Audit Finds Claude Code Tokens Exposed in Perplexity Computer
Summary
A researcher found active, session-bound Claude Code tokens in Perplexity Computer’s .npmrc file and used them externally. Perplexity revoked the tokens, saying delayed billing—not unmetered access—caused calls to appear unbilled. The researcher warns of prompt-in a
Key points
- A researcher found endpoint addresses and active API tokens in a .npmrc file in Perplexity Computer.
- The researcher used the tokens externally to make Claude Code calls that initially appeared absent from billing records.
- Perplexity revoked the tokens and said they were short-lived, session-bound, and billed to individual accounts.
- Perplexity attributed the apparent lack of billing to asynchronous reporting delays that could exceed 18 hours.
- The researcher warned that prompt injection could expose session tokens and enable unauthorized use that creates unexpected charges; the article does not report that this scenario occurred.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Security audit found active API tokens and endpoint addresses exposed in a .npmrc file in Perplexity Computer.
- Impact
- The exposed, session-bound tokens could be used externally to make Claude Code model calls billed to the associated user account. Perplexity revoked the tokens to protect the user. The article reports that calls initially appeared absent from billing records because of asynchronous billing delays, not because access was unmetered. The researcher warns that prompt-injection extraction of tokens could enable unauthorized use and cause unexpected charges; the article does not report confirmed exploitation by a malicious actor.
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Claude CodeA researcher auditing Perplexity Computer found endpoint addresses and active API tokens exposed in a .npmrc file, which allowed external Claude Code model calls that initially appeared unbilled.Perplexity ComputerA researcher auditing Perplexity Computer found endpoint addresses and active API tokens exposed in a .npmrc file, which allowed external Claude Code model calls that initially appeared unbilled.