Stack Trace Sanitiser

Clean stack traces before sharing on GitHub or Stack Overflow

4 min readAuthor: Redactorr Support Team · [email protected]Last reviewed: March 2026

Outcome

Sanitise a stack trace so another person can debug the error without seeing usernames, file paths, tokens, customer data, or internal hostnames.

Your progress

Mark each step as you complete it. This is saved only in this browser.

0 / 3 steps complete

Before you start

Use the smallest stack trace that still shows the error.

Know where you plan to share it: support, a vendor, a teammate, or a public issue.

Treat local paths, environment names, request payloads, and tokens as sensitive until reviewed.

Visual frame

Review asset

Stack trace sanitiser storyboard

Synthetic stack trace frame only. It uses fake paths and errors and keeps source snippets and secrets out of support by default.

ScopeRelevant frames

ReviewPaths and args

SupportSafe excerpt

Synthetic frame

Trace scope

Start with the useful frames.

ErrorTypeError sample

App frameRelevant

Full dumpAvoid first

A shorter stack trace is easier to redact and debug.

Stack trace sharing frame

A developer-support flow that protects local paths and secrets while preserving error debugging context.

ErrorKeep the type, message, and relevant frames.

Private contextPaths, usernames, hostnames, tokens, payloads.

SharePost only the reviewed sanitised trace.

Guided steps

Follow the task, then check the result.

Keep the smallest useful trace

Start with the error type, message, and relevant frames. Remove unrelated logs or request bodies before sanitising when they are not needed.

Error message and relevant frames separated from unrelated log noise.

Success check: The trace is focused enough to review manually.

Review paths, users, tokens, and payloads

Check local file paths, usernames, project names, hostnames, request URLs, tokens, account IDs, customer names, and embedded payloads. Preserve line numbers and function names when safe.

Stack trace with sensitive paths and values replaced but line numbers preserved.

Success check: The trace still explains the error without exposing private context.

The trace contains API keys or tokensUse API key guidance and consider rotation.The trace comes from a log fileUse the log workflow for surrounding context.

Post only the reviewed trace

Before sending to GitHub, support, a vendor, or a teammate, scan the sanitised trace one last time for raw secrets, local paths, private payloads, and account-specific details.

Final reviewed stack trace with posting checklist.

Success check: The posted trace contains enough debugging structure and no raw sensitive values.

Branch questions

Will this trace be posted in a public issue or forum?

I see thisReview especially carefully and avoid raw local paths or secrets.I do not see thisStill sanitise before sending to vendors or teammates.

Are tokens, request payloads, or local user paths still visible?

I see thisReturn to review and rotate exposed secrets if needed.I do not see thisThe trace is ready for the approved support path.

Completion check

The trace is the smallest useful excerpt.

Local paths, usernames, hostnames, tokens, and payloads are reviewed.

The sanitised trace still preserves enough error context to debug.

Support boundary

Support can use by default

Language or framework category and sanitised trace excerpt after consent.
Error type and redacted file path shape.
No raw secrets, private payloads, or full local paths by default.
Intent ID
Article slug
App route
Browser and viewport

Requires your consent

User-written description
Email address
Explicit attachment
Redacted sample
Support bundle previewed to the user

Not collected by default

Raw original document text
Full local file paths
Pasted private content
Unmasked screenshots
Replay capture

Safe support summary

Copy a scrubbed handoff.

Redactorr KB support summary

Article: /knowledge-base/stack-trace
Selected issue: The sanitiser removes too much debugging context.
Playbook progress: 0/3 steps marked complete

Safe context to include:
- Language or framework category and sanitised trace excerpt after consent.
- Error type and redacted file path shape.
- No raw secrets, private payloads, or full local paths by default.
- Intent ID
- Article slug
- App route
- Browser and viewport

Requires explicit consent:
- User-written description
- Email address
- Explicit attachment
- Redacted sample
- Support bundle previewed to the user

Do not include by default:
- Raw original document text
- Full local file paths
- Pasted private content
- Unmasked screenshots
- Replay capture

User note:
- Describe the step and symptom without pasting raw document text, secrets, files, or restoration material.

