (Stripe Elements)
• Secret keys - sk_ prefix, server-side only, full API access
• Restricted keys - Custom keys with limited permissions
• Live vs test mode - Separate keys for production and development

Server-Side Only

Never use secret keys in client-side code. Use Stripe.js with publishable keys for frontend, and make all sensitive API calls from your server.

Webhook Security

Verify webhook signatures using the Stripe library. This ensures events actually came from Stripe and not from attackers spoofing webhook calls.

PCI Compliance

Use Stripe Elements or Checkout to handle card data. This shifts PCI compliance to Stripe. Never store card numbers on your servers.

Key Rotation

Rotate Stripe keys periodically. Use restricted keys to limit blast radius if a key is compromised. Set up alerts for unusual API activity.