Security

API Key Handling

Cartel Empire API keys are treated as private credentials. The database stores a one-way hash for seller-session bookkeeping and encrypted key material for hourly refreshes of that seller's own tienda data. Raw keys are not exposed to browser scripts.

Seller Sessions

After a successful sync, the browser receives an HttpOnly cookie containing only the API key hash. That cookie can reload the last synced tienda view and authorize My Tienda and My Pricelist changes for that verified seller. The server can refresh stale seller data with the encrypted connected key until the player revokes access.

Inventory Ownership

• Sell listings require a current API sync and can only be created from unequipped synced inventory.
• Price lists are seller-owned buy-price sheets tied to the verified tienda session.
• Price-list deletion requires the same player API identity, except legacy anonymous rows from before ownership enforcement.
• Duplicate inventory rows from the game API are merged by item, equipped state, and gear stats before listable quantity is calculated.

Operational Controls

The app is designed for HTTPS deployment, server-side API calls, short API cache windows, HttpOnly session cookies, encrypted connected-key retention, and minimal data retention needed to run shops, listings, price lists, trust scores, and price history.

API Revocation

Players can revoke their marketplace API connection from the Revoke API Data page. Revocation removes the saved key hash and encrypted key, clears the shop session cookie, deletes the short-lived API cache tied to that key hash, pauses public listings, disables public buy prices, and hides the tienda from public browsing. Non-secret historical marketplace and game-derived records can remain on this server for integrity, abuse prevention, and aggregate pricing history.