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If a Hugging Face access token may have been exposed, delete or refresh it in your Access Tokens settings now, then review recent account activity. After containment, update trusted apps and integrations with a newly scoped token, check your two-factor recovery options, and review SSH keys if you use Git over SSH. Hugging Face’s July 16, 2026 incident disclosure recommends rotating access tokens and reviewing account activity as a precaution; it does not establish that every user account was affected.
1. Invalidate a token that may have leaked
Hugging Face recommends user access tokens for applications and notebooks to authenticate with its services. Tokens can also be used in API calls and Git or other integrations, so treat an exposed token like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to act within its permissions.
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- Open Access Tokens settings and delete or refresh the token you suspect was exposed.
- Review recent activity on your account for actions you do not recognize.
- Find where the old token was used, such as notebooks, application configuration, scripts, or integrations. Remove the exposed value from those locations and update trusted services with a replacement token.
Hugging Face’s July 16, 2026 disclosure says the organization detected an intrusion into part of its production infrastructure earlier that week. At publication, it reported no evidence of tampering with public user-facing models, datasets, or Spaces, while its investigation into possible partner or customer data impact was ongoing. That disclosure recommends rotating tokens and reviewing account activity as a precaution; it is not evidence that a particular user account was compromised. Read the incident disclosure for its findings and scope.
2. Replace tokens with the narrowest practical access
Hugging Face documents read, write, and fine-grained access-token roles. The token’s effective access also depends on your organization membership, so a token’s label alone may not describe everything it can reach.
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- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
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- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
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- Use separate tokens for separate apps or purposes. If one integration is exposed, you can invalidate its token without disrupting unrelated uses.
- Grant only the permissions the integration needs. Choose read access when it only needs to fetch data; use write access only when it must modify or upload content.
- Prefer fine-grained tokens for production where available. Narrow scope limits the potential reach of a compromised credential.
Hugging Face recommends one token per application or use and fine-grained tokens for production usage in its user access-token documentation. Do not paste a token into a support request or share it while asking someone to investigate.
3. Check your two-factor authentication recovery options
Hugging Face’s documented account 2FA flow uses an authenticator app to generate a six-digit code and provides recovery codes when 2FA is set up. Each recovery code works once; regenerating the set makes previous codes unusable.
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
- You still have the authenticator: use its current code when signing in.
- You lost access to the authenticator: try an unused recovery code you saved during setup.
- You cannot access both your password and 2FA credentials: contact [email protected] for account recovery. Hugging Face says support may verify identity using a recovery factor such as an SSH key or personal access token.
Store unused recovery codes somewhere secure and separate from the account they protect. The official 2FA instructions describe the documented recovery path; they do not establish a physical security key option for account MFA.
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4. Review SSH keys if you use Git over SSH
If you use SSH Git access and suspect the associated private key was exposed, review the public keys listed in your Hugging Face user settings and remove or replace any key you no longer trust. The private key stays on your device; the corresponding public key is what you add to your account. Never send a private key to support or paste it into a chat.
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
The Git over SSH guide covers SSH authentication and recommends adding a passphrase when generating a new key. It does not specify a compromise-specific key-revocation procedure; if you cannot confidently remove a suspect key in settings, ask Hugging Face support for help.
5. Contact the right Hugging Face channel
For suspected security impact or to report a security concern, contact Hugging Face at [email protected], the address listed in its security information and July 2026 disclosure. For the specific problem of being locked out after losing password and 2FA access, use the 2FA support route above. In either case, describe what happened and when, but do not include raw access-token values or private SSH keys.
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
What not to assume
The cited Hugging Face guidance does not establish that changing a password revokes all existing sessions, that an active-sessions page or one-click session logout is available, or that invalidating a token reverses actions already taken with it. If you suspect changes were made to repositories, datasets, or Spaces, document what you can see and report the concern to Hugging Face rather than assuming credential rotation rolls back prior activity.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The information below is per-pack only
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
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