Matomo token_auth placement determines where API secrets can leak
Matomo uses token_auth for Reporting API calls, authenticated Tracking API requests and embedded widgets, and its documentation treats the token like a password. Because a token can be sent in a GET query string or a POST body, the HTTP method affects whether it shows up in logs, browser history, proxies and support bundles. A count-only ZoomEye search in November 2026 found about 30,000 Matomo application surfaces, though the author stresses these counts do not indicate weak tokens or exposed reports. Matomo 6 adds a token access level and an option to accept secure tokens only in POST requests, which should be tested against integrations that rely on GET before enforcement. Recommended practices include using dedicated users with minimal permissions, removing tokens from URLs, treating logs and HAR files as sensitive, and regenerating any exposed token and reviewing activity from the exposure window.
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