Article details

You've got a bug. You paste the stack trace into Stack Overflow to ask for help. But wait—that stack trace contains your database password, API keys, and file paths that reveal your internal infrastructure.

The Stack Trace Sanitiser strips out secrets while keeping the error information intact.

The Problem with Stack Traces

Stack traces are incredibly useful for debugging, but they're also data leak magnets:

File Paths: /Users/john.smith/company/secret-project/api/routes/payment.ts This reveals your username, company name, and project structure.

Environment Variables: DATABASE_URL=postgresql://admin:[email protected]:5432/prod Your entire database connection string, exposed.

API Keys in Code: const apiKey = "sk_sample_live_xyz123..." Someone copy-pasted an API key into code, and now it's in your stack trace.

Internal IPs: at http://192.168.1.100:8080/api/handler.js:45 Your internal network topology, visible to the world.

What the Sanitiser Does

Detects Multi-Language Traces: Supports Java, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, C#, Ruby, PHP, and more.

Removes Sensitive Data:

API keys and tokens
Passwords and credentials
Email addresses
File system paths (can be anonymized)
Internal IP addresses
Database connection strings

Preserves Debugging Info:

Error messages (with secrets redacted)
Line numbers
Function/method names
Stack frame structure
Module names

Real-World Scenarios

Asking for help on Stack Overflow: You need debugging help but can't share production secrets.

Filing GitHub issues: Submit a bug report with stack traces that won't compromise your security.

Sharing logs with vendors: Give your cloud provider error details without exposing credentials.

Internal bug tracking: Store stack traces in JIRA/Linear without leaking passwords.

Supported Languages

Language	Detection	Patterns Cleaned
JavaScript/Node.js	✓	Paths, URLs, credentials
Python	✓	Paths, env vars, secrets
Java	✓	Classpath, exceptions, credentials
Go	✓	Goroutine stacks, paths
C#/.NET	✓	Namespaces, paths, connection strings
Ruby	✓	Gem paths, Rails errors
PHP	✓	Paths, database errors

Your Traces Stay Private

Stack traces are processed through browser-local detection and redaction.

Still stuck?

Copy a safe article handoff.

Start support with the article, the issue, and safe context. Raw document text, files, restoration material, and unredacted screenshots stay out unless you explicitly choose otherwise.

Support can start here

Article slug
Selected issue
Screen name
Action name

Redactorr support case

Source: Article playbook: stack-trace
Route: /knowledge-base/stack-trace
Selected issue: The sanitiser removes too much debugging context.

Safe context:
- Language or framework category and sanitised trace excerpt after consent.
- Error type and redacted file path shape.
- No raw secrets, private payloads, or full local paths by default.
- Article slug
- Selected issue
- Screen name or article section
- Action name
- Browser and viewport

Only include with explicit consent:
- User-written description
- Email address
- Explicit attachment
- Redacted sample
- Support bundle previewed to the user

Do not include by default:
- Raw original document text
- Full local file paths
- Pasted private content
- Unmasked screenshots
- Replay capture
- Hidden diagnostic uploads

User note:
- Describe what you tried and what happened. Do not paste raw document text, secrets, files, restoration material, or unredacted screenshots.

Support case builder

One case format, wherever you start.

This is the same support case shape used by diagnostics and article handoffs.

Safe to include

Language or framework category and sanitised trace excerpt after consent.
Error type and redacted file path shape.
No raw secrets, private payloads, or full local paths by default.
Article slug
Selected issue
Screen name or article section

Consent boundary

Private material belongs behind an explicit consent step, not in the initial case.

6 default exclusions

Before you copy0/4 ready

I tried the article step closest to my issue.I selected the issue that matches what happened.I removed raw document text, files, restoration material, and unredacted screenshots.I can describe the screen, action, and result in plain language.

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