mapbox-token-security

name	mapbox-token-security
description	Security best practices for Mapbox access tokens, including scope management, URL restrictions, rotation strategies, and protecting sensitive data. Use when creating, managing, or advising on Mapbox token security.

Mapbox Token Security Skill

This skill provides security expertise for managing Mapbox access tokens safely and effectively.

Token Types and When to Use Them

Public Tokens (pk.*)

Characteristics:

• Can be safely exposed in client-side code
• Limited to specific public scopes only
• Can have URL restrictions
• Cannot access sensitive APIs

When to use:

• Client-side web applications
• Mobile apps
• Public-facing demos
• Embedded maps on websites

Allowed scopes:

• styles:tiles - Display style tiles (raster)
• styles:read - Read style specifications
• fonts:read - Access Mapbox fonts
• datasets:read - Read dataset data
• vision:read - Vision API access

Secret Tokens (sk.*)

Characteristics:

• NEVER expose in client-side code
• Full API access with any scopes
• Server-side use only
• Can create/manage other tokens

When to use:

• Server-side applications
• Backend services
• CI/CD pipelines
• Administrative tasks
• Token management

Common scopes:

• styles:write - Create/modify styles
• styles:list - List all styles
• tokens:read - View token information
• tokens:write - Create/modify tokens
• User feedback management scopes

Temporary Tokens (tk.*)

Characteristics:

• Short-lived (max 1 hour)
• Created by secret tokens
• Single-purpose use
• Automatically expire

When to use:

• One-time operations
• Temporary delegated access
• Short-lived demos
• Security-conscious workflows

Scope Management Best Practices

Principle of Least Privilege

Always grant the minimum scopes needed:

❌ Bad:

// Overly permissive - don't do this
{
  scopes: ['styles:read', 'styles:write', 'styles:list', 'styles:delete', 'tokens:read', 'tokens:write'];
}

✅ Good:

// Only what's needed for displaying a map
{
  scopes: ['styles:read', 'fonts:read'];
}
// Add 'styles:tiles' if your map uses raster tile sources
{
  scopes: ['styles:read', 'fonts:read', 'styles:tiles'];
}

Scope Combinations by Use Case

Public Map Display (client-side):

{
  "scopes": ["styles:read", "fonts:read", "styles:tiles"],
  "note": "Public token for map display",
  "allowedUrls": ["https://myapp.com/*"]
}

Style Management (server-side):

{
  "scopes": ["styles:read", "styles:write", "styles:list"],
  "note": "Backend style management - SECRET TOKEN"
}

Token Administration (server-side):

{
  "scopes": ["tokens:read", "tokens:write"],
  "note": "Token management only - SECRET TOKEN"
}

Read-Only Access:

{
  "scopes": ["styles:list", "styles:read", "tokens:read"],
  "note": "Auditing/monitoring - SECRET TOKEN"
}

URL Restrictions

Why URL Restrictions Matter

URL restrictions limit where a public token can be used, preventing unauthorized usage if the token is exposed.

Effective URL Patterns

✅ Recommended patterns:

https://myapp.com/*           # Production domain
https://*.myapp.com/*         # All subdomains
https://staging.myapp.com/*   # Staging environment
http://localhost:*            # Local development

❌ Avoid these:

*                             # No restriction (insecure)
http://*                      # Any HTTP site (insecure)
*.com/*                       # Too broad

Multiple Environment Strategy

Create separate tokens for each environment:

// Production
{
  note: "Production - myapp.com",
  scopes: ["styles:read", "fonts:read"],
  allowedUrls: ["https://myapp.com/*", "https://www.myapp.com/*"]
}

// Staging
{
  note: "Staging - staging.myapp.com",
  scopes: ["styles:read", "fonts:read"],
  allowedUrls: ["https://staging.myapp.com/*"]
}

// Development
{
  note: "Development - localhost",
  scopes: ["styles:read", "fonts:read"],
  allowedUrls: ["http://localhost:*", "http://127.0.0.1:*"]
}

Token Storage and Handling

Server-Side (Secret Tokens)

✅ DO:

• Store in environment variables
• Use secret management services (AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault)
• Encrypt at rest
• Limit access via IAM policies
• Log token usage

❌ DON'T:

• Hardcode in source code
• Commit to version control
• Store in plaintext configuration files
• Share via email or Slack
• Reuse across multiple services

Example: Secure Environment Variable:

# .env (NEVER commit this file)
MAPBOX_SECRET_TOKEN=sk.ey...

# .gitignore (ALWAYS include .env)
.env
.env.local
.env.*.local

Client-Side (Public Tokens)

✅ DO:

• Use public tokens only
• Apply URL restrictions
• Use different tokens per app
• Rotate periodically
• Monitor usage

❌ DON'T:

• Expose secret tokens
• Use tokens without URL restrictions
• Share tokens between unrelated apps
• Use tokens with excessive scopes

Example: Safe Client Usage (Vite):

Note: This example uses Vite. For Next.js, CRA, Angular, or a plain window.MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN / CDN setup, see Token Management. Do not chain import.meta.env and process.env in one expression — the unused path throws ReferenceError in the browser.

// Public token with URL restrictions - SAFE (Vite)
const mapboxToken = import.meta.env.VITE_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN;

// Guard BEFORE constructing the map — missing tokens otherwise yield a silent blank map
if (!mapboxToken || mapboxToken === 'YOUR_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN') {
  throw new Error('Missing VITE_MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN — set it in env before creating the map');
}

mapboxgl.accessToken = mapboxToken;

Agent anti-pattern: skip the token guard

Agents often assign mapboxgl.accessToken and call new mapboxgl.Map(...) with no check. That fails closed as a blank canvas with no UI error.

Always:

1. Resolve the token from the env pattern for your bundler (never hardcode a real pk. in source)
2. Validate it is present and not a placeholder
3. Only then set accessToken and construct the map

Security Checklist

Token Creation:

• Use public tokens for client-side, secret for server-side
• Apply principle of least privilege for scopes
• Add URL restrictions to public tokens
• Use descriptive names/notes for token identification
• Document intended use and environment

Token Management:

• Store secret tokens in environment variables or secret managers
• Never commit tokens to version control
• Rotate tokens every 90 days (or per policy)
• Remove unused tokens promptly
• Separate tokens by environment (dev/staging/prod)
• Guard missing tokens in client code before new mapboxgl.Map

Monitoring:

• Track token usage patterns
• Set up alerts for unusual activity
• Regular security audits (monthly)
• Review team access quarterly
• Scan repositories for exposed tokens

Incident Response:

• Documented revocation procedure
• Emergency contact list
• Rotation process documented
• Post-incident review template
• Team training on security procedures

Reference Files

For detailed guidance on specific topics, load these references as needed:

• references/token-management.md — Bundler-specific env var names and access patterns (Vite / Next / CRA / Angular / CDN). Load when: wiring tokens in a different framework than the Vite example above.
• references/rotation-monitoring.md — Token rotation strategies (zero-downtime + emergency), monitoring metrics, alerting rules, and monthly/quarterly audit checklists. Load when: implementing rotation, setting up monitoring, or conducting audits.
• references/incident-response.md — Step-by-step incident response plan and common security mistakes with code examples. Load when: responding to a token compromise, reviewing code for security issues, or training on anti-patterns.

When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when:

• Creating new tokens
• Deciding between public vs secret tokens
• Setting up token restrictions
• Implementing token rotation
• Investigating security incidents
• Conducting security audits
• Training team on token security
• Reviewing code for token exposure