Streamer Mode Plus Extension

A VS Code extension that automatically detects streaming software and masks API keys and secrets in code to protect secrets during live coding sessions.

Features

• Automatic Detection: Monitors running processes to detect popular streaming software like OBS Studio, Streamlabs, and XSplit.
• Smart Secret Detection: Automatically detects and masks high-entropy API keys and secrets in both .env files and code files using GitGuardian-inspired detection rules
• Granular .env Control: In .env files, by default only masks detected secrets (keeps regular values like names, ports visible). Optionally, enable "Hide all environment variables" to mask all values
• Manual Toggle: Status bar button to manually enable/disable streamer mode
• Configurable: Customize detection settings and streaming software list

How It Works

1. Process Detection: The extension periodically scans running processes for known streaming applications
2. Auto-Activation: When streaming software is detected, it automatically enables streamer mode
3. Secret Masking:
   • Automatically detects and masks high-entropy API keys and secrets across both .env files and code files
   • .env files: By default, only detected secrets are masked. Use the status bar menu to enable "Hide all environment variables" and mask all values
   • Code files: High-entropy secrets assigned to sensitive identifiers are detected and only the secret substring is masked
4. Visual Feedback: Status bar shows current streamer mode state with eye icons

Commands

• Streamer Mode: Menu (status bar) — opens a menu with:
  • Toggle Streamer Mode (on/off)
  • Hide all environment variables (checkbox)
• Toggle Streamer Mode - Manually toggle streamer mode on/off
• Enable Streamer Mode - Force enable streamer mode
• Disable Streamer Mode - Force disable streamer mode

Configuration

Access these settings via VS Code Settings (search for "Streamer Mode"):

• streamingMode.autoDetect (default: true) - Automatically detect streaming software
• streamingMode.detectionInterval (default: 5000) - Detection interval in milliseconds
• streamingMode.streamingProcesses - List of process names to detect as streaming software (exact match, case-insensitive; .exe/.app stripped)

Default detected processes (tight to avoid false positives):

• OBS Studio (obs, obs64)
• Streamlabs (streamlabs obs, streamlabs desktop)
• XSplit (xsplit)

Usage

1. Install and activate the extension
2. Open any .env file
3. Start your streaming software (OBS, etc.)
4. The extension will automatically detect it and mask detected secrets in your files
5. Use the status bar button (eye icon) to open the menu and optionally enable "Hide all environment variables" for complete .env masking

Development

To run the extension in development:

1. Clone this repository
2. Run npm install
3. Run npm run compile
4. Press F5 to launch Extension Development Host
5. Open a .env file to test masking functionality

Secret Detection Rules (Code)

The secret detector focuses on assignments where the assigned identifier contains one of: secret, token, api[_.-]?key, credential, or auth. It considers assignment tokens :, =, :=, =>, ,, (, and <-, covering patterns such as:

• Variable/property assignments: api_key = "...", secret: value, token := value, object['auth'] = "...", {"credential": "..."}
• Function patterns: o.set("auth", "..."), set_apikey("...")

Values must pass high-entropy checks similar to GitGuardian’s Generic High Entropy detector:

• Match a constrained charset/length with specific backslash rules
• Shannon entropy ≥ 3 and contain ≥ 2 digits
• Pass value and context banlists to reduce false positives

Masking is visual-only and targets only the matched secret substring.

Privacy & Security

• The extension only scans process names, not process content
• No sensitive data is transmitted or stored
• Masking is visual only - your actual file content remains unchanged
• Works entirely locally within VS Code

Status Bar

The status bar shows:

• 👁 Streaming - Streamer mode OFF
• 🙈 Streaming - Streamer mode ON (with warning background)

Click the status bar item to toggle streamer mode manually.